St. Cloud State has many hockey players who have gone on to play at the professional level, including nine players currently in the NHL.
Will Borgen (2015-18) – Defenseman Will Borgen spent three seasons at St. Cloud State before he started his professional career. Borgen played in 106 games as a Husky where he had five goals and 36 assists for 41 points. He had 164 penalty minutes and a plus/minus of +30. In the 2015-16 season, Borgen and St. Cloud State were the NCHC Frozen Faceoff Champions and he was named to the NCHC All-Rookie Team. Borgen also won a bronze medal with Team USA at the U20 World Juniors. In the 2017-18 season, Borgen was name the NCHC’s Best Defensive Defenseman and received an honorable mention on the NCHC All-Star Team. Borgen and St. Cloud State were also the NCHC Regular Season Champions in the 2017-18 season.
Borgen was a fourth-round draft pick for the Buffalo Sabres in the 2015 draft. While he started his professional career in the AHL, Borgen spent most of his career in the NHL. In 214 NHL games, Borgen has eight goals and 45 assists, scoring 53 points. He has 144 penalty minutes and a plus/minus of -2. Borgen has also played in 14 playoff games, where he has one goal and two assists for three points with eight penalty minutes and a plus/minus of -6. Borgen is now with the Seattle Kraken where he has spent the three previous seasons. In the 2023-24 season, Borgen played in all 82 regular season games, where he had three goals and 22 assists for 25 points. He had 65 penalty minutes and a plus/minus of -5. The 2024-25 season will be Borgen’s sixth season in the NHL. Borgen’s current NHL contract with the Kraken ends after the 2024-25 season.
Jonny Brodzinski (2012-15) – Forward Jonny Brodzinski spent three seasons with St. Cloud State playing in a total of 120 games where he had 64 goals and 48 assists for 112 points. He had 75 penalty minutes and a plus/minus of +42. In the 2013-14 season, Brodzinski and St. Cloud State were the NCHC Regular Season Champions. In the 2014-15 season, Brodzinski was named to the NCHC First All-Star Team. Brodzinski had 28 multi-point games at St. Cloud State, including two hat tricks. He led St. Cloud in goals in his freshman and junior seasons and led the team in points in his sophomore season. In his junior season, Brodzinski led the team in powerplay goals with 11.
Brodzinski was drafted in the fifth round by the Los Angeles Kings in the 2013 draft. Brodzinski has split his time in the AHL and NHL. In his nine AHL seasons, Brodzinski has played in 313 games, where he has 126 goals and 141 assists for 267 points. He has 159 penalty minutes and a plus/minus of +47. In 18 AHL playoff games, Brodzinski has six goals and six assists with six penalty minutes and a plus/minus of +1. In his NHL time, he has played in 158 games where he has 15 goals and 21 assists for 36 points. He has 40 penalty minutes and a plus/minus of +7. In four NHL playoff games, Brodzinski has zero points with two penalty minutes and a plus/minus of -1. Brodzinski has captained the Hartford Wolf Pack in the AHL the last three seasons and was an assistant captain in the 2020-21 season. In the 2023-24 season, Brodzinski played in 16 games with Hartford, where he had 11 goals and 14 assists for 25 points. He had four penalty minutes and a plus/minus of +8. Brodzinski also played in 57 games with the New York Rangers, where he had six goals and 13 assists for 19 points. He had eight penalty minutes and a plus/minus of -3. The 2024-25 season will be Brodzinski’s ninth season in the NHL and tenth season in professional hockey. His current NHL contract ends after the 2025-26 season.
Nic Dowd (2010-2014) – Forward Nic Dowd spent four seasons at St. Cloud State University. In 154 NCAA games, Dowd had 52 goals and 69 assists for 121 points. He had 143 penalty minutes and a plus/minus of +26. In the 2010-11 season, Dowd was named WCHA Rookie of the Week twice and was also the MVP of the 2010 Florida College Hockey Classic. Dowd was named to the WCHA All-Academic Team in the 2011-12 and 2012-13 seasons. Dowd helped the Huskies earn their first Frozen Four appearance in the 2012-13 season, where they lost 4-1 to Quinnipiac in the semifinals. In the 2013-14 season, Dowd was named the NCHC’s Best Defensive Forward, Scholar Athlete of the Year, NCHC Offensive Player of the Week, and he was named to the NCHC’s First All-Star Team. Dowd was named a Hobey Baker Finalist and was named to the NCAA West First All-American Team. Dowd was a Hockey Humanitarian Award Nominee, an award given to a college hockey player who gives back to their community off the ice through leadership in volunteerism. He was also a Senior CLASS Award Nominee, an award given to a college hockey player who shows leadership, athletic achievements, and work ethic. Nic Dowd and the Huskies were also the NCHC Regular Season Champions. He also shared captaincy with Kevin Gravel in the 2013-14 season.
