COMMITTED UND Recruits

[brianvf]

3 minutes ago, RhettRingers said:

I noticed UND men's hockey account on instagram no longer follows Carson Pilgrim, could be something to watch. 

Hmm, interesting.
If he no longer comes next season, could free up a spot for a blue chip CHL guy.

[AlphaMikeFoxtrot]

10 minutes ago, RhettRingers said:

I noticed UND men's hockey account on instagram no longer follows Carson Pilgrim, could be something to watch. 

#FutureBulldog

[beastandco]

1 hour ago, brianvf said:

Hmm, interesting.
If he no longer comes next season, could free up a spot for a blue chip CHL guy.

UND’s freshman forward class appears to be full next season. A lot can change from not until then, including decommitments and players getting pushed back a year. 

A large chunk of the guys coming in next season are from the previous staff. There will be a player(s) dropped from their committed list. 
 

That being said, I expect UND to be after top uncommitted forwards for next season. A lot of the top guys will not commit until after the season. That will buy UND more time to evaluate their forwards potentially coming in for 26/27.

[SpudsSioux]

1 hour ago, RhettRingers said:

I noticed UND men's hockey account on instagram no longer follows Carson Pilgrim, could be something to watch. 

I assumed he was decommitted already. He's been in red on Heisenberg's site for awhile which usually means he's decommitted or coming in/already on the roster. 

[Kevin G]

22 hours ago, brianvf said:

Updated Commit List as of Sept 9th:

• Added B Schultz and Penner to the list.

Forwards

• B. Schultz (USHL Waterloo) - '05: 0gp - 0g/0a
• Pilgrim (USHL Tri-City) - '06: 0gp - 0g/0a
• A. Schultz (USHL Chicago) - '06: 0gp - 0g/0a
• O'Neill (WHL Edmonton) - '07: 0gp - 0g/0a
• Sanderson (USHL Muskegon) - '07: 0gp - 0g/0a
• Simpson (USHL Youngstown) - '07: 0gp - 0g/0a
• Jundt (WHL Calgary) - '08: 0gp - 0g/0a
• Williams (WHL Saskatoon) - '08: 0gp - 0g/0a
• DeMars (WHL Penticton) - '09: 0gp - 0g/0a
• Grubb (SSM 18U Prep) - '09: 0gp - 0g/0a
• McKamey (WHL Victoria) - '09: 0gp - 0g/0a

Defensemen

• MacKenzie (WHL Edmonton) - '06: 0gp - 0g/0a
• Lindberg (USHL Fargo) - '07: 0gp - 0g/0a
• Penner (USHL Fargo) - '08: 0gp - 0g/0a

Goalies

• Heil (USHL Madison) - '06: 0gp - .000 / 0.00 (0-0-0)

Thank you for providing each player’s team and league. That’s helpful in this new era. 

[Siouxdaddy]

 

North Dakota is a “fallback” for Williams 😭

[stoneySIOUX]

33 minutes ago, Siouxdaddy said:

 

North Dakota is a “fallback” for Williams 😭

I mean, if he thinks he can go into the NHL immediately, then sure, that's his plan. That was my plan in baseball and football, too. Didn't work out. So I went to UND 🤣

[fightingsioux4life]

34 minutes ago, Siouxdaddy said:

North Dakota is a “fallback” for Williams 😭

That is quite a compliment for our program. Either NHL or North Dakota. 

[beastandco]

1 hour ago, Siouxdaddy said:

 

North Dakota is a “fallback” for Williams 😭

This is kind of funny, honestly. He wouldn’t commit if college hockey was a back up plan for him, especially with how many guys are still uncommitted heading into their draft year.
 

I do not know what the GM of the Blades is supposed to say given that question. The interviewer essentially answered the question for him. He isn’t going to say that Cooper is going to continue to develop in the NCAA after this season when he still has CHL eligibility.

[burd]

46 minutes ago, stoneySIOUX said:

I mean, if he thinks he can go into the NHL immediately, then sure, that's his plan. That was my plan in baseball and football, too. Didn't work out. So I went to UND 🤣

I was going to be a porn star but couldn’t get drafted in any league, so I took my chances as a walk-on at UND.   Didn’t see much playing time, unfortunately.  

[brianvf]

Yeah, kids these days definitely want to sign up for 3 years of long bus rides back and forth from Saskatoon and living with a billet family.
Not many will want to play in the best arena in college hockey, chartered planes to away games, and top notch facilities.  Not to mention coeds.

[brianvf]

https://www.grandforksherald.com/sports/und-hockey/chl-discontinues-passes-for-ncaa-coaches

The comments from the Red Deer GM are humorous to me.
How often did CHL teams poach players & recruits from NCAA schools, including UND, over the last few years?  Do you think any of those CHL teams gave the NCAA teams a heads-up that they were talking to the players or that the players were leaving the NCAA schools?  This is just doing to them exactly what they did to the NCAA teams, and the CHL teams don't like being on the other side.

