Michigan State University Athletics
2026-27 Men's Ice Hockey Roster
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Jersey Number 29
Gavin O'Connell
- Class:
- Senior
- Ht./Wt.:
- 6-0 / 195
- Hometown:
- Plymouth, Minn.
- Prev School:
- Waterloo (USHL)
2025-26 (Junior)
Academic All-Big Ten ... Skated in all 37 games for MSU ... Had 6-10-16 scoring line ... Heated up late in the year with 10 points in final 17 games ... Blocked 14 shots ... Score three power play goals ... Had multi-assist games against Boston University (10/17) and Minnesota (3/5) ... Scored in NCAA Tournament game against Wisconsin (3/28) ... Score in Duel in the D game vs. Michigan (2/7).
2024-25 (Sophomore)
Skated in 28 games, missing nine mid-season with an injury ... Had a 6-7-13 scoring line ... Finished a +5 with two game-winners ...Assisted on a Charlie Stramel goal against Boston College (10/12) ... Scored his first goal of the season against Ohio State (11/9) and added an assist ... Scored a goal in the Notre Dame series (11/15-16) ... Scored the early game-winner in MSU's win over Lindenwood (12/1) ... Returned to the lineup after nine missed games to record an assist on a first-period goal with two blocks at Michigan (1/17) ... Had an assist and a blocked shot in MSU's tie with Minnesota (1/25) ... Posted a goal in MSU's win at Ohio State (1/31) ... Scored the eventual game-winner and posted an assist in MSU's win over Michigan at LCA (2/8) ... Assisted on Tiernan Shoudy's goal and had a season-best five shots in the final home series vs. Penn State (2/21-22) ... Scored a goal and had an assist in the NCAA Tournament game vs. Cornell and was a +2 (3/27).
2023-24 (Freshman)
Skated in all 38 games, and compiled a 15-11-26 scoring line (+8) ... Tied for second on the team and 12th in the Big Ten in goals (15), tied for among first-year players in the league in that category ... Second on the team (T-sixth B1G) in power play markers (6) ... Shared the team lead and tied for third in the Big Ten in game-winning goals (4) ... Made his collegiate debut in the opener against Lake State, and picked up an assist (10/7) ... Scored a goal in each of the two games at Air Force (10/12-13) ... Named the Big Ten First Star of the Week after scoring twice in each of the two games at Ohio State (11/3-4) ... Posted his third multiple-goal game with a pair of scores (including a game-winner) vs. Penn State (11/11) ... Picked up an assist in both games of the Minnesota series (11/24-26) ... Posted an assist in the series opener against Notre Dame (12/8) ... Contributed a pair of goals and an assist (+4) in the road sweep at Penn State (1/12-13) ... Had a goal and an assist in MSU’s rally to win at Michigan (1/20) ... Assisted on a Red Savage tally in the shutout victory at Notre Dame (2/3) ... Had a four-point weekend in a home split with Ohio State, scoring three times and adding an assist (2/23-24) ... Scored the opening goal of the game in the NCAA regional final against Michigan (3/31).
Prior to MSU
Spent two years in Waterloo (USHL), where he was teammates with fellow Spartan Patrick Geary … In 2021-22, had a 24-26-50 scoring line and was a +27, with five game-winning goals … In his first season in Waterloo (2021-22), posted eight goals and 16 assists for 20 points … Played a pair of games with the US NTDP U18 squad (for then-head coach Adam Nightingale) in 2021-22 … Three-year letterwinner at Wayzata High School before heading to the USHL, and captained the team his final season … Earned All-Metro and All-Conference honors at Wayzata, and participated in the storied Minnesota High School State Tournament every season.
Personal
Son of Stacey and Mike O’Connell … Father played four years of varsity hockey at St. Cloud … Uncle, John, played collegiately at Minnesota and St. Thomas … Has two brothers: Cullen (who attends Baylor) and Nolan … Aunt, Stephanie (Erickson) Foster was an All-Big Ten soccer standout at Northwestern who went on to be the head women’s socer coach at Stanford, Harvard, and her alma mater ... Business major.