Nic Dowd was drafted in the seventh round of the 2009 draft by the Los Angeles Kings. He spent parts of three seasons in the AHL before finding his spot in the NHL, where he has spent time with the Los Angeles Kings, Vancouver Canucks, and Washington Capitals. In 500 NHL games, Dowd has 70 goals and 79 assists for 149 points. He has 251 penalty minutes and a plus/minus of +15. In the 2023-24 season with the Capitals, Dowd played in 64 games where he had 12 goals and ten assists for 22 points. He had 47 penalty minutes and a plus/minus of -2. In 30 playoff games, Dowd has four goals and one assist with 24 penalty minutes and a plus/minus of -7. The 2024-25 season will be Dowd’s 11th season in the NHL and seventh with the Capitals. His current NHL contract ends after the 2024-25 season.
Michael Eyssimont (2015-18) – Forward Michael Eyssimont spent three seasons as a Husky, playing in 115 games where he had 45 goals and 57 assists for 102 points. He had 70 penalty minutes and a plus/minus of +18. Eyssimont finished his career at SCSU with 44 blocks, 369 shots, 16 powerplay goals, ten game winning goals, 25 games with five or more shots, two games with ten or more shots, 28 multi-point games, and eight games with three or more points. In the 2015-16 season, Eyssimont and the Huskies were the NCHC Champions. Eyssimont was also named to the NCHC All-Tournament Team and was named the Tournament MVP. In the 2016-17 season, he was given an Honorable Mention for the NCHC All-Star Team and was named to the Second All-Star Team in the 2017-18 season. Eyssimont and the Huskies were the NCHC Regular Season Champions in the 2017-18 season as well.
Eyssimont was a fifth-round draft pick for the Los Angeles Kings in the 2016 NHL Draft. He has split his professional career between the AHL and the NHL. In the AHL, he has played for the Ontario Reign and Manitoba Moose. Through 229 games, Eyssimont had 51 goals and 66 assists for 117 points with 283 penalty minutes and a plus/minus of +6. Eyssimont has spent his NHL time with the Winnipeg Jets, San Jose Sharks, and Tampa Bay Lightning. In 136 NHL games, Eyssimont has 16 goals and 24 assists for 40 points. He has 167 penalty minutes and a plus/minus of +10. In eight NHL playoff games, Eyssimont had one goal and one assist for two points with two penalty minutes and a plus/minus of -1. Eyssimont has also played for Team USA at Worlds the past two seasons. In 17 games at Worlds, he has two goals and two assists for four points with 29 penalty minutes and a plus/minus of +1. In the 2023-24 season with Tampa Bay, he played in 81 games, where he had 11 goals and 14 assists for 25 points. He had 104 penalty minutes and a plus/minus of +7. The 2024-25 season will be Eyssimont’s third season with the Tampa Bay Lightning and fourth season in the NHL. Eyssimont’s current contract ends after the 2024-25 season.
Nick Jensen (2010-13) – Defenseman Nick Jensen spent three seasons at St. Cloud State, where he played in 118 games. He had 15 goals and 71 assists for 86 points with 36 penalty minutes and a plus/minus of +28. In the 2011-12 season, Jensen was named to the WCHA All-Academic Team and the Third All-Star Team. In the 2012-13 season, Jensen was named the WCHA Defensive Player of the Year and was named to the WCHA All-Academic Team and First All-Star Team. He was also named to the NCAA West First All-American Team.
Nick Jensen was a fifth-round draft pick in the 2009 NHL draft for the Detroit Red Wings. He has played in the ECHL, AHL, and NHL, but he has spent most of his career in the NHL with the Detroit Red Wings, Washington Capitals, and now the Ottawa Senators. In his eight NHL seasons, Jensen has played in 562 games, where he had 19 goals and 115 assists for 134 points. He has 136 penalty minutes and a plus/minus of +17. In 27 NHL playoff games, he has zero points with ten penalty minutes and a plus/minus of -9. In the 2023-24 season, Jensen played in 78 games with the Capitals where he had one goal and 13 assists for 14 points. He had ten penalty minutes and a plus/minus of -9. The 2024-25 season will be Jensen’s ninth NHL season and first season with the Ottawa Senators. Jensen’s current NHL contract ends after the 2025-26 season.
Charlie Lindgren (2013-16) – Goaltender Charlie Lindgren spent three seasons at St. Cloud State. In 88 games with the Huskies, Lindgren had 4892 minutes on ice with a record of 51-29-3 with eight shutouts. Lindgren faced 2281 shots in the Huskies’ net where he had 2101 saves and 180 goals against for a save percentage of .921 and a 2.21 goals against average.
