UConn's Matthew Wood transfers to Minnesota

Minnesota picks up a big-time player from the Transfer Portal in Matthew Wood.

Matthew Wood entered the NCAA Transfer Portal as one of the most intriguing players. Minnesota is the lucky team to have picked him up.

Wood, 19, was the Nashville Predators 15th overall pick in the 2023 draft and has spent the last two seasons at the University of Connecticut where he led the team in scoring in back-to-back seasons. 

He was the highest-drafted player in program history and will now join Minnesota as the fourth player to play for the Gophers next season to have been drafted in the first round of an NHL draft. Jimmy Snuggerud (23rd, 2022), Sam Rinzel (25th, 2022), and Oliver Moore (19th, 2023) are the other three players. 

The 6-foot-3 forward comes to Minnesota with 27 career goals, 35 career assists, and 62 career points in 70 collegiate games. Wood has a few connections to Minnesota already. His father, Jamie Wood was the assistant coach for the Gophers' Women's Hockey Team from 2008-2010. 

This is a big time get for the Gophers and a huge player to get following the departures of Jaxon Nelson and Bryce Brodzinski. 

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