COMMITTED UND Recruits

[AlphaMikeFoxtrot]

Fitzhenry at 24

https://www.dailyfaceoff.com/news/2027-nhl-draft-rankings-top-32-july-dupont-privalov-joseph-skvortsov-meyer-scouting-reports

[I Ranger]

4 hours ago, AlphaMikeFoxtrot said:

Fitzhenry at 24

https://www.dailyfaceoff.com/news/2027-nhl-draft-rankings-top-32-july-dupont-privalov-joseph-skvortsov-meyer-scouting-reports

I think it's safe to say there is 3-5 other targets of ours on that list as well. 

[brianvf]

Lots of commits and current players at NHL development camps:

https://www.grandforksherald.com/sports/und-hockey/und-notes-jack-kernan-gavin-lindberg-earn-nhl-development-camp-invites

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Forwards Jack Kernan and Gavin Lindberg have earned invites as undrafted free agents.

Kernan is going to camp with the Philadelphia Flyers. Lindberg, of Moorhead, will camp with the Nashville Predators.

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Other UND players expected to attend NHL development camps are forward Ashton Schultz (Buffalo Sabres), goaltender Caleb Heil (Tampa Bay Lightning), forward Cooper Simpson (Boston Bruins), forward Will Zellers (Boston Bruins), forward Mac Swanson (Pittsburgh Penguins), defenseman Sam Laurila (New York Islanders), defenseman Keaton Verhoeff (San Jose Sharks), forward Ollie Josephson (Seattle Kraken), forward Hudson Malinoski (Toronto Maple Leafs), defenseman Ethan MacKenzie (Toronto Maple Leafs), forward Cole Reschny (Calgary Flames), defenseman Carson Carels (Calgary Flames), defenseman E.J. Emery (New York Rangers) and forward Connor Davis (Vancouver Canucks).

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Five future UND players also are expected to participate in development camps — forward Markus Ruck (Pittsburgh Penguins), forward Liam Ruck (Pittsburgh Penguins), defenseman Brayden Klimpke (Montreal Canadiens), forward Carter Sanderson (Pittsburgh Penguins) and forward Cooper Williams (Toronto Maple Leafs).

 

[brianvf]

https://pittsburghhockeynow.com/pittsburgh-penguins-prospects-2026-development-camp-liam-ruck-what-we-learned/?fbclid=IwY2xjawS1bDhleHRuA2FlbQIxMABicmlkETJGaWY3YVJRdUROT0dvUXpuc3J0YwZhcHBfaWQQMjIyMDM5MTc4ODIwMDg5MgABHqxTSG7sJ5iTShpV1dkwfxAHWx8byMA8_4cgs3iLihCtlaPpNYUm8MDU3fY__aem_zgVw14dDffcEDDKokFblDw

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Overall, the Rucks appeared to be better skaters than advertised, especially Liam.

“It was nice for Markus to step up and score the big goal for the winning team … but you can see how they read the game. You can see Markus can put pucks to areas that only his teammates can get to, that play-making ability,” said Kostopoulos. “I think you know the skating, there’s a lot of potential there as he gets stronger and more powerful. I think he’s not slow, but he can build more power.

“Liam, it’s neat to see how he can get to open space, and wants the puck in the shooting areas. Some guys want the puck all the time. Seems to me like (Liam) wants it in the areas where he can score from. So it was great to spend the week with them and watch them with our staff, watch them this week.”

 

[brianvf]

Mirror pitchers.

 

[brianvf]

Demars and Grubb showing good chemistry together at the US National 17 Festival.
Demars finishes first game with 1-4-5 and Grubb with 2-2-4.
Video highlights in the comments.

https://x.com/VeesRosterIQ/status/2074999053083930961

 

[brianvf]

On 7/9/2026 at 10:11 AM, brianvf said:

Demars and Grubb showing good chemistry together at the US National 17 Festival.
Demars finishes first game with 1-4-5 and Grubb with 2-2-4.
Video highlights in the comments.

https://x.com/VeesRosterIQ/status/2074999053083930961

 

After 3 games, Team Northern Plains is 3-0 with Demars and Grubb tied for 1st in points (for all players) with 7pts.
Grubb is 4-3-7
Demars is 2-5-7

[Fratt Mattin]

18 hours ago, brianvf said:

After 3 games, Team Northern Plains is 3-0 with Demars and Grubb tied for 1st in points (for all players) with 7pts.
Grubb is 4-3-7
Demars is 2-5-7

I'll be very curious to see if DeMars makes a leap this year. I have seen a few scouts talking about him having first round potential. I don't see anything in his statistical profile that really suggests he's that caliber of player, but stats never tell the full story. He's certainly played well in this tournament

[tnt]

46 minutes ago, Fratt Mattin said:

I'll be very curious to see if DeMars makes a leap this year. I have seen a few scouts talking about him having first round potential. I don't see anything in his statistical profile that really suggests he's that caliber of player, but stats never tell the full story. He's certainly played well in this tournament

Opinions can change fast both ways.  McKamey is another one highly regarded that just figured it out later in the year.  Remember this article from Schlossman about McLaughlin?

https://www.grandforksherald.com/sports/und-hockey/flyers-draft-pick-owen-mclaughlin-commits-to-und

Remember there was talk about him not showing up to campus because the Flyers wanted to sign him?  Talk about him being a second or third round guy in a redraft seems ages away now.

[Fratt Mattin]

2 hours ago, tnt said:

Opinions can change fast both ways.  McKamey is another one highly regarded that just figured it out later in the year.  Remember this article from Schlossman about McLaughlin?

https://www.grandforksherald.com/sports/und-hockey/flyers-draft-pick-owen-mclaughlin-commits-to-und

Remember there was talk about him not showing up to campus because the Flyers wanted to sign him?  Talk about him being a second or third round guy in a redraft seems ages away now.

McKamey is a really interesting one. When he got exceptional status into the BCHL people talked about him like he could go #1 overall in 2027. Then he was good but not great for Penticton and struggled with some injuries before getting back on track toward the end of the year with Victoria.

I have no idea what he will look like this year. I could see him playing himself right back into the first round or I could see him going undrafted

[atxsioux]

7 hours ago, Fratt Mattin said:

McKamey is a really interesting one. When he got exceptional status into the BCHL people talked about him like he could go #1 overall in 2027. Then he was good but not great for Penticton and struggled with some injuries before getting back on track toward the end of the year with Victoria.

I have no idea what he will look like this year. I could see him playing himself right back into the first round or I could see him going undrafted

FWIW, Mckamey had the same PPG average as Caleb Malhotra in the BCHL last year while being a year younger. Will be interesting to see how this year unfolds. Hoping he can stay healthy for the full year. Will be pretty hard for him to put up Malhotra type numbers since Brantford was a wayyyy better team compared to how good Victoria will be
 

Definitely not out of the question that he has a big rise this upcoming year though

[tnt]

As we have seen at every level, sometimes it takes varying lengths of time to adjust, but when it happens, some guys just take off from there, which is why you see draft projections change drastically from one year to the next.  Chase Reid was another huge riser in last year's draft.  

[InHeavenThereIsNoBeer]

3 hours ago, atxsioux said:

FWIW, Mckamey had the same PPG average as Caleb Malhotra in the BCHL last year while being a year younger.

I’m not an expert but that seems pretty good

[burd]

3 hours ago, InHeavenThereIsNoBeer said:

I’m not an expert but that seems pretty good

Haven’t you noticed?  Here we are all experts.