nascar99

Antonin Verreault to Quinnipiac, another nice pickup for them

Because the high end USHLers (not many of them) are already committed. The new player pool that has opened up is the CHL, tons more high enders & who aren't committed. The only thing is those guys might still just sign their ELC and forego the NCAA.

If you build a well rounded veteran roster, you still typically need a high end player or two to take you over the top. Those guys give you more margin for errors for the rest of the roster IMHO. It'll be interesting to see if/when high end CHLers help lead their teams to National Championships, then we gain a sample size of how these high profile high scoring guys affect the NCAA when the games matter most

If UND doesn't appeal to any of the top end Dub guys like Kindel, Reschny, Smith, Schmidt, McQueen, Cootes, Bear, Lakovic, Fiddler, Behm, then we're in trouble here. 10 names there, you almost need to get 1 IMHO. I guess more damage was done to the program over the past 8ish years than we all thought

Would be sad if UND is never in on O & Q guys

Malcolm Spence to Michigan now official

Half of Michigan's 2024-25 roster left in the portal/graduation/turn pro. They aren't bringing in all of their USHL recruits, they have plenty of space for high end CHLers.

Looks like Malcolm Spence of the Erie Otters is going to the NCAA next season, most likely to Michigan as Schloss reported

Just gotta get used to it. Happens for NCAA Baseball programs all the time with commits signing pro after the draft. Difference is, player pool is much larger in baseball and they're able to replace guys much easier.

If true that really sucks. Cole Reschny, Ben Kindel, Jackson Smith, etc would be fun in Grand Forks

I would like for another CHL commit (preferably a high end guy). Tons of top tier Dub guys that could use some NCAA time before turning pro

I would say 60-70% will be interested. Now how many end up in the NCAA instead of signing their ELC is the question.

I don't think this is in reference to Kashawn Aitcheson (projected top 15 pick) but it could be in reference to Anthony Romani (Canucks), Dalyn Wakely (Oilers), Beau Jelsma (undrafted), Riley Patterson (Canucks, former Michigan State commit), or Brad Gardiner (Stars).

He had a 2nd-3rd round grade pre-draft & fell to the 5th

Hopefully Duke makes the Dub and gets good enough to become a legitimate NCHC type of recruit. Even if not, hopefully he's good enough for D1 and play at Augustana in his dad's home state. Would be cool

Unsurprisingly, Sammy Nelson (2008, NTDP, 2027 Draft) commits to Notre Dame where his brothers are.

Schloss with the quick answer

Garrett Lindberg goes 2nd overall in the 2025 USHL Phase 2 Draft to Chicago. Sign that he'll go back to junior for another year and won't be in Grand Forks for 2025-26?

Depends on the player. Luke Misa is very different from Josh Zakreski. Matthew Mayich is quite different from Mazden Leslie. We'll see.

I never said that they wouldn't, but every NCAA team outside of a few like Minnesota will get much of their future rosters from each of the CHL leagues. You'll see fewer non elite NAHL, Minnesota HS, & New England Prep School types go D1. I also don't think the bottom tier USHLers will be NCAA locks anymore either. Of course, there will be fewer Canadian Junior A guys getting D1 interest too.

5 of the 6 commitments from yesterday were CHLers. The NCAA's demographics will change to even split or possibly plurality Canadian in the coming years.

NCAA route players have already avoided signing their ELC until done with their NCAA career. Not signing an ELC just pushes back RFA & UFA, which owners and GMs like. Plenty of teams are very supportive of prospects going the NCAA route and developing better instead of rushing into pro.

Don't be surprised to see the Sabres draft a CHLer this June and then "mysteriously", that player ends up at Penn State.