The Plymouth native grew up glued to NHL Network and could rattle off any player’s stats or tell you where each team sat in the standings at the drop of a hat. He’s always had a passion for the sport and it started as a young kid skating on his outdoor backyard rink.

It’s a sport he’s found some success in too, whether that be in high school or now, as Gunderson has been one of the USHL’s top performers with the Sioux City Musketeers.

“I would just say the coaches have really believed in me and given me the opportunity to do well this year, and I’ve really just tried to take advantage of it,” Gunderson said. “Last year I obviously didn’t have the same opportunity and had to play a different role on our team, but I had a really good summer and changed a lot of habits, and I just wanted to make sure I could be at my best coming into this season.”

Gunderson is currently tied for the USHL point lead (44) through 37 games and his 15 goals are tied for ninth. The right-shot center has points in five of his last six and 13 multi-point games on the season, and he’s anchoring Sioux City’s top line between Giacomo Martino and Tate Pritchard.

It hasn’t exactly been a smooth road up to this point, as Gunderson put up 80 points during the 2021-22 season at Maple Grove, only to suffer an injury in November of 2022 – which limited him to 33 USHL games and forced him to miss the 2022-23 high school campaign.

Gunderson’s also been traded twice in the USHL, going from Madison to Green Bay in June of 2023 and Green Bay to Sioux City coming out of the Christmas break last season. Along with changing his college commitment multiple times from Western Michigan to Notre Dame and now Ohio State.

He struggled to contribute offensively in both Madison and Green Bay, or find a consistent spot in either lineup. Although he wasn’t a big point producer, he played a key role down the stretch for the Musketeers – who advanced to the Western Conference Finals last spring.

“When I got to Sioux City last year I hadn’t been playing a ton, so I really used that time to get into the gym and work on practice habits, but also focus on my eating and my nutrition so I could change my body around. And I think that’s been a big thing for me this season,” Gunderson said. “I carried that into this summer and the USHL is a really tough league, so you have to be at your best every night and I’ve just tried to put myself into the best position to be successful.”

Landen Gunderson made his USHL debut with Madison on March 30, 2022. He’s now played 120 regular-season games in his USHL career, including 65 with Sioux City. “I thought I’d be able to come into the USHL and play the same offensive game that I did in high school right away, which didn’t happen, but I think (playing in the USHL) has really broadened my horizons and made me a better overall player,” Gunderson said. “It’s a talented league and you learn to be versatile and embrace different roles, and I think it teaches you what it takes to be successful.” (Photo courtesy of Sioux City Musketeers)

A good change of scenery
Gunderson was someone that Sioux City head coach Jason Kersner and GM Sean Clark both targeted, especially as they geared up for a potential playoff run – which came to fruition.

Gunderson played 28 regular-season games for the Musketeers and another eight in the playoffs. He scored three times and added eight assists over those 28, and he finished a plus-2.

However, his value went well beyond the scoresheet, whether it was through faceoffs, his penalty-killing ability or simply his USHL experience.

“He had been on our radar for a while and we had a pretty good team last year, but we felt he could add some good depth to our lineup and he proved to be really valuable,” Kersner said. “Don’t get me wrong, we liked him a lot as a player and he’d previously shown he can score, but he was going to be a depth player and he did a lot of the little things well. But he just kept playing himself into more opportunities.

“So once the season ended and we had our exit meeting and knew he was coming back, he let us know he was ready for a top-six role and top minutes, and he believed he was ready to take a step. So give Landen a ton of credit because he had a big-time summer and he’s been unbelievable this season.”

That off-season work especially impressed the Sioux City brass, as Kersner said Gunderson looked like a “different player” at their main camp.

He came in leaner, faster and stronger, and the Sioux City staff could tell in June that he was poised for a big year – which has been huge for a team that lost its top eight point producers from a year ago. He got off to a quick start too, recording points in his first 13 games, and his confidence has only continued to grow.

Gunderson has continued to fill whatever role the Musketeers need, while once again showing his offensive ability and putting the puck in the net.

“I think the most impressive part about Landen is that he’s shown through his development that he can be such a versatile player in our league and now he’s putting up the points too,” Kersner said. “So when he goes off to school he has several different tools in his toolbelt and can potentially play whatever role (Ohio State) needs him to and then work his way up the lineup.”

