2025-26 University of North Dakota Hockey Season

[UNDhoops]

this team is really good. apologies to dane jackson for doubting the hire. i was way wrong (although having chyzyk as GM has helped a lot)

[InHeavenThereIsNoBeer]

1 hour ago, UNDhoops said:

this team is really good. apologies to dane jackson for doubting the hire. i was way wrong (although having chyzyk as GM has helped a lot)

Don’t forget his associate head coach that will likely be a college head coach at a different program shortly

[Dustin]

9 minutes ago, InHeavenThereIsNoBeer said:

Don’t forget his associate head coach that will likely be a college head coach at a different program shortly

What's the story here?

[Fratt Mattin]

1 minute ago, Dustin said:

What's the story here?

I think this is just a reference to the widely held belief that Smaby will be a college head coach some day soon. He's a very well-respected name in the coaching community and this year has only raised his stock

[InHeavenThereIsNoBeer]

12 minutes ago, Fratt Mattin said:

I think this is just a reference to the widely held belief that Smaby will be a college head coach some day soon. He's a very well-respected name in the coaching community and this year has only raised his stock

Exactly, it may be UND bias but I believe we have essentially 2 head coaches on staff and we greatly benefit from it with player development and recruiting. I can’t imagine he won’t be an extremely attractive target for the next program that cans their head coach. 

[Dustin]

10 minutes ago, Fratt Mattin said:

I think this is just a reference to the widely held belief that Smaby will be a college head coach some day soon. He's a very well-respected name in the coaching community and this year has only raised his stock

I wouldn't doubt our whole staff is being eyed, especially with a regular season conference championship executed in a one-year rebuild.

[AlphaMikeFoxtrot]

Departing means losing your spot in line. Been a while since we hired a head coach who wasn't previously an assistant here.  Leaving of your own volition should only be for an offer you can't refuse.

[nascar99]

14 minutes ago, InHeavenThereIsNoBeer said:

Exactly, it may be UND bias but I believe we have essentially 2 head coaches on staff and we greatly benefit from it with player development and recruiting. I can’t imagine he won’t be an extremely attractive target for the next program that cans their head coach. 

Essentially 2 head coaches plus a standout GM when basically no one else has a GM. Spoil of riches

[.357]

34 minutes ago, nascar99 said:

Essentially 2 head coaches plus a standout GM when basically no one else has a GM. Spoil of riches

When most other teams' assistants are on campus helping with their pp/pk or other coaching assignments, Chyzyk is deep in the bowels of Western Canada  schmoozing with the likes of Carels & Preston over a meal after one of their games. UND currently has a clear advantage in recruiting with having the only GM in college hockey, especially during the season when other coaches are stuck on campus. Would imagine that other teams will follow suit & try to mirror UND's success in this area.

 

[jk]

I've just been enjoying the ride and haven't even considered such things, but I suppose it's reasonable to expect Smaby to get a shot soon.  What if he pulls a reverse Blais? 

[.357]

This year's team has been chock-full of freshmen who've acclimated nicely to the college game, with the vote of 'most surprising' going to Laurila for his almost seamless transition to D1 hockey. Sees the game so well, does well in high-pressure situations & doesn't take needless penalties. Comes across a cerebral player who manages his emotions very well, unlike others on the backend who are more likely to take silly penalties in the heat of the moment. Quite the feat for the freshman D.

[Big A HG]

5 hours ago, UNDhoops said:

this team is really good. apologies to dane jackson for doubting the hire. i was way wrong (although having chyzyk as GM has helped a lot)

 

I wasn't 100% sure Dane was the right guy either, but it was hard to fathom how anyone could think that keeping Brad was the right move.  It's amazing what some accountability and forward-thinking can do in a single year.  Even if we somehow fizzle out in the playoffs this year, you can tell we're on the right trajectory again.

[Dustin]

6 minutes ago, Big A HG said:

Even if we somehow fizzle out in the playoffs this year, you can tell we're on the right trajectory again.

