The Gophers men’s hockey program announced Friday that it has signed defenseman Finn McLaughlin, a Canmore, Alberta, native who has played on USHL championship teams the past two seasons. McLaughlin, 19, flipped his commitment from Denver to the Gophers.
A 6-2, 203-pound left-shot defenseman, McLaughlin won USHL titles with the Fargo Force in 2024 and Muskegon Lumberjacks this season. Over 110 USHL games with Youngstown, Fargo and Muskegon over the past three seasons, McLaughlin has eight goals and 29 assists. McLaughlin is eligible for the 2025 NHL draft.
McLaughlin should help bolster a Minnesota blue line that saw first-round draft picks Sam Rinzel and Oliver Moore, plus second-rounder Ryan Chesley leave early for the NHL after the 2024-25 season.
McLaughlin’s father, Kyle, skated as a defenseman for St. Cloud State in the 1990s. Finn McLaughlin played for Canada until 2023 when he switched to Team USA, playing for the under-18 team in the Hlinka Gretzky Cup in 2024 and for the under-19 team in the World Junior A Challenge.
