Mason West

A Minnesota hockey champion, football state champion, and first-round NHL Draft selection, Mason West brings a distinctive athletic background to the Michigan State Spartans as he pursues his professional hockey ambitions.

Mason West's journey to Michigan State University has taken him from championship hockey in Minnesota to junior hockey with the Fargo Force and a first-round selection by the Chicago Blackhawks. At 6-foot-6, the Edina native stands out physically, but his development has also been defined by offensive production and success in two different sports.

Before committing fully to hockey, West played quarterback for Edina High School, balancing football with his growing hockey career. He helped Edina win the Minnesota Class AA hockey championship in 2024 and the Class 6A football championship in 2025.

In June 2025, the Chicago Blackhawks selected West 29th overall in the NHL Draft. Now a freshman forward for the Michigan State Spartans, he enters a new stage of development with the opportunity to build on his high school and junior hockey accomplishments.

• Full Name: Mason West
• Sport: Ice Hockey
• Position: Forward
• Height: 6-foot-6
• Weight: 225 pounds, according to Michigan State's roster
• Age: 19
• Birthplace: Edina, Minnesota
• College: Michigan State University
• Team: Michigan State Spartans
• Conference: Big Ten Conference
• Jersey Number: 9
• Shoots: Right
• Academic Year: Freshman
• Previous Team: Fargo Force, United States Hockey League
• NHL Draft: First round, 29th overall, Chicago Blackhawks, 2025

West developed his athletic skills at Edina High School in Minnesota, where he competed in both ice hockey and football. His ability to pursue two demanding sports distinguished his high school career while allowing him to experience different forms of competition.

In hockey, West established himself as a productive forward. During the 2022-23 season, he recorded 27 points in 30 games. He followed that with 38 points in 30 games during 2023-24, including 15 goals and 23 assists.

His development culminated in a Minnesota Class AA state championship with Edina in 2024. The title provided an early highlight in his hockey career and valuable experience in a competitive tournament environment.

West's offensive production increased during his final high school hockey season. In 2024-25, he scored 27 goals and recorded 22 assists for 49 points in 31 games. He led Edina in goals, ranked second in points, and earned selection to the Minnesota high school state all-tournament team.

Across three high school seasons from 2022 through 2025, West recorded 114 points, consisting of 51 goals and 63 assists in 91 games.

West began gaining experience in junior hockey with the Fargo Force of the United States Hockey League during the 2024-25 season.

In 10 regular-season games, he recorded one goal and eight assists for nine points. He also appeared in two playoff games.

The transition introduced him to a different level of competition, with players pursuing NCAA opportunities and professional careers. It also gave him experience adjusting to a more demanding hockey environment.

West returned to Fargo for the 2025-26 season after completing his high school football commitments. Joining the team in December allowed him to concentrate fully on hockey.

He finished the regular season with 10 goals and 15 assists for 25 points in 38 games. During the playoffs, he recorded two goals and four assists in nine appearances.

Those numbers established his production during his final junior hockey season and provided a foundation for his transition to Michigan State.

West reached a significant milestone on June 28, 2025, when the Chicago Blackhawks selected him with the 29th overall pick in the first round of the NHL Draft.

The selection recognized his potential and placed him within Chicago's developing group of prospects. At the time of the draft, he was 17 years old and had just completed a high school season in which he recorded 49 points in 31 games.

The Blackhawks also highlighted his production with Fargo, where he had recorded nine points in 10 USHL regular-season games.

For West, the draft represented an important step toward his professional ambitions. However, selection by an NHL organization does not guarantee a future NHL career. Continued development and performance against stronger competition will determine how far he progresses.

Michigan State offers the opportunity to gain NCAA experience while continuing to develop within a competitive college hockey program.

West's physical profile is one of the defining features of his hockey résumé. At 6-foot-6, he has the size to compete for space around the net and along the boards.

His offensive statistics also demonstrate his ability to contribute as both a scorer and a playmaker. His 51 career high school goals and 63 assists illustrate a record of production that continued into junior hockey.

During the 2025-26 USHL regular season, he recorded 25 points in 38 games for Fargo. Those results provide a measurable record of his offensive contribution, although they do not independently establish every aspect of his playing style.

At Michigan State, his next challenge is adapting to the speed, structure, and physical demands of NCAA hockey. His ability to make efficient decisions, maintain positioning, and contribute consistently will be important as he establishes his role.

His physical dimensions provide a foundation, but collegiate success will depend on how effectively he combines those attributes with technical development and reliable performance.

West's athletic background extends beyond the rink.

As Edina's quarterback, he completed 178 of 244 passes for 2,592 yards during the 2024 football season. He threw 37 touchdown passes against four interceptions, establishing himself as a productive high school quarterback.

He continued playing football during his senior year in 2025. On November 21, Edina defeated Moorhead 42-35 to win the Minnesota Class 6A state championship, with West throwing two touchdown passes in the title game.

The victory gave him another championship achievement before he concentrated fully on hockey.

Balancing the two sports required him to manage different commitments and training demands. Once the football season ended, West joined Fargo in December and directed his attention toward his hockey development.

His transition marked the end of an unusual two-sport high school career and the beginning of a more focused pursuit of professional hockey.

West has also received guidance from established NHL players.

New York Islanders captain Anders Lee, an Edina alumnus who played both football and hockey in high school, reached out to offer advice. Buffalo Sabres forward Tage Thompson has also served as a player West can study as he develops his game.

Their experiences offer examples of the progression required to compete at the highest level. Thompson's career is particularly relevant as a reference point for a young forward with West's physical dimensions, although each player's development follows a different path.

West's future progress will depend on his preparation, adaptability, and ability to perform consistently against increasingly competitive opponents.

Detailed public information about his academic achievements, charitable activities, and private family life is limited. Those areas should not be embellished without reliable documentation.

West entered the 2026-27 season as a freshman forward with the Michigan State Spartans. The university lists him at 6-foot-6 and 225 pounds, wearing jersey No. 9.

His arrival follows three important stages of development: high school hockey at Edina, junior hockey with Fargo, and selection by Chicago in the first round of the NHL Draft.

At Michigan State, West must adjust to the demands of NCAA Division I hockey while competing for opportunities within the Spartans' lineup.

His immediate goal is to establish himself as a reliable contributor. Longer term, he will aim to develop the consistency and complete skill set needed to pursue a professional career with the Blackhawks organization.

His collegiate performance will provide a clearer indication of his development and potential next steps.

West's athletic résumé already includes a Minnesota high school hockey championship, a football state title, productive junior hockey seasons, and first-round NHL Draft recognition.

Those accomplishments provide a strong foundation for his collegiate career. His experience in two sports also gives his journey a distinctive dimension, combining success in different competitive environments before committing fully to hockey.

His long-term impact at Michigan State and in professional hockey remains to be determined. As he gains experience, his contributions on the ice will become the most meaningful measure of his progress.

Mason West arrives at Michigan State with championship experience, a record of offensive production, and recognition from an NHL organization.

His journey from Edina High School to Fargo and the Chicago Blackhawks' first-round selection reflects steady progression through increasingly competitive environments. Now, college hockey presents another opportunity to develop and prove himself.

West's size and previous accomplishments make him a prospect worth following, but his future will be determined by his work and performance in the seasons ahead. At Michigan State, he begins the next chapter of his hockey career with the opportunity to turn potential into consistent results.