Now, he's looking forward to feeling that elation as an NHL player. Walker, 23, signed a two-year entry level contract with Minnesota on Thursday. The three-time University of Minnesota Gopher captain who hails from Edina is hoping to fulfill every Minnesota kid's dream. He joins fellow Gopher and Minnesota natives Alex Goligoski and Brock Faber in that endeavor with the organization.
"I'm super pumped to sign with another hometown team," said Walker, who was named Mr. Hockey in 2018. "As a younger kid, you know, you just you go to the game and, and you're just having a blast to be there.
"It's obviously super special. But yeah, I guess there's something about always have been playing in Minnesota and growing up here. Living here my whole life. And I guess just this opportunity is unbelievable, and it's super exciting."
The Tampa Bay Lightning selected Walker in the seventh round of the 2017 NHL Entry Draft. He opted to not sign with the Lightning and instead tested himself as a college free agent beginning Monday.
"It was definitely a little stressful (entertaining options from a number of teams), but definitely super exciting at the same time," said Walker. "Honestly just super excited to get everything started and rolling."
Walker is best described as a high-speed center who was instrumental in pushing the Gophers to a Big 10 regular-season championship and Frozen Four appearance in 2022. He scored a career-high 14 goals and 27 points in 39 games as a senior and finished his career at the university with 48 goals and 112 points in 144 games and earned All-Big Ten honorable mentions after being named Big Ten Freshman of the Year in 2018-19.
With the Wild lacking center depth, and it being home, it was an easy decision to opt and join the Minnesota locker room.
"Just the opportunity," Walker said. "It didn't happen (with Tampa) and I felt that it was more of a fit for me here. I mean, hometown team, I guess it just, it felt right."
Walker plans to be ready for training camp in September and hopes to showcase his speed and skills to earn him a worthy look from Wild brass.
"Ultimately, it's just getting started," he said. "I'm super excited to get things rolling with them."
