Matthew Wood (What we know)

A highly touted player making a decision about attending Minnesota during the offseason? Unheard of, right? Well, I'm not referring to Eiserman or Cooley and god forbid Snuggerud. If you've been following Gopher Hockey and spent any time on Twitter today, you've likely heard the buzz surrounding recent portal entry Matthew Wood potentially landing at Minnesota. While this article won't confirm or deny anything, it's understandable that Gopher fans are excited about the prospect. Wood boasts an impressive resume, including being a top 15 pick in the 2023 NHL draft and a member of Canada’s recent WJC team. Additionally, he led a struggling UConn Huskies team in points, tallying 28 points in 35 games with 16 goals and 12 assists.With the news of Jimmy Snuggerud returning for his junior season, could the offseason get any better for the Gophers? I've been hyping up next year's recruits all season, and adding Wood to the mix would undoubtedly bolster the team's chances. However, it's not a done deal. While the Gophers are rumored to be the favorite, nothing is official yet. Here's what we know: Matthew's status on the portal is marked as “do not contact.” The Gopher hockey Instagram page followed him at some point, but the timing is uncertain. In the past day, Michigan's official Instagram also followed him, and Matthew has followed two North Dakota players, Jackson Blake and Ben Strinden. It's unclear how relevant these follows are, as Jackson Blake may be signing with the Hurricanes. Nevertheless, it's evident that we won't have any answers until Matthew makes his decision. If Matthew chooses to join the Gophers, fantastic. If not, the team shouldn't fret. It's still early in the offseason, and there are plenty of options in the portal this year. For now, all we can do is wait. If you're interested in a list of incoming recruits and their stats for the year, you can visit our Recuits tab on our website.

Wood playing for UConn