Prospective Recruits

[nascar99]

1 minute ago, brianvf said:

Yeah, I'd bet that they have 4-5 potential targets that they've already been in contact with for a bit of time.
The week after the draft should see quite a few NCAA teams finalize their rosters I would guess.

I personally think many teams will wait to release their rosters until late July/early August. Teams still figuring out who they're bringing in and who they're deferring, more complicated due to the CHL player pool being opened up.

[brianvf]

20 minutes ago, nascar99 said:

I personally think many teams will wait to release their rosters until late July/early August. Teams still figuring out who they're bringing in and who they're deferring, more complicated due to the CHL player pool being opened up.

Sure is a different world now...going to be weird as a team to meet a new team member possibly so late in the offseason when the rest of the players have been back at school working out together for a month or more.

[beastandco]

34 minutes ago, nascar99 said:

I personally think many teams will wait to release their rosters until late July/early August. Teams still figuring out who they're bringing in and who they're deferring, more complicated due to the CHL player pool being opened up.

There could be a wave of commitment flips as well. I think we’ll see UND’s roster shape up shortly after the draft. I can already see the Schloss headline of “UND Lights Fireworks By Landing…” on July 4th.

[brianvf]

It sure would be nice to land one more high end CHLer to fill that top 6 forward vacancy.
Has to be nice bait for any potential recruit when they see the current group and who they could be playing with.

Guys like Cootes, Kindel, McQueen...not hearing much buzz around them going the NCAA route.
Will be interesting to see how many of these CHL 1st rounders stay in the CHL for another year.

[tnt]

https://www.dailyfaceoff.com/news/2025-nhl-draft-profile-carter-bear-scouting-report-everett-silvertips-whl
 

Sure would be nice to get Carter Bear in a year.  Might help with DuPont, or vice versa.

[brianvf]

1 hour ago, tnt said:

https://www.dailyfaceoff.com/news/2025-nhl-draft-profile-carter-bear-scouting-report-everett-silvertips-whl
 

Sure would be nice to get Carter Bear in a year.  Might help with DuPont, or vice versa.

I’d take that 1-2 punch in CHL signings for next season. Bryn is already on it. 

[beastandco]

11 hours ago, brianvf said:

It sure would be nice to land one more high end CHLer to fill that top 6 forward vacancy.
Has to be nice bait for any potential recruit when they see the current group and who they could be playing with.

Guys like Cootes, Kindel, McQueen...not hearing much buzz around them going the NCAA route.
Will be interesting to see how many of these CHL 1st rounders stay in the CHL for another year.

A couple of weeks ago on this thread, someone had stated to me that Cootes would be the perfect fit and I agree. Based off of social media, I think Reschny is somewhat close with him so that helps a lot. I really like Cootes and Brady Martin. One of those two would be perfect fits, in my opinion.

[ChadR]

It was really interesting listening to Bryn on Drew Shore's podcast. Mentioned he was hitting 3 USHL tryout camps that weekend (Green Bay, Dubuque, & Sioux Falls). Said he was going to all the USA Hockey Select Festivals also.

He said he doesn't think he'll be on the bench at all this year. 

[nascar99]

41 minutes ago, ChadR said:

It was really interesting listening to Bryn on Drew Shore's podcast. Mentioned he was hitting 3 USHL tryout camps that weekend (Green Bay, Dubuque, & Sioux Falls). Said he was going to all the USA Hockey Select Festivals also.

He said he doesn't think he'll be on the bench at all this year. 

Chyzyk saying that several kids wanted to wait until after the draft to make a decision about NCAA (or not), so I guess we just wait for next week to see how the dominoes fall. And the hockey world will have to wait till mid to late July about McKenna

[beastandco]

12 minutes ago, nascar99 said:

Chyzyk saying that several kids wanted to wait until after the draft to make a decision about NCAA (or not), so I guess we just wait for next week to see how the dominoes fall. And the hockey world will have to wait till mid to late July about McKenna

McKenna waiting until mid to late July could play in UND’s favor. If a few teams have belief that McKenna could land there, they will likely be less aggressive recruiting other players. 
 

I really think a lot of these guys will commit within a of couple weeks. I’m sure they have completed most of their recruiting process and they are just waiting for their NHL team to sign off on their decision. 
 

