After the recent trade between the Colorado Avalanche and the Anaheim Ducks, former Gopher star Ben Meyers will get a chance at a fresh start.
Ben Meyers was a sought-after College free agent that Colorado got to sign after Meyers chose the Avalanche over other NHL teams, like his hometown Minnesota Wild.
Meyers, now 25, spent three seasons with the Gophers where he put up 39 goals and 95 points in 102 career NCAA games. He led the Gophers to the Frozen Four as their captain but decided to forgo his Senior year to sign a contract with the Avalanche.
He even scored in his NHL debut against the Carolina Hurricanes during the 2021-22 season. His first full season with the Avalanche saw him skate in 39 NHL games and 30 games with the Colorado Eagles in the AHL.
The following year, Meyers played in nine NHL games and 32 AHL games with the Eagles. In most of the games Meyers has played in the NHL he has spent most of his time on the fourth line and hasn't really played over ten minutes a night.
The 5-foot-11 forward has recorded 17 goals and 49 points in 62 career AHL games across two seasons and has notched six goals for six points in 54 career NHL games across three seasons.
Colorado has been a top team in the league for a while now and just hasn't had a chance to give Meyers a real shot at top minutes but the Anaheim Ducks have been at the bottom of the standings for a while now, so a change of scenery for Meyers and more minutes should do wonders for the former colligate star.
The Ducks have been known to play their youth in spots to succeed like rookie defenseman Jackson LaCombe who is currently playing top minutes on the Ducks' backend.
In fact, Meyers played three seasons with LaCombe for the Gophers so the two will be reunited again to help lead the Ducks. The Avalanche traded Meyers to the Ducks for a 2024 fifth-round pick.