Landen Gunderson came in as a ninth grader and racked up 147 points (45-102-147) over 78 career games at Maple Grove High School, including 80 (21-59-80) over 30 games in 2021-22. “He’s just always been an absolute competitor and doesn’t accept any mediocrity,” said head coach Todd Bergland. “He wants to perform at the highest level in everything he does and Landen’s just a gifted play-maker, and it’s been fun to see him progress to where he is now.” (Photo courtesy of Sioux City Musketeers)

Stronger through adversity
While any player would welcome Gunderson’s start to the season, perhaps his success is a little sweeter, especially with what he’s gone through the past two-plus years.

Although he spent time with Madison at the end of the 2021-22 season and played those 33 games in 2022-23, Gunderson considers this his second full season in the USHL.

He was still dealing with the lingering effects of a nagging injury at the start of last season and admits he probably rushed back from his ankle, but he’s back to 100% and it’s showing.

That doesn’t even include the mental hurdle that comes with playing in the USHL and managing the day-to-day ups and downs, which Gunderson has experienced his share of. This has been his first time since high school having the same coach coming into a season too.

Yet those around Gunderson aren’t surprised to see him power through it all and are happy he’s being rewarded.

“It’s outstanding to see but knowing the type of person Landen is, I’m also not surprised,” said Todd Bergland, who coached Gunderson at Maple Grove. “To think of where he was with Madison and the injury, and then last year was a little bit of an up-and-down season, things weren’t going perfect for him and it’s been a long road. But he’s battled through all the adversity and he’s doing a lot of the same things offensively that he did for us. So it’s been awesome to see how much he’s blossomed this year and the season he’s having.”

While he’s wearing a different jersey and a few years older, he’s showing many of those same traits and the type of player he can be, and he’s looking to continue doing so.

“I’ve went through a lot and it was a really tough two years, honestly, and I think that’s made this season even more enjoyable,” Gunderson said. “I broke my ankle and missed out on that senior year, then I got traded twice, so I was coming into this season and just really wanted to make the most of it.

“I think all the adversity I’ve gone through and some of that frustration only pushes you to be better and teaches you a lot of good lessons too, but I also wanted to prove to myself that I’m still a good player and can play at a high level. So I think the start to this year has been pretty rewarding and hopefully I can keep it going.”

The post Gunderson Gets Rewarded appeared first on Minnesota Hockey Magazine.

Burrows put together an impressive rookie year with the Musketeers, racking up 22 points (9-13-22) over 25 games and helping Sioux City reach the Western Conference Finals.

That bookended a tremendous high school season, too, as Burrows recorded 59 points (19-40-59) over 28 games at Minnetonka. He was constantly regarded among the state’s top players and ultimately won Minnesota’s Mr. Hockey Award in March.

Despite that success, Burrows planned to return to northwest Iowa for a full year of junior hockey.

However, that plan changed in late June, as the right-shot forward received the opportunity to head west to the University of Denver.

“Some things moved around (at Denver), and the opportunity arose to come in here early, and I felt I was ready to make the jump,” Burrows said. “I really enjoyed my time in Sioux City and was looking forward to being back there, but I just felt being around the (Denver staff) and culture would be beneficial for my game in the long run, and I’m really happy with my decision so far.”

Hagen Burrows, an Orono native, is a finance major and one of five freshmen on DU’s roster. “He is fitting well into the culture of our team,” said Denver coach David Carle. “Hagen has tremendous skill and hockey sense, and he is adjusting well to the college level as an 18-year-old. There is a high ceiling for him, and we’re excited to help him continue to develop.” (Photo courtesy of University of Denver Athletics)

Burrows arrived on Denver’s campus in July and said that culture was evident from day one. It’s one of the factors that initially attracted him to DU; he committed to the Pioneers in April 2023. The other factors were Denver’s talent, coaches and 10 national championships – three of which have come in the last eight years.

He played his first two collegiate games earlier this month at Alaska-Anchorage, helping the Pioneers secure a season-opening sweep, and he hopes to make an impact throughout his rookie campaign.

At the same time, Burrows knows it’s a process and plans on taking his freshman season one day at a time – listening, learning and soaking up as much information as he can.

“Everyone has seen what they’ve done the last few years and the staff is one of the best, if not the best, in the nation when it comes to developing their players,” Burrows said. “Everyone here knows what it takes to be successful. So to learn from them each and every day is really exciting and is going to help me this season and moving forward.”

That feeling is mutual.

“We’ve grown our recruiting footprint in Minnesota over the years, and we’re always looking for the best players in the state that will fit into the culture here at Denver, and Hagen checked those boxes for us on and off the ice,” said Denver coach David Carle. “We’ve liked how he’s developed his game in Minnetonka and with Sioux City and believed he was ready for the college game this year.”

