Meet Brodie Ziemer: The Young Hockey Player Making Waves with Team USA
When he arrived on campus at the University of Minnesota in the fall of 2024, Brodie Ziemer became the first Gopher in more than 100 years of hockey to wear number 74. This unique digit has sparked debate at the Ziemer home in Carver, with his father Eric believing it’s a paternal tribute, while his mother Nicole thinks it’s inspired by TJ Oshie, who wore the same number for Team USA in the 2014 Winter Olympics.
A Leadership Role with Team USA
Serving as captain of Team USA in the World Juniors, which started on Friday in St. Paul and Minneapolis, Ziemer is wearing 74 in red, white, and blue. The newest American 74 was on the ice of Grand Casino on Friday night, setting up a first-period goal and coming close to a breakaway goal of his own in the second period. Team USA prevailed 6-3 over Germany in the opener, with Ziemer’s first game as captain since being named to the position following their pre-Christmas training camp in Duluth.
Looking relieved and winded after Game 1, Ziemer confirmed that Oshie was the inspiration for his unique digits and talked about the honor and pressure that comes from wearing the C on his sweater. “I’m so honored. Like, I’m feeling super blessed,” he said. “Such a good group of dudes to be able to be captain for, getting to do it on such a big stage in my home state. Just super blessed, super lucky.”
A Natural Leader
According to coach Bob Motzko, the players, not the staff, always pick the captains on his teams. Motzko noted that in talking with the returnees from the 2025 gold medal team, almost to a man they chose number 74 to be the 2026 team captain. “The leadership group is great, but if there’s one guy they leaned on, it’s Brodie,” Motzko said.
Ziemer, 19, was named the Gophers’ top rookie last season and won a gold medal with Team USA in Ottawa at the 2025 World Juniors. His parents, Eric and Nicole, reflected on the youngest of their three children and how Brodie was the classic little brother, determined to outwork his siblings in everything.
As his parents took a breather after the first period on Friday, they shared stories of Brodie’s early days in hockey, including the time he would shovel the rink in their backyard but not the driveway. The Ziemers made the tough decision to have Brodie move away when he was 14, first to Faribault, where he won a 14U national title at Shattuck-St. Mary’s, and then to Michigan, where he skated for USA Hockey’s National Team Development Program for two years.
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