Hunter Shepard

Hunter Markus Shepard (born November 7, 1995) is an American professional ice hockey goaltender currently playing with the Hershey Bears in the American Hockey League (AHL) while under contract to the Washington Capitals of the National Hockey League (NHL).

Growing up in Grand Rapids, Minnesota, Shepard attended Grand Rapids High School where he played prep school hockey and baseball. In his senior year, he received a Minnesota Minute Men Mr. Hockey Award and joined the Bismarck Bobcats of the North American Hockey League (NAHL). After two seasons with the Bobcats, during which he won their Goaltender of the Year award, he was approached by the Minnesota-Duluth Bulldogs men's ice hockey (UMD) team to be their third goaltender.

Shepard played four seasons of NCAA Division I collegiate hockey with the Bulldogs, setting various records as the team's co-captain. He became the first goaltender captain since Rick Heinz in 1976 and received the 2018 Keith Christiansen Award as UMD's Most Valuable Player. Shepard started in over 105 consecutive games for the Bulldogs, setting a new NCAA record, and became the first netminder in a half century to lead his club to two consecutive NCAA titles. As a result of his achievements, he was selected as an AHCA All-American twice, received the NCHC Goaltender of the Year Award twice, was named NCHC Tournament MVP and a finalist for the Mike Richter Award.