BLOG: How to get your offseason hockey fix & watch Gophers all at once

Friday and Saturday marked the midpoint of Minnesota's offseason. Each passing day brings us closer to the start of a new year, so it should be no surprise that mid-July features players ramping up in preparation.

In addition to ongoing NHL development camps, several University of Minnesota players are spending their July and August participating in Da Beauty League. Featuring Twin Cities-based NHLers, minor leaguers and collegians playing 4x4 hockey at Braemar Arena in Edina, the league's second season begins today (July 12, 2017) and runs through August. For three games a night (5:10 pm, 6:35 pm, 8:00 pm) at $10 it's a decent value.

🚨Here we go 🚨
Proud to announce Da Beauty League Rosters!

See you all Wednesday for Da Opener! pic.twitter.com/fZNI8n2NUk

— DaBeautyLeague (@DaBeautyLeague) July 8, 2017

Five the six teams (all except Walser) have a Gopher on their roster. Among the current Minnesota players participating are junior forward Brent Gates Jr., senior defenseman Steve Johnson, sophomore defenseman Ryan Lindgren, sophomore defenseman Tyler Nanne, junior forward Tommy Novak, and senior forward Mike Szmatula.

Alums:
-Stu Bickel (2007-08)
-Jake Bischoff (2013-17)
-Nick Bjugstad (2010-13)
-Travis Boyd (2011-15)
-Hudson Fasching (2013-16)
-Alex Goligoski (2004-07)
-Erik Haula (2010-13)
-Seth Helgeson (2009-13)
-Justin Kloos (2013-17)
-Nick Leddy (2009-10)
-Vinni Lettieri (2013-17)
-Paul Martin (2000-03)
-Aaron Ness (2008-11)
-Kyle Rau (2011-15)
-Mike Reilly (2012-15)
-Nate Schmidt (2010-13)
-Jordan Schroeder (2008-10)
-Brady Skjei (2012-15)
-Adam Wilcox (2012-15)

Another option for those in the Twin Cities who can't get their offseason hockey fix is the Minnesota Wild prospect development camp. The Wild have a pair of scrimmages, one of which happened yesterday. The other will be Thursday (July 13, 2017) at 5:00 pm CT at Xcel Energy Center.

Four players with Minnesota ties are participating. That includes Leon Bristedt, who scored yesterday as an invite.

Bristedt showed off his hard work in the corners with a lot of possession, worked it out top, and gets the goal on a tip past Ryan Edquist.

— Eric Vegoe (@evegoe) July 11, 2017

Another participant, newly signed Justin Kloos, was profiled, along with ex-Ferris State forward Gerry Mayhew, by Brian Halverson for Wild.com.