Freddy Gaudreau gave Nate Schmidt the kind of move that lingers in summer league highlight reels.
On a blue line deke in Minnesota’s “Da Beauty League,” the Seattle Kraken center left the Utah Mammoth defenseman spinning, then finished the play with a breakaway goal. Gaudreau went forehand-backhand and tucked the puck high inside the left post while Schmidt ended up chest down on the ice.
And yes, it happened in the offseason, not in October. The play unfolded in a league that has become a familiar stop for players with Minnesota ties, all while the NHL sits in its summer pause.
For 10 years, college and pro players connected to Minnesota have been skating in Edina, a southwest Minneapolis suburb, in front of fans who show up for pickup-style games and the chance to watch familiar names up close. Ticket proceeds go to charities, and the stands at Braemar Arena are said to be packed on Wednesday nights for more than just the hockey.
Gaudreau, who once played for the Minnesota Wild, was among the Kraken players taking part. He was joined by defenseman Ryan Lindgren, forward Ben Meyers and Coachella Valley Firebird Lleyton Roed. Lindgren and Meyers both played at the University of Minnesota, while Roed played at Bemidji St.
The women’s side has also grown in the last three years, with two teams added to the mix. The PWHL Seattle Torrent were represented by goalie Hanna Murphy and defenders Anna Wilgren, who played at Minnesota St., and Emily Zumwinkle, who played at the University of Minnesota.
Even with the crowds and the buzz, this summer marked the end of Da Beauty League. The league’s name comes from hockey slang, where calling someone “a beauty” is a term of affection.
Organizers say the decision comes down to players’ families. Significant others and children, they said, have been pushing for more time together during the rare stretches when the season allows it.
In Other News...
Kraken Now Face A Real Jaden Schwartz Void They Didn't Want
The Krakens uneven 2025-26 season ended with a 34-37-11 record, a finish shaped by the kind of lulls that can undo a promising start. One of the biggest reasons the season never fully stabilized was Jaden Schwartz, who gave Seattle 50 games and 26 points while spending significant stretches on the shelf with injuries, including a facial issue that forced the team to keep adjusting around one of its more reliable veteran forwards.
Now the concern is no longer about how to manage his absences but how to replace the role he left behind. Schwartz has moved on to the Colorado Avalanche on a three-year deal, which leaves the Kraken staring at a familiar offseason question: how much offense, steadiness and middle-six dependability can they recover without him, and who, exactly, is prepared to take on that load? [Read more 🡒]
Kraken Fans Got An Encouraging Early Look At Chase Reid
The World Junior Summer Showcase in Windsor, Ontario, gave hockey fans a useful mid-summer checkpoint, and for Kraken watchers it offered an early look at Chase Reid in a pressure setting against some of the best under-20 talent in the sport. Team USA came out on top at the event, which ran from July 26 to Aug. 1 and doubled as a tune-up for the 2027 IIHF World Junior Hockey Championship, with Canada, Finland and Sweden all in the mix.
For Seattle, the encouraging part was not just the result but the chance to see Reid in a tournament built around pace, structure and international competition. Adam Nightingale, who coaches both Team USA and Michigan State, praised the way the group handled the showcase and pointed to team play as the deciding factor, a reminder that these summer events can tell you a lot about how a player fits when the games start to matter. [Read more 🡒]