Quote

Red Deer Rebels general manager Brent Sutter recently expressed his frustrations in The Pipeline Show podcast after losing Josephson to UND in August.

"We were totally caught off guard," Sutter told The Pipeline Show host Guy Flaming. "No communication really bothered me, whether it was from Ollie or his agent or even North Dakota. They didn't ever call and talk to us about it. That's the problem you have with this going on now. NCAA teams are doing whatever they want. It's frustrating from our perspective."

 

[tnt]

2 minutes ago, brianvf said:

https://www.grandforksherald.com/sports/und-hockey/chl-discontinues-passes-for-ncaa-coaches

The comments from the Red Deer GM are humorous to me.
How often did CHL teams poach players & recruits from NCAA schools, including UND, over the last few years?  Do you think any of those CHL teams gave the NCAA teams a heads-up that they were talking to the players or that the players were leaving the NCAA schools?  This is just doing to them exactly what they did to the NCAA teams, and the CHL teams don't like being on the other side.

 

…and how many of those departures were after the season started?

[brianvf]

37 minutes ago, tnt said:

…and how many of those departures were after the season started?

Yep.  Don't feel sorry for them at all. 

[atxsioux]

2 hours ago, brianvf said:

Yep.  Don't feel sorry for them at all. 

Listened to the whole segment with Sutter and he triples down saying it was a BAD decision for Ollie to leave the WHL early.

I'd assume that is just not even remotely the case. (so more or less he's trashing the player, which is pretty petty)

[beastandco]

10 minutes ago, atxsioux said:

Listened to the whole segment with Sutter and he triples down saying it was a BAD decision for Ollie to leave the WHL early.

I'd assume that is just not even remotely the case. (so more or less he's trashing the player, which is pretty petty)

I am sure players and their representatives are thrilled about CHL officials and management dragging their names through the mud. I’m sure current players are seeing it as well.
 

This will not end well for these teams. The first ones to adapt will be the ones to thrive.

[nascar99]

20 minutes ago, atxsioux said:

Listened to the whole segment with Sutter and he triples down saying it was a BAD decision for Ollie to leave the WHL early.

I'd assume that is just not even remotely the case. (so more or less he's trashing the player, which is pretty petty)

Did he expound on why he thought it was dumb? Did he say Josephson needed another year in the Dub to grow his offensive game more?

[AlphaMikeFoxtrot]

Is Flaming taking a side in this?!? Figured he of all people would be neutral after all these years.

[atxsioux]

4 hours ago, nascar99 said:

Did he expound on why he thought it was dumb? Did he say Josephson needed another year in the Dub to grow his offensive game more?

That was his argument yes. Granted I think red deer didn’t have the greatest team surrounding him and if he didn’t get hurt this year there’s a good chance he’s pretty close to a point per game. 

[brianvf]

More on the Cooper Williams for next season either staying in WHL or coming to UND.
Also talks with Harsanyi who is a CC commit.
Cooper is interviewed in the clip...he essentially just says that it is still TBD what happens next offseason.
Me personally...I'm guessing he'll be at UND if the UND coaches think he is ready to play NCAA hockey.

https://x.com/ScottRoblin/status/1966283033427751071 

[nascar99]

8 hours ago, brianvf said:

More on the Cooper Williams for next season either staying in WHL or coming to UND.
Also talks with Harsanyi who is a CC commit.
Cooper is interviewed in the clip...he essentially just says that it is still TBD what happens next offseason.
Me personally...I'm guessing he'll be at UND if the UND coaches think he is ready to play NCAA hockey.

https://x.com/ScottRoblin/status/1966283033427751071 

If he has a monster year in the Dub, he should move on to the NCAA. If he stagnates, the NHL team who drafts him can keep him in the Dub another year if they feel that is necessary. Williams SHOULD NOT be signing pro and entertain the idea of trying to play in the A at 19 or 20 years old, vast majority of guys aren't ready for that jump to pro and he wouldn't be ready for it. North Dakota should be the next stop in his development IMHO.

[InHeavenThereIsNoBeer]

On 9/6/2025 at 10:14 PM, brianvf said:

He's poised for a big season in the USHL:

 

Looked like a Jackson Blake goal

[scpa0305]

7 hours ago, brianvf said:

More on the Cooper Williams for next season either staying in WHL or coming to UND.
Also talks with Harsanyi who is a CC commit.
Cooper is interviewed in the clip...he essentially just says that it is still TBD what happens next offseason.
Me personally...I'm guessing he'll be at UND if the UND coaches think he is ready to play NCAA hockey.

https://x.com/ScottRoblin/status/1966283033427751071 

If he’s drafted in the first 3 rounds and has a really solid year in the Dub he’ll 100% be playing at UND.

[sioux rube]

 

[.357]

Per BCHL_Alberta on X, McKamey out until Christmas according to the Royals GM. Lack of significant playing time this year may prevent him from coming to UND next season.