The Golden Gophers continue to stock NHL prospects rosters. Three incoming skaters were selected over two days at last weekend's NHL Entry Draft in Sunrise, Fla.
Breaking it down:
Center Brent Gates, Jr., was drafted in the third round (80th overall) by the Nashville Predators.
The son of a former Minnesota All-American baseball star, Gates spent the last two seasons with the USHL Green Bay Gamblers and skated at the 2015 USHL/NHL Top Prospects Game and the 2014 CCM/USA Hockey All-American Prospects Game. He helped the U.S. Under-17 Team go undefeated to win the 2013 Under-17 Five Nations Tournament and competed with the U.S. Under-18 Team in a bronze-medal winning effort at the 2014 Ivan Hlinka Tournament.
At draft pick 80, Gates went considerably higher than his last ranking by NHL Central Scouting, which pegged him at 105. He's only the second Gopher drafted by the Ducks, who also chose Jordan Leopold in 1999.
Just minutes after Gates' selection, incoming Gophers center Tommy Novak was picked by the Nashville Predators at number 85, also in the third round.
Novak, who played his high school puck for the Vannelli brothers at St. Thomas Academy, is coming off an all-rookie season with the USHL's Waterloo Blackhawks. He was the top scorer for Team USA at the 2014 World Junior A Challenge.
Novak was one of four centers drafted by the Predators. He told The Nashville Tennessean that he was excited enough about the draft that he skipped some classes at the U to attend the event in Florida.
Tommy Novak
Novak becomes the fourth Gopher to be claimed by the Predators after Zach Budish (2009), Ryan Flynn (2006) and Matt Koalska (2000).
Lakeville native Jack Sadek had to wait longer to find out which NHL team would take a chance on him. He found out in the seventh round when the Wild claimed him on their final pick (No. 204). The defenseman from Lakeville North has championship credentials and a solid UM bloodline. He's the cousin of ex-Gopher standout Brady Skjei and both his father, Brett, and grandfather, Robert, played football for the Maroon and Gold. His sister, Danielle, plays hockey for Ohio State but we'll be big about it.
Jack Sadek
Sadek spent three seasons at Lakeville North High School and closed out his prep career with the 2015 MSHSL Class AA State Championship and an unblemished 31-0 record. The defenseman, who was named to the 2015 Class AA Minnesota State Boys' Hockey All-Tournament Team, led his team to three state tournament berths and two-straight South Suburban Conference titles.
This marks the 41st time in the draft's 42-year history that one or more Gophers have been selected.
DOUG McLEOD is play-by-play voice of Gophers hockey and other events on FOX Sports North and a longtime voice of Golden Gopher athletics.
