Former University of Minnesota men’s hockey goaltender Justen Close inked a one-year professional hockey contract Wednesday to join the East Coast Hockey League’s Jacksonville Icemen, the ECHL affiliate of the Buffalo Sabres, for the 2024-25 season.
The starting netminder for the Golden Gophers over the previous two and a half seasons, Close finished his career as one of the best goalies in program history behind a 62-25-6 record. His 13 shutouts and .924 save percentage are both tied for the all-time record, while he ranks second in Maroon and Gold history with a 2.18 goals-against average and sixth in career wins.
Minnesota made the NCAA Tournament four times during Close’s tenure, while he backstopped the team to back-to-back NCAA Frozen Four appearances and Big Ten Conference regular season championships in 2021-22 and 2022-23. He was a three-time All-B1G selection and twice named a semifinalist for the Mike Richter Award. Close also was named a B1G Star of the Week eight times, including three First Star of the Week honors a season ago, and was named a CSC First Team Academic All-American in 2023-24.
A product of Kindersley, Saskatchewan, he turned aside a career-best 46 shots in a B1G tournament victory over Penn State last March and had at least 30 saves in a game 26 times over his career. Close also picked up four assists to lead all college goalies in 2023-24 and ended his time in Dinkytown with six career assists.
The undrafted free agent is the third member of the Gophers’ 2023-24 roster to sign a professional contract, following fellow classmates Bryce Brodzinski and Jaxon Nelson.
(info and photo courtesy of Gopher Sports)
