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of Minnesota has scored more points in a season than her 114 in 2004-05, and she ranks third in points (246) and sixth in goals (102) overall. She's been an assis- tant coach at the University of Minnesota and was head coach for six seasons at Hamline University in St. Paul, coaching the school to the Division III championship game in 2019. As GM of the first Minnesota franchise, which will wear purple jerseys during its an inaugural season with MINNESOTA across the front until league jerseys and logos are designed for its second season, Darwitz became a one-person crew for awhile. She was alone on an island having to hire a coach, draft and sign players, work out practice facility deals (they're training at the Wild's practice facility, TRIA Rink), hire medical and equip- ment staff and so much more. create swift competition. It also helped that Minnesota had rare professional lottery luck and was awarded the No. 1 pick in the draft. Taylor Heise, the former University of Minnesota star from Lake City, was drafted first overall. She recorded more than 200 points in five seasons at Darwitz's alma mater and set a program record for most games played. She was the 2022 Patty Kazmaier Award recipient, a Gophers captain and First Team All-American, All-USCHO First Team and WCHA Forward of the Year. On the international stage, the 23-year-old won a gold medal with USA Hockey at the 2023 World Championship and a silver in 2022 when she was named a tournament All-Star, Best Forward and MVP. "Taylor is one of the brightest stars in today's game," Darwitz said of the first of 15 players she drafted. "Her excellence shines on the ice where her skills are immediately apparent, and in the community where she is an inspi- ration to young hockey players." If you're a young boy or girl play- ing hockey in Minnesota, you may not be as familiar with Darwitz's stardom as your parents. The former Eagan High stand- out is a true USA Hockey legend. She won two national titles with the Gophers. She won three gold medals and five silver medals with USA Hockey at the World Championships. She's a three-time Olympian, winning three medals there. She's in the U.S. Hockey Hall of Fame. Nobody in the history of Minnesota high school girls' hockey has more goals than her 316 or more points than her 468, scored from 1997 to 2000 at Eagan. Nobody in the history of the women's program at University M H J O N L I N E . C O M | M A R C H 2 0 2 3 28 Russo's Rants I haven't been as excited about something like this in my career. My blood is pumping. " NATALIE Darwitz EAGAN "Natalie Darwitz has seen it, she's played it, she's done it and now she has the opportunity to go out and build it." –Brant Feldman Brittyn Fleming is a fomer Minnesota State Maverick and one of a handful of free agent signings for Minnesota.