Matthew Wood becomes fourth Gophers player to sign NHL contract after season

Wood was an All-Big Ten Honorable Mention and was second on the team in points in his lone season at Minnesota.

Nashville Predators draft pick Matthew Wood puts on his sweater after being selected with the 15th pick in the first round of the NHL draft at Bridgestone Arena in Nashville, Tenn., on June 28, 2023. | Christopher Hanewinckel-Imagn Images

A fourth Gophers men's hockey player has signed his first NHL contract following Thursday's NCAA Tournament upset.

Matthew Wood signed a three-year, entry-level contract with the Nashville Predators on Saturday, the team announced. Wood will report to the Predators, who selected him with the No. 15 overall pick in the 2023 draft, in the upcoming days.

The forward is the fourth Gophers player to sign his first NHL contract since Minnesota's season ended with a stunning and controversial upset loss to UMass in overtime in the first round of the NCAA Tournament on Thursday. On Friday, forward Jimmy Snuggerud signed his three-year, entry-level contract with the St. Louis Blues, and earlier Saturday, forward Oliver Moore and defenseman Sam Rinzel signed three-year, entry-level contracts with the Chicago Blackhawks.

In his lone season at Minnesota, Wood played 39 games and recorded 39 points (17 goals, 22 assists), which were second most on the team, and was named an All-Big Ten Honorable Mention. He had a point in all four of the Gophers' postseason contests and finished his college career on a five-game point streak. For his entire college career overall, which included a pair of seasons at Connecticut, Wood racked up 101 total points (44 goals, 57 assists).