I was thinking about this.  If our time in the NCAA tournament is short-lived, and we ask the question "was the season a success?" I would confidently answer "YES!"  I know we measure success by Nattys, but to be NCHC regular season champs and (almost) guaranteed #1 seed (possibly the overall #1 seed), with what the program was 11 months ago, all of that would have seemed very far-fetched.  Unbelievable job by the everyone involved.  

[atxsioux]

1 hour ago, jk said:

I've just been enjoying the ride and haven't even considered such things, but I suppose it's reasonable to expect Smaby to get a shot soon.  What if he pulls a reverse Blais? 

In my mind Smaby seems to be next up in the succession plan after Jackson but that would be a ways down the road. (Dane IMO will be responsible whenever the time comes and not hold on to the spot too overly long)

 

The interesting part with Smaby is if he is hired by another school I would definitely see him leaving whenever the UND HC position opens up. So he’s a rental likely for whatever school he would go to.

[Big A HG]

20 minutes ago, Dustin said:

I was thinking about this.  If our time in the NCAA tournament is short-lived, and we ask the question "was the season a success?" I would confidently answer "YES!"  I know we measure success by Nattys, but to be NCHC regular season champs and (almost) guaranteed #1 seed (possibly the overall #1 seed), with what the program was 11 months ago, all of that would have seemed very far-fetched.  Unbelievable job by the everyone involved.  

Agree...but we can't have many consecutive years of one-and-dones either.  Even when Berry was winning conference titles but getting bounced, the team didn't pass the eye test for me.  But, everyone was like "we won the conference, so all is great", but you could see the writing on the wall a lot of the time.  The 2020 season that got cancelled was a great example of a season where I feel we way outperformed our actual talent.  #1 team in the country and all, but it didn't seem like a team that would go very deep in the tournament to me.

Conversely, this team passes the eye test.  All three phases of our team can win the game for us.  If they are all clicking, we're extremely dangerous.  The scary part is, I don't think all three phases have clicked at the same time, but if you could put it all together in late March and April, anything is possible for this team.

[InHeavenThereIsNoBeer]

5 hours ago, Big A HG said:

Agree...but we can't have many consecutive years of one-and-dones either.  Even when Berry was winning conference titles but getting bounced, the team didn't pass the eye test for me.  But, everyone was like "we won the conference, so all is great", but you could see the writing on the wall a lot of the time.  The 2020 season that got cancelled was a great example of a season where I feel we way outperformed our actual talent.  #1 team in the country and all, but it didn't seem like a team that would go very deep in the tournament to me.

Conversely, this team passes the eye test.  All three phases of our team can win the game for us.  If they are all clicking, we're extremely dangerous.  The scary part is, I don't think all three phases have clicked at the same time, but if you could put it all together in late March and April, anything is possible for this team.

2020-21 team was better and I’ll die on that hill. Added Gaber, Sanderson, Kleven and Jammer

[farce poobah]

15 hours ago, jk said:

I've just been enjoying the ride and haven't even considered such things, but I suppose it's reasonable to expect Smaby to get a shot soon.  What if he pulls a reverse Blais? 

If you mean "take the job as U of Minnesota head coach", I'd say its possible.  Given the clout wielded by hockey alumni and boosters ... I think it would be a cold day in Minneapolis if they did that. 

If hired, I bet his first two moves would be to hire a GM who knows US and Canada pipelines, and then an associate with NHL experience. 

++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

Fun side fact:  For the last 50 years - none of the Minnesota head hockey coaches played in the NHL, or coached in the NHL before taking the MN HC job.  Its so inbred I can hardly stand it love it.

Side note:  They haven't had an assistant coach who played in the NHL since Robb Stauber (2000-2003). 

Haven't won a NCAA title since then. Coincidence? or unrelated?  I leave it to the reader to decide.

 

 

[Blackheart]

1 hour ago, farce poobah said:

If you mean "take the job as U of Minnesota head coach", I'd say its possible.  Given the clout wielded by hockey alumni and boosters ... I think it would be a cold day in Minneapolis if they did that. 

If hired, I bet his first two moves would be to hire a GM who knows US and Canada pipelines, and then an associate with NHL experience. 