Academic All-Big Ten ... Skated in all 37 games for MSU ... Had 6-10-16 scoring line ... Heated up late in the year with 10 points in final 17 games ... Blocked 14 shots ... Score three power play goals ... Had multi-assist games against Boston University (10/17) and Minnesota (3/5) ... Scored in NCAA Tournament game against Wisconsin (3/28) ... Score in Duel in the D game vs. Michigan (2/7).
2024-25 (Sophomore)
Skated in 28 games, missing nine mid-season with an injury ... Had a 6-7-13 scoring line ... Finished a +5 with two game-winners ...Assisted on a Charlie Stramel goal against Boston College (10/12) ... Scored his first goal of the season against Ohio State (11/9) and added an assist ... Scored a goal in the Notre Dame series (11/15-16) ... Scored the early game-winner in MSU's win over Lindenwood (12/1) ... Returned to the lineup after nine missed games to record an assist on a first-period goal with two blocks at Michigan (1/17) ... Had an assist and a blocked shot in MSU's tie with Minnesota (1/25) ... Posted a goal in MSU's win at Ohio State (1/31) ... Scored the eventual game-winner and posted an assist in MSU's win over Michigan at LCA (2/8) ... Assisted on Tiernan Shoudy's goal and had a season-best five shots in the final home series vs. Penn State (2/21-22) ... Scored a goal and had an assist in the NCAA Tournament game vs. Cornell and was a +2 (3/27).
2023-24 (Freshman)
Skated in all 38 games, and compiled a 15-11-26 scoring line (+8) ... Tied for second on the team and 12th in the Big Ten in goals (15), tied for among first-year players in the league in that category ... Second on the team (T-sixth B1G) in power play markers (6) ... Shared the team lead and tied for third in the Big Ten in game-winning goals (4) ... Made his collegiate debut in the opener against Lake State, and picked up an assist (10/7) ... Scored a goal in each of the two games at Air Force (10/12-13) ... Named the Big Ten First Star of the Week after scoring twice in each of the two games at Ohio State (11/3-4) ... Posted his third multiple-goal game with a pair of scores (including a game-winner) vs. Penn State (11/11) ... Picked up an assist in both games of the Minnesota series (11/24-26) ... Posted an assist in the series opener against Notre Dame (12/8) ... Contributed a pair of goals and an assist (+4) in the road sweep at Penn State (1/12-13) ... Had a goal and an assist in MSU’s rally to win at Michigan (1/20) ... Assisted on a Red Savage tally in the shutout victory at Notre Dame (2/3) ... Had a four-point weekend in a home split with Ohio State, scoring three times and adding an assist (2/23-24) ... Scored the opening goal of the game in the NCAA regional final against Michigan (3/31).
Prior to MSU
Spent two years in Waterloo (USHL), where he was teammates with fellow Spartan Patrick Geary … In 2021-22, had a 24-26-50 scoring line and was a +27, with five game-winning goals … In his first season in Waterloo (2021-22), posted eight goals and 16 assists for 20 points … Played a pair of games with the US NTDP U18 squad (for then-head coach Adam Nightingale) in 2021-22 … Three-year letterwinner at Wayzata High School before heading to the USHL, and captained the team his final season … Earned All-Metro and All-Conference honors at Wayzata, and participated in the storied Minnesota High School State Tournament every season.
Personal
Son of Stacey and Mike O’Connell … Father played four years of varsity hockey at St. Cloud … Uncle, John, played collegiately at Minnesota and St. Thomas … Has two brothers: Cullen (who attends Baylor) and Nolan … Aunt, Stephanie (Erickson) Foster was an All-Big Ten soccer standout at Northwestern who went on to be the head women’s socer coach at Stanford, Harvard, and her alma mater ... Business major.
Adam Nightingale Postgame Comments | Uconn
Thursday, March 26
Adam Nightingale, Tiernan Shoudy, Porter Martone, Daniell Russell | NCAA Regional
Wednesday, March 25
Adam Nightingale NCAA Tournament Selection Reaction
Sunday, March 22
Adam Nightingale I Hockey Press Conference I March 10, 2026
Tuesday, March 10
