NHL Draft 2019: Ryan Johnson leads 7 Gopher Draft Picks

Minnesota incoming freshman defenseman Ryan Johnson had to wait until the final pick of Friday night's first round, but it was worth it to become the 21st Gopher to be an NHL Draft first round pick.

Buffalo selected the Irvine, California native with the 31st pick in the 2019 NHL Draft as Johnson was the first of (#) University of Minnesota players and commits selected this weekend. That is the most Gophers chosen in a single NHL Draft since a record nine players were in 2007.

The Sabres, using a pick by the St. Louis Blues, continue to go to the Minnesota well. Johnson marks the sixth Gopher - and second in three years following Casey Mittelstadt - to be selected in the first round by Buffalo in franchise history. Buffalo went back to the well three rounds later, selecting Roseau forward Aaron Huglen with the 102nd overall pick.

Fellow incoming freshman defenseman Jackson LaCombe did not need to wait long Saturday. LaCombe lasted eight picks before Anaheim selected the Eden Prairie, MN native with the 39th overall pick. It's the second consecutive year that a Gopher went to the Ducks after Anaheim chose forward Blake McLaughlin in 2018.

Johnson and LaCombe mark the first time multiple Gophers went in the top two rounds since 2010.

A pair of Chaska (MN-HS) and future Minnesota teammates were drafted 15 picks apart from one another in the fifth round. Forward Rhett Pitlick became the third member of his immediate family to be drafted after father Lance and brother Rem when the Montreal Canadiens chose Pitlick the younger with the 131st pick. Defenseman Mike Koster went to another Canadian team, the Toronto Maple Leafs, with the 146th pick. (A Gopher connection: Former assistant coach Scott Bell is now Toronto's amateur scout in Minnesota.)

Both players, as well as Huglen, won't be on campus until 2020. Pitlick will play for Omaha (USHL). Koster will play for the Tri-City Storm (USHL). Huglen will play for Fargo (USHL).

Sophomore defenseman Ben Brinkman, in his first year of eligibility, became the first Gopher drafted by Dallas in 12 years when the Stars selected the Edina native in the sixth round. Brinkman, college hockey's youngest player last season, came onto his own as the year went along and earned more responsibility under head coach Bob Motzko. He finished with 7 points (1G-6A) in 38 games.

Philadelphia used its final pick in the seventh round on 2019 Minnesota Mr. Hockey Bryce Brodzinski. The Blaine native is the third of his brothers to be drafted after both Jonny and Michael were selected seven picks apart in 2013.

Johnson, LaCombe, Brinkman and Brodzinski will join nine other Minnesota teammates this fall in being NHL draft picks.

Minnesota Gophers Draft Picks:

-Ryan Johnson, Buffalo Sabres (Round 1, Pick 31)
-Jackson LaCombe, Anaheim Ducks (Round 2, Pick 39)
-Aaron Huglen, Buffalo Sabres (Round 4, Pick 102)*
-Rhett Pitlick, Montreal Canadiens (Round 5, Pick 131)*
-Mike Koster, Toronto Maple Leafs (Round 5, Pick 146)*
-Ben Brinkman, Dallas Stars (Round 6, 173)
-Bryce Brodzinski, Philadelphia Flyers (Round 7, Pick 196)

*Not expected until 2020-21

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NHL Draft 2019: University of Minnesota Players To Watch & Draft Primer

It could come on Friday. It could come on Saturday. At the very least, the University of Minnesota will see at least one player selected for the 45th time in the past 46 NHL Drafts.

In fact, there will probably be more this weekend.

After 2018 saw a pair of incoming Minnesota freshmen selected on back-to-back third-round picks and little else, the 2019 NHL Draft should be a big one for the Gophers. 11 current and future Gophers are ranked by NHL Central Scouting, which acts as a hypothetical 32nd team. Many of those will not be on campus until 2020-21 or later.

Being ranked does not mean a player will be selected (and vice versa as players not on Central Scouting's list get selected every year). It's a guide, more than anything. No matter what happens in Vancouver, there are several positive takeaways entering Bob Motzko's second year as Gopher head coach that the team has been missing in recent years.

Aaron Huglen Commits To Minnesota

When it comes to Aarons from Roseau playing men's hockey at the University of Minnesota, Mr. Broten and Mr. Ness appear to have company.

Roseau, MN junior forward Aaron Huglen is the latest player to verbally commit to the Gophers. He announced his decision Tuesday (August 29, 2017).

pic.twitter.com/IcYqxS3Gnu

— Aaron Huglen (@aaronhuglen_8) August 29, 2017

Roseau, home to Neal, Paul and Aaron Broten, along with being a 2500 person town regularly capable through the decades of contending for a Class AA state title, has not been a Gopher hotbed of late despite history. Huglen would be the first men's player from there, or Northwest Minnesota for that matter, to play for the Gophers since Aaron Ness did in 2008-2011. His uncle, Mark Huglen, played one season at Minnesota (1981-1982) before transferring to North Dakota.

Listed at 5'9", Huglen finished his sophomore season sixth on the Rams in scoring with 24 points (8G-16A) in 25 games.

From Chris Dilks of SB Nation College Hockey in May 2017:

Aaron Huglen-Roseau HS-Huglen is almost impossible to stop when he’s bringing the puck down the wing 1-on-1. He’s got very good speed and elite ability to stickhandle through defensemen while at top speed. He’s still a bit raw, but has good upside if he can add more dimensions to his game.

(Full disclosure: I've been a writer for SB Nation College Hockey).

The 2001-born Huglen was drafted in the 3rd round (43rd overall) of the 2017 USHL Phase 1 Draft by the Fargo Force. He becomes the fifth Gopher commit in his age group among the top 100 picks.

Huglen would be eligible to play for Minnesota in 2019-2020 at the earliest.