++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

Fun side fact:  For the last 50 years - none of the Minnesota head hockey coaches played in the NHL, or coached in the NHL before taking the MN HC job.  Its so inbred I can hardly stand it love it.

Side note:  They haven't had an assistant coach who played in the NHL since Robb Stauber (2000-2003). 

Haven't won a NCAA title since then. Coincidence? or unrelated?  I leave it to the reader to decide.

 

 

Probably should have won in 2023 against Quinnipiac but they got Motzko'd in the OT.  Their 2014 failed appearance against Union was a bit of a blowout, 7-4?  Their lack of presence in the portal and Canada is also just fine with me.  No assistant coaches with NHL experience since Stauber?  Great!  Whatever keeps them out of the big dance.  Another season like this for Motzko and he's most likely gone.

[brianvf]

 

[1972]

20 hours ago, Dustin said:

I was thinking about this.  If our time in the NCAA tournament is short-lived, and we ask the question "was the season a success?" I would confidently answer "YES!"  I know we measure success by Nattys, but to be NCHC regular season champs and (almost) guaranteed #1 seed (possibly the overall #1 seed), with what the program was 11 months ago, all of that would have seemed very far-fetched.  Unbelievable job by the everyone involved.  

When you take into account the players that left, either by graduation,  or "other" reasons, and the fact we were essentially grasping at a couple portal guys who we hoped would not suck, it has truly been a wonderful ride.  Just wish we would have had Ellis and Young for 2 or 3 more years.  Such beauties

[brianvf]

46 minutes ago, 1972 said:

Just wish we would have had Ellis and Young for 2 or 3 more years.  Such beauties

This for sure.
Never would have expected that either of them would have such big contributions on this team.
Rickwood has consistently been one of our best players, night in and night out.  Faceoffs and a full 200ft game.
And most prob would have considered Young to be an "extra forward" but he has played so well that the coaches can't take him out of the lineup.

[brianvf]

Lots of players/coaches on the award finalists lists!
Love that Liver is on both the offensive and defensive finalist lists.   

NCHC Herb Brooks Coach of the Year finalists
David Carle, Denver
Dane Jackson, North Dakota
Anthony Noreen, Miami

NCHC Rookie of the Year finalists
David Deputy, Miami
Cole Reschny, North Dakota
Jan Špunar, North Dakota

NCHC Offensive Defenseman of the Year finalists
Ty Hanson, Minnesota Duluth
Jake Livanavage, North Dakota
Eric Pohlkamp, Denver

NCHC Defensive Defenseman of the Year finalists
Adam Kleber, Minnesota Duluth
Jake Livanavage, North Dakota
Bennett Zmolek, North Dakota

NCHC Defensive Forward of the Year finalists
Tyson Gross, St. Cloud State
Dylan James, North Dakota
Owen Michaels, Western Michigan

NCHC Goaltender of the Year finalists
Matteo Drobac, Miami
Hampton Slukynsky, Western Michigan
Jan Špunar, North Dakota

NCHC Senior Scholar-Athlete Award finalists
Kent Anderson, Denver
Riley Bodnarchuk, Minnesota Duluth
Dylan James, North Dakota

[stoneySIOUX]

No player of the year list? Is there not one?

Just figured it out. Plante, Gross and Pohlkamp made the list. I can't argue with any of these players, but leaving off Liver is kind of silly, IMO.

Jax wins COY, Resch wins ROY, for sure. Liver or Z will win DDOY, and James should win DFOY... of course all of my opinion only, but I think they'd be correct.

[Oxbow6]

Strinden carried this team for a good stretch early on when this squad needed it. Insane he's not up for any NCHC award.

[brianvf]

16 minutes ago, stoneySIOUX said:

No player of the year list? Is there not one?

Just figured it out. Plante, Gross and Pohlkamp made the list. I can't argue with any of these players, but leaving of Liver is kind of silly, IMO.

Jax wins COY, Resch wins ROY, for sure. Liver or Z will win DDOY, and James should win DFOY... of course all of my opinion only, but I think they'd be correct.

Sorry, just posted the lists that had UND players on them for finalists. 

Agreed on COY and ROY.  I think Liver gets DDOY.
I bet they give DFOY to Gross.