Neal: Although 2024 was great for Minnesota sports teams, don’t be shocked if 2025 is better

I’m going to veer a little off focus here and bring up a sports team to watch for. The Gophers men’s hockey team (15-3-2) leads the nation in victories and is in the NCAA championship discussion. This squad has scoring, defense and a bunch of high NHL draft picks on its roster. They are ranked third but were as high as first earlier in the month.

Minnesota hasn’t won a national title since 2003, but this group is equipped to bring the school its next one. The Gophers have dealt with several injuries of late but have remained among the nation’s elite teams. Their best hockey should be in front of them, and a sixth championship in school history would not be out of the question.

“We obviously have high-end talent on this team, but our depth has been something we lean on,” center Aaron Huglen said. “And throughout the season, so far, we’ve had so many injuries. So, it’s like, we haven’t really even stepped in there to our full potential, I think. So, it’ll be fun to see everyone getting back and to see how we progress in the team.”

Huglen is one of several Gophers from the 2022-23 team that was 2 minutes, 47 seconds away from a title, only to lose to Quinnipiac in overtime. Surely, that will be on their minds as they tear into the post-holiday portion of the schedule.

Kevin O’Connell is a candidate to be the 2025 Sportsperson of the Year, Leader of the Year and even Person of the Year.

We are all infatuated with how he has the Vikings among the NFL’s elite teams in a season where much less was expected of them. Most of it is because of his work with journeyman quarterback Sam Darnold, who has turned his career around. KOC also has gotten the most out of running back Aaron Jones and schemed around the absence of tight end T.J. Hockenson as he recovered from surgery.