Blake McLaughlin

July 2023 – The 23-year-old winger had a disappointing season in 2022-23. He was initially pencilled into the San Diego Gulls lineup but failed to score a single point in 24 games there. He did find some success at the ECHL level, scoring 34 points in 43 games. He will likely get another chance to crack the Gulls’ lineup this year but needs to work on acclimating to the professional game which is a different dynamic than university hockey. Naftali Clifton

May 2022 – In his final season at Minnesota, McLaughlin set new career highs in games player(39), goals (13), assists (20), and shots on goal (107). At the end of his collegiate season, he signed a two year entry level deal that kicks in during the 2022-23 season. He transitioned to pro, playing in seven regular season games for the San Diego Gulls and two in the postseason. Look for him to make a claim in the Gulls’ top-six next season.
Lucas Main

July 2021- McLaughlin set career highs in every offensive category during his junior year of college. He will be going back to school to complete his senior year, so if he sets new highs again, look for him to sign his entry-level contract towards the end of the 2021-22 season or wait to test the waters as an unrestricted free agent. Lucas Main

March 2020 – While statistically it does not look like a big jump, McLaughlin has improved his overall game this season. So far he has set career highs in goals, points, shots, and is on pace to break his personal record in assists. In his sophomore season, he has almost doubled his shot total and still maintain a high shooting percentage, around the 11% mark. Another good sign to see is how he is scoring his goals; of his eight thus far, three of them are game winners and the Gophers are 5-1-2 when he does score, meaning he makes them count. He will likely stay for his junior season, but look for him to take a big step in Minnesota next season. Lucas Main

May 2019 – McLaughlin finished his first college season with five goals and 20 points in 35 games. Not too shabby for a rookie campaign, especially when you consider he didn’t pot his first goal until his 17th game. The biggest knock on him is his consistency. He had no confidence to start the season, only registering five assists in 16 games. It is like he flipped a switch after he scored his first goal because he finished the season with five goals (three game-winners) and 15 points in 19 games. He has top level vision, a quick release, and isn’t afraid to play a physical game. He is most likely a couple of years away as he’ll stay in college to keep working on his game, but if he can keep his confidence level up and work through some inconsistency, he has top-six potential. Lucas Main