There is more college hockey in this state than the Gophers.
The "Iron Range team" is the University of Minnesota, Duluth (UM-D) team which goes by the name of the Bulldogs. They have had three Hobey Baker winners, Brett Hull is an ex-Bulldog, Mike Sertich (now at Mich. Tech) was the long time coach, and the current coach is Scott Sandelin. If anyone was to change their name to the Rangers, it would be them.

Besides UM-D and the Gophers, the other Division 1 schools in the state are the St. Cloud Huskies, Mankato Mavericks, and Bemidji Beavers (why they aren't the Lumberjacks is anyone's guess). But the reason the Gophers are a fitting mascot for the U of M is that those furry little bastards are all over the state and getting rid of those pests is nearly impossible. Do you think that Huskie fans go out of their way to throw dead gophers on the ice at Huskie vs Gopher games? Heck no, dead gophers are easy to come by (and besides, the only good gopher is a dead gopher).

Nathan Hampton