Count Paul Martin among the many Gopher faithful happy to see Minnesota off to its fast start in 2011-12.

The former All-American who jumped right to the NHL after three years with the Gophers has maintained close connections to the program. He returns to campus to work out in the summers, takes an annual vacation with classmates and even made a significant donation toward a sauna in the team's locker room.

"There's a lot of tradition and a lot of pride in the state of Minnesota," he said. "We were fortunate enough to win two championships my sophomore and junior year, and to this day my class is real close."

A second-round NHL draft pick, Martin began his NHL career in New Jersey before signing as a free agent with Pittsburgh in the summer of 2010. The nine-year NHL veteran has also represented the United States in the Olympics (2006), the World Cup of Hockey (2004), two World Championships (2005, 2008) and the World Junior Championship (2001).