Realistically, how many other teams can offer what UND can in terms of opportunity to grow as a player around other high level prospects? There is a wide open spot in our top 6 with two of James, Zellers, Reschny, Swanson, and Rickwood as your line mates. It seems like a great situation for both the player and NHL team.

[nascar99]

18 minutes ago, beastandco said:

McKenna waiting until mid to late July could play in UND’s favor. If a few teams have belief that McKenna could land there, they will likely be less aggressive recruiting other players. 
 

I really think a lot of these guys will commit within a of couple weeks. I’m sure they have completed most of their recruiting process and they are just waiting for their NHL team to sign off on their decision. 
 

Realistically, how many other teams can offer what UND can in terms of opportunity to grow as a player around other high level prospects? There is a wide open spot in our top 6 with two of James, Zellers, Reschny, Swanson, and Rickwood as your line mates. It seems like a great situation for both the player and NHL team.

Denver is the wild card team that I think can still make a couple big moves. They have the ability/space to do so, and the prospect of playing for an elite head coach & motivator has a definite allure.

[atxsioux]

Guessing based on recent history which teams in the 1st round would lean towards having kids play NCAA. Something to watch and root for on draft day. (if anyone has heard differently on any teams feel free to comment)

6. Philadelphia Flyers
7. Boston Bruins
12. New York Rangers
13. Detroit Red Wings
14. Columbus Blue Jackets
19. St. Louis Blues
20. Columbus Blue Jackets (from Minnesota Wild)
21. Ottawa Senators
22. Philadelphia Flyers (from Colorado Avalanche)
26. Nashville Predators (from Vegas Golden Knights via San Jose Sharks)
27. Washington Capitals
28. Winnipeg Jets
29. Carolina Hurricanes
30. San Jose Sharks (from Dallas Stars)
31. Philadelphia Flyers (from Edmonton Oilers)

[nascar99]

13 minutes ago, atxsioux said:

Guessing based on recent history which teams in the 1st round would lean towards having kids play NCAA. Something to watch and root for on draft day. (if anyone has heard differently on any teams feel free to comment)

6. Philadelphia Flyers
7. Boston Bruins
12. New York Rangers
13. Detroit Red Wings
14. Columbus Blue Jackets
19. St. Louis Blues
20. Columbus Blue Jackets (from Minnesota Wild)
21. Ottawa Senators
22. Philadelphia Flyers (from Colorado Avalanche)
26. Nashville Predators (from Vegas Golden Knights via San Jose Sharks)
27. Washington Capitals
28. Winnipeg Jets
29. Carolina Hurricanes
30. San Jose Sharks (from Dallas Stars)
31. Philadelphia Flyers (from Edmonton Oilers)

I personally think every team in the league other than maybe Edmonton is very comfortable about their guys going the NCAA route. And even Edmonton is fine with the NCAA route, they just don't like Americans, they'll take NCAA route Canadians and Europeans.

What NHL teams don't like is when NCAA prospects don't develop quickly enough to sign with 2-3 years and then the allure of going back for their 4th year (removed from being drafted) to potentially run out the clock to UFA. This is why Carolina got Jackson Blake signed after his 2nd year at UND, since he was drafted in 2021, spent his D+1 in the USHL, & then D+2 & D+3 in the NCAA, he only needed one more year to become August 15 UFA eligible. NHL teams are only fine with their prospects getting to 4 years removed if they have the guarantee from those guys that they will sign immediately following the conclusion of their 4th year.

[beastandco]

It sounds like there is some important recruiting stuff happening this weekend. Gage was saying on his podcast that Simpson, Bryn, and Dane will not be able to make his wedding because of recruiting matters. I believe he’s pretty close with those guys so it must be important. Since the draft is on Friday, it is probably an important visit that is happening for a non draft eligible player.

[cberkas]

Brandon Lisowsky to CC

[brianvf]

2 hours ago, beastandco said:

It sounds like there is some important recruiting stuff happening this weekend. Gage was saying on his podcast that Simpson, Bryn, and Dane will not be able to make his wedding because of recruiting matters. I believe he’s pretty close with those guys so it must be important. Since the draft is on Friday, it is probably an important visit that is happening for a non draft eligible player.

From what I would guess, they will divide and conquer:

Smaby @ Gage's wedding
Simpson @ the draft to support Reschny & talk with other blue chippers that are close to finalizing decisions
Bryn + Dane @ McKenna's house to make their pitch...why settle for a Zoom call like MSU, Mich, PSU, and DU when you can make it face-to-face?