Success with the Skippers
Burrows played 86 games over his three seasons at Minnetonka and helped the Skippers win a Class 2A title in 2023. Burrows was also named to the 2023 All-Tournament Team.

Minnetonka looked poised for another deep run last spring but was upset by Chanhassen in the section final, which capped Burrows’ high school career. He finished with 135 points (58-77-135) over those 86 games.

Those who watched Burrows the past few seasons saw his game evolve, and they’re excited to see it continue at DU.

“I think we saw Hagen grow a lot, and the area where his game really evolved was his competitive nature, especially when the game got tougher. Because he was never afraid to go to the hard areas of the ice,” said Sioux City general manager Sean Clark. “Hagen’s a big body with a great IQ and a high skill level, and he’s got the ability to make a lot of plays all over the ice. And he was always a team-first guy.

Hagen Burrows was selected by the Tampa Bay Lightning in the fourth round (128th overall) of the 2024 NHL Draft after an impressive 2023-24 season. “That’s something you dream about as a kid, and to be lucky enough to have it happen to you is super surreal,” Burrows said. “I got to go out to Vegas and was at the Sphere, so I was fortunate to share that moment with my family and some friends and it was such a great moment.”(Photo courtesy of Sioux City Musketeers)

“We saw that right from the start last season and his ability to impact a game when the puck is on his stick is special. So, I think if he just continues to be himself he can have success at the next level, and he’s a kid that only continues to get better.”

Minnetonka coach Sean Goldsworthy said Burrows has continued to excel.

“I believe he’s ready,” Goldsworthy said. “It’s really hard to come through a program and be the marked guy and still produce at the level Hagen did for us. He saw every team’s best defensemen and received plenty of attention, and I think that’s one of the things that impressed me the most last season.”

Goldsworthy added that Burrows is one of the best leaders he’s coached, and he was impressed, but also not surprised, by how well Burrows handled splitting last season between the two teams.

The opportunity to join Denver early “says a lot about Hagen’s character,” too, and he’s simply a “selfless person,” Goldsworthy said.

“He’s obviously got the skill – great vision, deception, a quick release, good hands – and can play off other high-end players,” Goldsworthy said. “But what I think is so special about Hagen is he doesn’t cheat anything in life or hockey, and he makes his teammates around him better. And he also has the ability to self-correct and make adjustments to his game.

“I’m very confident that he’ll figure things out and, let’s be honest, I don’t think there are too many places that are better from a development standpoint either. So, I’m confident that staff will put him in a position to succeed.”

Hagen Burrows grew up rooting for the Pittsburgh Penguins and Minnesota Wild and said he tries to model his game after Sidney Crosby, along with Winnipeg’s Mark Scheifele. “We first got to work with (Burrows) as a sophomore, and his puck skills and vision were already elite, and he had some of the best hockey IQ I’ve been around,” said Minnetonka coach Sean Goldsworthy. “We’ve seen his body catch up to that over the last couple years and his whole game has come together into the player he is today.” (Tim Kolehmainen / Breakdown Sports)

Back to Tonka before Denver
As for Burrows’ decision to return to Minnetonka last season, it ultimately boiled down to his friends and family back home – which he joked is the “typical Minnesota answer.”

“It was definitely tough, especially with the way we started (in Sioux City),” Burrows said. “But I think it ultimately came down to the people and the tradition we had at Minnetonka. In the long run, I thought going back and playing one more year (with his childhood friends) would be something that was more important to me, and I’m glad I got the chance to continue playing in the USHL after the season, too.

“I got the chance to play with so many good people though, and overall I got a lot of experience that I think will help me in the future.”

Now he hopes that experience will parlay itself into the start of a successful college career.

He joins a Denver team with plenty of motivation, too, as the Pioneers look to defend their national championship. They’d be one of just two teams in the last 20 years to win back-to-back titles – UMD (2018-19) being the other – and certainly have the pieces to do so.

It’s a shared goal in the Mile High City, and similar to his new teammates, Burrows wants to help make that goal a reality however he can.

“Everybody is bought-in every day, and there’s a reason Denver has been one of the final teams there at the end (of the season), so I just want to help wherever I can,” Burrows said. “Everybody knows the amount of skill and talent that exists here, plus the coaching and culture.

“So, I’m just really excited to be here and it’s a really special group, and we want to go back-to-back.”

The post Change Of Plans appeared first on Minnesota Hockey Magazine.