Brett Larson era begins: Gophers hockey set for rivalries, road tests in 2026-27
Gophers introduce Brett Larson as new men's hockey coach
Gophers Athletic Director Mark Coyle introduced Brett Larson on Tuesday as the new men's hockey coach. Larson is replacing Bob Motzko after eight seasons at St. Cloud State, and won 153 games with the Huskies. He's been a part of four national title games and three gold medals.
MINNEAPOLIS (FOX 9) - The University of Minnesota men's hockey team is gearing up for an action-packed 2026-27 season, with a schedule full of classic rivalries and big conference showdowns as Brett Larson steps in for his first year as head coach.
Season opens with historic road rivalries
What we know:
The Gophers kick off their 106th season Oct. 2-3 in Houghton, Mich., against Michigan Tech in a series that stretches back more than 100 years. It's Minnesota's first trip to MacInnes Student Ice Arena since October 2012.
The road trip continues Oct. 16-17 with a rivalry series against Minnesota-Duluth. The visiting team has swept this series the past two years, and the Gophers hope to keep that trend going. Minnesota starts the year with two tough road series, building momentum before returning home.
After an early bye week, the team will look to set the tone for the season against familiar foes.
Home stand brings fans nine straight games
Why you should care:
The Gophers return to 3M Arena at Mariucci for a nine-game homestand beginning with their home opener Oct. 22-23 against North Dakota. This rivalry is one of the most storied in college hockey and always brings high energy.
Big Ten Conference play starts at home against Penn State from Oct. 29-Nov. 1, followed by a visit from NCAA runner-up Wisconsin Nov. 5-8 for the first Border Battle of the year.
Non-conference play resumes Nov. 13-14 with Alaska Anchorage, a match-up not seen in a decade. The home stand wraps up with a home-and-home series against Minnesota State on Thanksgiving weekend, with games in Minneapolis Nov. 27 and in Mankato Nov. 28.
Second half features key conference battles, tournament chase
The backstory:
December takes the Gophers on the road to Notre Dame (Dec. 3-6) and defending Big Ten regular season champion Michigan State (Dec. 10-13) before a holiday break. After winter break, the team hosts Bemidji State for an exhibition Jan. 2.
Regular season play resumes with a home series against Michigan Jan. 7-10, then Minnesota travels to Ohio State Jan. 14-17. January ends with back-to-back home series against Notre Dame (Jan. 21-24) and Michigan State (Jan. 28-31). February brings road trips to Wisconsin (Feb. 4-7) and Penn State (Feb. 11-14), then the Gophers' final home series against Ohio State Feb. 18-21.
The regular season closes on the road at Michigan Feb. 25-28. The postseason chase begins in March with the Big Ten Tournament hosted at higher seeds' campus sites. NCAA Regionals run March 25-28, with the Frozen Four set for April 8 and 10 in Washington, D.C.
The schedule promises a challenging run for the Gophers as they aim for a Big Ten title and a shot at the national championship in Brett Larson's first season.
What we don't know:
Exact dates and times for Big Ten Conference games will be confirmed at a later date. Additional details about ticketing and broadcast schedules have not been released.