With The Season Over, the Ben Meyers Sweepstakes Are About To Begin

Photo: Brace Hemmelgarn/GopherSports.com

(KDLM) – The Minnesota Golden Gopher men’s hockey team’s season came to a close last Friday after a 5-1 loss to Minnesota State-Mankato in the semifinals of the Frozen Four

A lot of player turnover could be on the way for the Gophers men’s hockey team. After making their first Frozen Four appearance since 2014, a lot of players are expected to sign their pro contracts this off-season. Forward Blake McLaughlin has already signed his contract with the Anaheim Ducks, Sammy Walker is expected to sign his contract with the Tampa Bay Lightning, Jackson McComb was a second-round pick by the Anaheim Ducks and could sign this off-season as could Brock Fabor, who was a second-round pick of the LA Kings. Former goalie Jack LaFontaine signed his pro contract with Carolina in the middle of the season.

But the interesting name to watch will be Gopher captain junior Ben Meyers.

The 23-year-old Delano native led the Gophers with 17 goals and 41 points in 34 games this season and has a number of accolades attached to his name, including BIG Ten Most Valuable Player, Olympian, and Hobey Baker Finalist.

‘NHL Draft Pick’ was not one of them.

Meyers, who helped lead the Fargo Force to the 2017-18 USHL championship, went undrafted and is now the top name on the list of college-free agents. He’s been talking to NHL teams for a couple of months now and is officially interviewing with teams today.

One team that has committed to going hard after Meyers is his hometown Minnesota Wild, who are “all in” on Meyers. The Wild had Meyers in their facility last summer for a tour, and reportedly had five representatives watching him in the Frozen Four in Boston last weekend.

If the Wild sign Meyers, they could add him to the roster immediately. He’s projected as a fourth-liner that could help increase the Wild’s face-off percentage. Currently, the Wild ranks 29th in face-off win percentage (47.1%). As a Gopher, Meyers has a career face-off win percentage of 57.4.

If Meyers signs with a playoff team, he would be ineligible to compete in the playoffs.

Or Meyers could shock the world and return to the U for his senior season.

The Wild are also reportedly interested in signing three-time All American and reigning Hobey Baker winner Dryden McKay. McKay became the third goalie ever to win the Hobey last Saturday. He won an NCAA record 38 games for Minnesota State-Mankato this season, and shut out opponents 34 times over his career, which is also an NCAA record.