Two NHL Draft Picks to Follow Brett Larson from St. Cloud State to Gophers in Portal

Larson is bringing two big-time talents with him from St. Cloud to Minneapolis.

St. Cloud State men's hockey freshman Austin Burnevik skates up the ice during an exhibition game Oct. 5 at home against Minnesota. The Huskies lost 5-1. | Reid Glenn / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

New Gophers men's hockey head coach Brett Larson is bringing two of the most talented players from last year's St. Cloud State team with him to Minneapolis through the transfer portal this offseason.

Austin Burnevik, forward

COMMITMENT: St. Cloud State F Austin Burnevik will follow Brett Larson and transfer to the Gophers, according to multiple reports.

38 points (20 goals and 18 assists) last season with the Huskies. 2024 sixth-round pick by the Ducks. https://t.co/WQzAYPOz2b pic.twitter.com/lbRk6z2AUl

— Tony Liebert (@TonyLiebert) April 13, 2026

Burnevik was the second-leading scorer on St. Cloud State last season with 38 points (20 goals and 18 assists) after leading the team with 28 points (13 goals and 15 assists) as a freshman in 2024-25. The Ham Lake, Minnesota native played two years of high school hockey for Totino-Grace before joining the USA Hockey National Team Development Program (USNTDP) for two seasons. He played one season in the USHL for the Madison Capitols before making the NCAA jump.

Burnevik was selected by the Anaheim Ducks in the sixth round of the 2024 NHL Draft with the 182nd-overall pick. He's 21 years old, and he'll turn 22 on Jan. 3. He will have at least two years of NCAA eligibility remaining with the Gophers.

Tanner Henricks, defenseman

COMMITMENT: St. Cloud State D Tanner Henricks will follow Brett Larson and transfer to Minnesota.

CBJ prospect had 6 points in 14 games during his first college season in 2025-26. 3 years of eligibility remaining. https://t.co/WQzAYPOz2b pic.twitter.com/5IroXLgQ3K

— Tony Liebert (@TonyLiebert) April 13, 2026

Henricks is following Larson to the Gophers after just one season at St. Cloud State. His freshman campaign was cut short to just 14 games, and he finished with six points (three goals and three assists). He will have at least three years of college eligibility remaining.

Hailing from Mission Viejo, California, Henricks was selected in the fourth round of the 2024 NHL Draft by the Columbus Blue Jackets with the 101st overall pick. He will turn 20 years old this summer, and he'll provide the Gophers with some much-needed depth next season.

What's next?

Burnevik and Henricks join Minnesota State's Evan Murr and Michigan State goaltender Melvin Strahl as the third and fourth transfer portal additions for the Gophers on Monday. Larson and the new coaching staff clearly had a plan of attack for when the portal officially opened.

They've seen seven players from last year's roster already enter the transfer portal, but they've done an admirable job adding premier talent. It will likely be a new-look roster in 2026-27, but Larson is already showing that he will be aggressive in building Minnesota's roster going forward.