The State of Hockey is like “no other place” for Travis Boyd.

Growing up in Hopkins, Minnesota, forward Travis Boyd’s passion for hockey began by watching his older brother, Brandon. His brother’s influence started the “hockey engine” within.

“I was fortunate to have an older brother who actually got into it before I did,” said the former standout at Hopkins High School. “When he started, I was just doing anything he did. When he was six, my parents got both of us a full set of hockey gear. So, I started playing when I was three”.

Boyd is among a small group from the State of Hockey whose earliest influences of childhood hockey took place at a time when the NHL did not exist in Saint Paul. Born six months after the North Stars fled south for Dallas, young Boyd found inspiration in the University of Minnesota Golden Gophers hockey team.

“My first hockey dream was to play for the Gophers,” he said with a smile. “Growing up, my parents didn’t have cable, but my grandma did. We would all get in the car and drive up to my grandma’s house in New Hope on Friday and Saturdays just watch the Gopher games.”

Boyd went on to play for the University of Minnesota from 2011-2015. Over four seasons, he totaled 32 goals and 64 assists for 96 points in 148 games for the maroon and gold.

“The Gophers were the first big step for me,” said Boyd. “My four years playing for the University of Minnesota was just as special as anything I’ve done playing in the NHL.”

Boyd was drafted by Washington in the sixth round (#177) of the 2011 NHL Entry Draft. He turned pro in 2015, joining the AHL’s Hershey Bears. After a few developmental seasons in Hershey, Boyd joined Washington and helped the Capitals win the Stanley Cup in 2018. One of his best memories of the cup run came in Washington’s second round match up with Pittsburgh. Game Six was Boyd’s lone appearance in the Stanley Cup Playoffs.

“It was first time I played against Pittsburgh,” he explained. “They had last change and I was the third-line center. First shift I get tossed out there. I was just staring at Pittsburgh’s bench, just seeing who was coming, because I noticed 87 (Sidney Crosby) hadn’t been on the on the sheet yet. And of course, he hopped over and took the face off against me.

“It was just such a cool moment for me because my bedroom door growing up was littered with Crosby photos. I had his jersey in my closet and used to wear it every day. To be able to go out there and take a face off against him and compete against them is something I’ll never forget.”

During his time in Washington, he was fortunate enough to play alongside the greatest goal scorer in NHL history, Alex Ovechkin. He gives Ovechkin credit for teaching him the best ways for a right shot to play left wing, essentially Ovechkin’s operating room for the last two decades.

“Everybody can see what he does on the ice and how special it is,” said the 31-year-old. “He’s just a naturally gifted goal scorer and now the best goal scorer in the history of hockey. But the thing that nobody sees is how good of a person he is off the ice.

“When I was first called up to the Capitals, it was the first or second day,” explained Boyd. “We were doing a pre-game skate. He skated by me, grabbed my stick and handed me his. He said he was just going to try it out and he skated off. There I was, skating around and his stick has this massive curve”.

As his career progressed, Boyd moved along from Washington to Toronto, Vancouver and Arizona. Before joining Minnesota, he played in a total of 296 NHL games with 47 goals and 71 assists for 118 points. Coming home was an easy decision for the seventh-year pro, who believes the State of Hockey is like no other place in the Unites States when it comes to youth programs and a deep passionate love for the sport.

“Minnesota and its hockey culture is like nowhere else. There’s not another state that can even come close,”
said Boyd.

“It’s such a unique thing. There really is no other place like Minnesota. It’s like Texas football, Indiana basketball or Iowa wrestling. Minnesota is by far the most special place to play. I’m fortunate and proud to be from Minnesota.
I’m very proud to say that’s where I come from”.