Aaron Huglen

July 2024- In his third season with the University of Minnesota Golden Gophers, Huglen nearly doubled his goal total from the previous campaign. He scored 13 goals and 21 points in 37 games in 2023-2024. After tallying just four points in his first fourteen games, he elevated his game with 17 points in the season’s remaining 23 matches, including a streak of six points in four games in early February. He was recognized as the Big Ten Conference’s third star for that week. The defensive elements of his game were also apparent throughout the year, as he contributed significantly towards impeding his opponent’s shooting positions and was a key shot blocker for the Gophers. During the 2024 Big Ten playoff tournament, Huglen scored two goals in the best-of-three matchup against his team’s quarterfinal opponent, Penn State. He deposited the pivotal series-winning goal in Game Two, advancing his team into the semifinals against Michigan. He is slated to play his fourth year with the Gophers this upcoming season. The Sabres must decide whether to sign him following his next campaign. Kevin Wong

May 2023 – In his second year with the University of Minnesota Golden Gophers, Huglen totalled seven goals and 17 points in 38 games, nearly identical numbers to those recorded in his rookie NCAA campaign. He is a two-way forward who has been used in numerous roles throughout the Gophers’ lineup. He plays with a degree of physicality and can shield the puck despite the lingering effects of a major back injury suffered in 2019 that led to the loss of the entire 2019-2020 campaign. He finished 13th in team scoring in 2022-2023. The Gophers reached the Frozen Four in 2023, losing in the National Championship game to Quinnipiac. Kevin Wong

August 2020 – Huglen did not play at all during the 2019-2020 season. The season was lost due to a back injury that occurred during the 2019 off-season. As a fourth-round pick from the team’s most recent draft class, Huglen still has much time to develop, but this is a setback. He is slated to join the University of Minnesota for the 2020-2021 season. Kevin Wong

December 2019 – Huglen, who scored the lacrosse-style goal at the 2018 Hlinka Gretzky Cup, has been on injured reserve since the beginning of the season and there is no update on when he might return to the ice for the USHL’s Fargo Force. When he is on the ice, Huglen loves to crash the net and his stick handling is top-notch. Last season, he split his time with the Force and his high school varsity team, Roseau High. In his 28 appearances for the Force, he mustered up 14 points (four goals and 10 assists). For Roseau High, he appeared in 24 games and tallied 52 points (17 goals and 35 assists). Given his offensive numbers from last season, he was a finalist for Mr. Hockey. Next season, he will be suiting up for the University of Minnesota Golden Gophers. From a fantasy perspective, Huglen’s offensive numbers were a bit low last season. If Huglen plays this season and is consistent with his production, we might see a spike in his fantasy upside. Josh Tessler