Ex-NHL Veteran Highlights Brett Larson's First Staff With Gophers Hockey

Brett Larson was hired as the new head coach of Gophers men's hockey a few weeks ago, and he now has officially finalized his first coaching staff. Headlined by NHL veteran Matt Cullen, it's a unique mix of voices to take the program into a new era.

Head coach: Brett Larson
Assistant coach: Ben Gordon
Assistant coach: Cory Laylin
Assistant coach: Paul Martin
Director of player development: Matt Cullen
Director of operations: Jacob LeRoy

The team behind the team is here!

Built with experience, energy, and a shared vision. Let’s get to work. 〽

For more details, click here: https://t.co/2s3I3qrXBY pic.twitter.com/7X9f7rMVli
— Minnesota Men’s Hockey (@GopherHockey) April 7, 2026

Ben Gordon has been with the program since 2018 as an assistant, and Paul Martin has been helping out in some capacity since 2020. Both coaches will now stay with the program through the coaching change. Martin is an Elk River native who had a 14-year career as an NHL defenseman.

The headline hire in this announcement is Cullen. He has more than 20 years of experience playing in the NHL, with over 1,500 career games for eight different teams (including four seasons in a Minnesota Wild sweater). Cullen won three Stanley Cups as a player. He's a native of Virginia, MN, who played at St. Cloud State and was a second-round pick in the 1996 NHL draft.

Matt Cullen in the 2018 playoffs | James Carey Lauder-Imagn Images

Since retiring after the 2018-19 season, Cullen has helped lead Moorhead High School to back-to-back Class AA state championships as an assistant on the staff. Two of his sons, Wyatt and Brooks Cullen, are currently committed to the Gophers, and his youngest son, Joey, might be the most talented of all three. In the modern era of college sports, he's a significant addition to the coaching staff.

Another outside hire is Cory Laylin, who has been an assistant coach at St. Thomas since 2021. He played hockey at the University of Minnesota in the late 80s and early 90s. He was previously the head coach at Buffalo High School and Hamline University, so he's an experienced voice with a strong connection to the area.

LeRoy was retained through the coaching change and is entering his sixth season as the program's director of operations.

Larson's coaching staff is now in place for the 2026-27 season. The next step for Minnesota will be building a roster. Retaining their top talent and incoming recruits will be key ahead of what could be a chaotic transfer portal cycle.

"I'm really excited about the group we've put together," Larson said, via the program's press release. "We've brought in an incredible staff that's respected across the game, outstanding at what they do, and hungry to get to work. There's a strong sense of purpose with this group and it will immediately benefit our program."

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