MINNEAPOLIS -- The Colorado Avalanche, Columbus Blue Jackets, Florida Panthers and Washington Capitals are among the several NHL teams represented.
A look around the locker room for the Minnesota Gophers men's hockey team and there are NHL draftees everywhere. The four teams listed above each have two draftees playing for Minnesota. In all, 17 Gophers' rights are owned by NHL teams, including those of all but four Gophers who've played at least nine games this season.
Sophomore defenseman Nate Schmidt is one of the few who doesn't have an NHL team listed next to his name on the Minnesota roster. He also happens to be one of the top scorers on the No. 6 Gophers.
Walking into Minnesota's locker room last year as a freshman was daunting.
"It was tough at first," Schmidt said. "You walk in here and it was intimidating with all the guys. Last year was really intimidating. But now it's just more, you see those guys and you try to work just as hard as they do and you know hopefully you'll get rewarded in the end."
Schmidt is being noticed now. The 5-foot-11, 194-pound Schmidt leads the Gophers and is sixth nationally with 27 assists and is tied with teammate Kyle Rau with a plus-21 rating, which ranks fourth in the nation. Schmidt's also added two goals, both on the power play, for Minnesota (21-11-1, 17-7-0 WCHA), which heads to Nebraska-Omaha for a weekend series holding a two-point lead over Minnesota-Duluth for the conference lead.
Coming out of St. Cloud Cathedral high school, Schmidt earned all-state honors, but wasn't drafted right away. He spent a season playing with the Fargo Force of the USHL, where he scored 14 goals and had 23 assists in 57 games before coming to the Gophers.
But he was in and out of the lineup as a freshman in Minnesota, playing 10 games and going scoreless. He's played in all 33 games this season.
"It's been real different, to be honest," Schmidt said. "It's been a lot more fun. Obviously last year you get into a program like this and it was a good experience, but it wasn't to where you were every day in the lineup. It's fun to be part of that six 'D' that get out there, those 12 forwards that get on the ice every day and for the games on the weekend."
Being in the lineup everyday has helped Schmidt step forward and Gophers' coach Don Lucia has seen the difference.
"I think just confidence," Lucia said. "I think two things, his physical conditioning. I think he paid more of a price to get himself in the shape a Division I college athlete has to be in. I think, two, just getting the opportunity from day one and knowing when the year began that it was his position to lose. He's done a very nice job and has had an outstanding year from us like we needed."
Few defenseman have contributed to their team's scoring like Schmidt has this season. Among defenseman, only Wisconsin's Justin Schultz has as many assists as Schmidt. Schmidt has gone three straight games without a point just once this season.
Keeping other teams off the board has been the focal point for Schmidt and his defensive partner, sophomore Jake Parenteau, and the result is his sterling plus-minus rating.
"One of the biggest things is going out there and knowing you have the confidence that you can do the things that need to get done in the game," Schmidt said. "Between (Parenteau) and I, we have the same goals; never get scored on and just be really tough to play against. That's the biggest thing for me is I have the confidence to go out there and make plays and have a defense partner such as Jake that we trust each other and go out there to do whatever is necessary to make good plays or keep them from scoring."
And if Schmidt can keep doing those things, he knows he won't have to worry about his future in hockey. He understands his situation.
"For me I like where I am at right now," Schmidt said. "I mean, with where I'm playing it's almost a better factor for me and you get to maybe choose where you get to go."
If he keeps playing like he has this season, Schmidt might just have a lot of choices.
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