2025-26 University of North Dakota Hockey Season

[Brett0909]

53 minutes ago, NoDak Hockey Nation said:

It’s probably because the guy running the collective is using it as a side gig to his state government job and running toasted frog and Bonzer’s… Any school serious about NIL has a full time staff running their collective. 1883 is a joke. Might be time for someone else to step up with some financial backing to put together something legit.

Agree on having more dedicated oversight and taking it to the next level. Unless I’m missing something though, seems we owe them our thanks for taking on this unpaid work  in addition to everything else on their plate? Without the 1883, we’d have no NIL presence and I don’t believe they’re stopping anyone else from stepping up.

I’m guessing they’d gladly welcome volunteers from everyone here complaining the 1883 should be doing more. Since I’m not helping from Seattle (yet, at least), I’ll try not to complain. That said, if you’re paying attention (1883)…it would help to get some transparency and communication on the effort and where you face challenges or need help. 

[gfhockey]

9 minutes ago, Brett0909 said:

 

Agree on having more dedicated oversight and taking it to the next level. Unless I’m missing something though, seems we owe them our thanks for taking on this unpaid work  in addition to everything else on their plate? Without the 1883, we’d have no NIL presence and I don’t believe they’re stopping anyone else from stepping up.

I’m guessing they’d gladly welcome volunteers from everyone here complaining the 1883 should be doing more. Since I’m not helping from Seattle (yet, at least), I’ll try not to complain. That said, if you’re paying attention (1883)…it would help to get some transparency and communication on the effort and where you face challenges or need help. 

I am thankful they tried and established it. See Chaves podcast? They meet biweekly with these to determine needs and wants

[gfhockey]

I think 50/50 from hockey games should go to fund this and football games

[gfhockey]

And get some e tab machines at the ralph

 

a true Vegas expierence 

[gfhockey]

2 minutes ago, gfhockey said:

I am thankful they tried and established it. See Chaves podcast? They meet biweekly with these to determine needs and wants

It’s a lot of time from their own busy schedules. Running a business especially a bar and a restaurant already take more then 50 hours a week

[brianvf]

https://www.grandforksherald.com/sports/und-hockey/schlossman-und-taking-targeted-approach-into-recruiting

Good to hear that Heil will play another year of juniors.  That will only benefit him (and UND).

Quote

Hedquist could still enter the NCAA transfer portal and look for a starting option. The portal doesn't close until May 13.
So, UND has one or two goaltender spots to fill, depending on whether Hedquist hits the portal.

The Fighting Hawks have one committed goaltender in Caleb Heil of the United States Hockey League's Madison Capitols.

UND discussed options with Heil in recent weeks and gave him the choice of coming to campus this fall or returning to Madison to play a significant number of games. Heil has opted to return to Madison, polish his game and be ready for a bigger role in the fall of 2026.

 

[NoDak Hockey Nation]

2 hours ago, Brett0909 said:

 

Agree on having more dedicated oversight and taking it to the next level. Unless I’m missing something though, seems we owe them our thanks for taking on this unpaid work  in addition to everything else on their plate? Without the 1883, we’d have no NIL presence and I don’t believe they’re stopping anyone else from stepping up.

I’m guessing they’d gladly welcome volunteers from everyone here complaining the 1883 should be doing more. Since I’m not helping from Seattle (yet, at least), I’ll try not to complain. That said, if you’re paying attention (1883)…it would help to get some transparency and communication on the effort and where you face challenges or need help. 

My point is, if you want to be serious, you have to get serious financial backing to run the thing from a sponsor who basically just uses profits from their business to pay the employees running it and the employee running it has to make it their full time job. North Dakota will lag behind until that happens. It’s too bad the Engelstad family’s deep love for UND hockey has wavered since Ralph.

[Sweethockey]

1 hour ago, NoDak Hockey Nation said:

My point is, if you want to be serious, you have to get serious financial backing to run the thing from a sponsor who basically just uses profits from their business to pay the employees running it and the employee running it has to make it their full time job. North Dakota will lag behind until that happens. It’s too bad the Engelstad family’s deep love for UND hockey has wavered since Ralph.

That's not true. Kris just pitched $200k in for NIL money and school came up with $125k for NIL money for Dane. Zellers has been promised $50k next year. Once UND opts in for revenue sharing, Dane will have around $500k to play with........

Source?? Katie Hale on KFGO yesterday afternoon. She's a regular, on around 4:15 pm.

[fightingsioux4life]

4 minutes ago, Sweethockey said:

That's not true. Kris just pitched $200k in for NIL money and school came up with $125k for NIL money for Dane. Zellers has been promised $50k next year. Once UND opts in for revenue sharing, Dane will have around $500k to play with........

Source?? Katie Hale on KFGO yesterday afternoon. She's a regular, on around 4:15 pm.

This is great news. But we must broaden our donor base. We can't keep relying on one donor.

[burd]

17 minutes ago, fightingsioux4life said:

This is great news. But we must broaden our donor base. We can't keep relying on one donor.

True.  This isn’t Team Engelstad.  And it shouldn’t be.   Nothing new in this thought, but the soul that thrived in the old barn, with its chicken wire, fog, and cold, is being buried by money.  
 

But NIL is not of our making.  Gotta compete.

[brianvf]

21 minutes ago, Sweethockey said:

That's not true. Kris just pitched $200k in for NIL money and school came up with $125k for NIL money for Dane. Zellers has been promised $50k next year. Once UND opts in for revenue sharing, Dane will have around $500k to play with........

Source?? Katie Hale on KFGO yesterday afternoon. She's a regular, on around 4:15 pm.

Excellent!  Big news, need to keep it rolling and snag some high end CHL forwards for next season still.
Hopefully the KEM NIL money is an annual thing...   

[.357]

32 minutes ago, Sweethockey said:

That's not true. Kris just pitched $200k in for NIL money and school came up with $125k for NIL money for Dane. Zellers has been promised $50k next year. Once UND opts in for revenue sharing, Dane will have around $500k to play with........

Source?? Katie Hale on KFGO yesterday afternoon. She's a regular, on around 4:15 pm.

Interesting. 

When you say the school came up with $125k for Dane, do you mean it came from the 1883? Because NIL is all privately-funded. 

Is UND offering NIL to any other players besides Zellers? Wondering if they're saving some of that stash for a high-end center. 

A little surprised that one of the wealthiest families in ND, if not the wealthiest, the Rydells of GF, aren't donating big money to the hockey program. 

[brianvf]

4 minutes ago, .357 said:

Interesting. 

When you say the school came up with $125k for Dane, do you mean it came from the 1883? Because NIL is all privately-funded. 

Is UND offering NIL to any other players besides Zellers? Wondering if they're saving some of that stash for a high-end center. 

A little surprised that one of the wealthiest families in ND, if not the wealthiest, the Rydells of GF, aren't donating big money to the hockey program. 

There are ways around the NIL stuff for the schools.  Similar to how a big deal was made about WMU not paying any NIL this year, when some of their hockey players were for sure getting paid.  As has been reported.

Yes, NIL is going to many players.  I doubt we'll ever know all the specifics about which players and how much.
I'd love to see a high-end center too...

Who knows on the Rydell's.  Maybe they are?  Or maybe they're good with just doing the arena reporting.

[NoDak Hockey Nation]

7 minutes ago, .357 said:

Interesting. 

When you say the school came up with $125k for Dane, do you mean it came from the 1883? Because NIL is all privately-funded. 

Is UND offering NIL to any other players besides Zellers? Wondering if they're saving some of that stash for a high-end center. 

A little surprised that one of the wealthiest families in ND, if not the wealthiest, the Rydells of GF, aren't donating big money to the hockey program. 

Probably because they aren’t informed on what the collective even is. 

[jdub27]

5 hours ago, NoDak Hockey Nation said:

It’s probably because the guy running the collective is using it as a side gig to his state government job and running toasted frog and Bonzer’s… Any school serious about NIL has a full time staff running their collective. 1883 is a joke. Might be time for someone else to step up with some financial backing to put together something legit.

No one else stepped up, which is why two guys who have full time jobs running their own businesses plus other jobs, stepped up to fill the void. 

I'd highly recommend reaching out to either of them to hear what they do and how much time and effort they put in before ripping them for doing something with their own time. They have been successful at keeping more than a handful of student athletes at UND. And neither of them ask for anything besides doing what you can to support for student athletes. 

Without them, UND is likely still sitting without a collective. They responsiblity of funding comes from people like those on this board who need to step up with their wallets instead of anonymously criticism. 

[fightingsioux4life]

54 minutes ago, burd said:

True.  This isn’t Team Engelstad.  And it shouldn’t be.   Nothing new in this thought, but the soul that thrived in the old barn, with its chicken wire, fog, and cold, is being buried by money.  
 

But NIL is not of our making.  Gotta compete.

And competing will require having more than one big time donor. The Engelstad family is stepping up, but we need to court other potential donors (former players, successful alums who love UND and its programs). NIL is the biggest financial challenge we've ever faced.

[gfhockey]

52 minutes ago, .357 said:

Interesting. 

When you say the school came up with $125k for Dane, do you mean it came from the 1883? Because NIL is all privately-funded. 

Is UND offering NIL to any other players besides Zellers? Wondering if they're saving some of that stash for a high-end center. 

A little surprised that one of the wealthiest families in ND, if not the wealthiest, the Rydells of GF, aren't donating big money to the hockey program. 

Car washes and cars my friend

[gfhockey]

What about alerus financial

[gfhockey]

Acme electric tool crib of the north

[gfhockey]

I know Gowans donated for football nil Per source 

 

[fightingsioux4life]

Just now, gfhockey said:

What about alerus financial

Just now, gfhockey said:

Acme electric tool crib of the north

Those are good examples of potential donors.

[.357]

1 hour ago, brianvf said:

There are ways around the NIL stuff for the schools.  Similar to how a big deal was made about WMU not paying any NIL this year, when some of their hockey players were for sure getting paid.  As has been reported.

Yes, NIL is going to many players.  I doubt we'll ever know all the specifics about which players and how much.
I'd love to see a high-end center too...

If UND were actually allocating NIL money to the hockey team, you'd think that they would give a lot more than just $125k to its flagship program to ease some of the burden on the collective. Will believe it when I read it that NIL money is also coming from schools & not just private donors; because all the current literature says otherwise. 

At one point, if not still, UND was in contention for McKenna. That means they were/are (am guessing here) probably offering him around 2-$300k, at least. Even if they don't get him, they'll probably need at least $100k for a top CHL center or wing.

 

[brucespook]

Every player I assume can get a share of their jersey sales correct and tshirts that have their name on them?   That would have to be from the school.   Also

when athletes do commwrcials

wearing school uniforms does the school get paid too or do they just provide the athletes with a way to make money? 

[sioux rube]

 

[.357]

52 minutes ago, brucespook said:

Every player I assume can get a share of their jersey sales correct and tshirts that have their name on them?   That would have to be from the school.   Also

when athletes do commwrcials

 

If you buy a jersey for $100 & a player gets a cut of that, your money is going to him, not the school's. 

That commercial on Through These Doors this year where they had those 4 student-athletes, also was paid for by a private entity, in that case from a bank.