Prospective Recruits

[nascar99]

36 minutes ago, dustnyou said:

The USHL has filed an application to register the trademark: National Junior Hockey League. I’m not sure what’s cooking here… 

USHL sounds so much better than "NJHL". Woof

[scpa0305]

3 hours ago, dustnyou said:

The USHL has filed an application to register the trademark: National Junior Hockey League. I’m not sure what’s cooking here… 

I’ve been hearing that (eventually) the new league will merge into the CHL leagues. Which makes sense (obviously) to me. The nhl needed to jump in and streamline something from a development standpoint. 

No sure what this means long term for the ntdp…not sure what this means for the prospect territories. I did hear from a buddy (in the know) that the initial proposal would be for all US players to play in the new league. Canadians would obviously stay up north. Not sure what to think about that.

[atxsioux]

Think from an evaluation standpoint you would want players naturally ending up wherever they are drafted (not based on being US or Canadian).

 

In my mind it's easier to scout that way in lieu of the alternative where you don't know if the US talent is down for a couple years or vice versa if Canadian talent is down?

[scpa0305]

48 minutes ago, atxsioux said:

Think from an evaluation standpoint you would want players naturally ending up wherever they are drafted (not based on being US or Canadian).

 

In my mind it's easier to scout that way in lieu of the alternative where you don't know if the US talent is down for a couple years or vice versa if Canadian talent is down?

Sure…but these territories are already established within the CHL leagues and this “new US league” will need a territory.  The CHL leagues have been using territories since the beginning. More to keep their kids geographically closer to where these kids are from. The new US league will need something similar.

[yzerman19]

The only thing I know for certain is that they are going forward with that national Tier 1 development league for 15U and 17U and they want that to fit into the pyramid with USHL and NTDP.  I would be surprised if they are trying to roll into the CHL, although stranger things have happened...I just can't see USA Hockey surrendering to Hockey Canada though as governing body of all Tier 1 junior hockey in North America....NHL development money, top US players considering CHL are important things for them to think about...who knows, I am speculating....

[scpa0305]

18 minutes ago, yzerman19 said:

The only thing I know for certain is that they are going forward with that national Tier 1 development league for 15U and 17U and they want that to fit into the pyramid with USHL and NTDP.  I would be surprised if they are trying to roll into the CHL, although stranger things have happened...I just can't see USA Hockey surrendering to Hockey Canada though as governing body of all Tier 1 junior hockey in North America....NHL development money, top US players considering CHL are important things for them to think about...who knows, I am speculating....

I believe it was just an announced that national development league is on a pause until 2027. Also, the CHL is not apart of Hockey Canada (directly)

[yzerman19]

5 hours ago, scpa0305 said:

I believe it was just an announced that national development league is on a pause until 2027. Also, the CHL is not apart of Hockey Canada (directly)

Yes, but its a go for 2027 is what I saw, so they just delayed it...and yes...CHL is separate technically, but...

So good additions to my comments, important clarifications

 

[cberkas]

So, Joey Cullen is back at Moorhead

[nascar99]

On 10/31/2025 at 9:22 AM, beastandco said:

Brayden Willis is a name to keep an eye on. He’s been one of the more productive players on the UTDP U17 squad this season. He is from the Phoenix area so getting him away from ASU might be tough. 

Programs that Willis follows on IG: Arizona State, North Dakota, Minnesota, Boston College, Boston University

 

Certainly subject to change, but an early indicator of where his head might be in the recruitment process

[siouxforce19]

32 minutes ago, nascar99 said:

Programs that Willis follows on IG: Arizona State, North Dakota, Minnesota, Boston College, Boston University

 

Certainly subject to change, but an early indicator of where his head might be in the recruitment process

I mentioned this previously but I found where I saw his UND connections. 

[beastandco]

8 minutes ago, siouxforce19 said:

I mentioned this previously but I found where I saw his UND connections. 

 

42 minutes ago, nascar99 said:

Programs that Willis follows on IG: Arizona State, North Dakota, Minnesota, Boston College, Boston University

 

Certainly subject to change, but an early indicator of where his head might be in the recruitment process

I would say it’s either UND or ASU. I followed him briefly to see if he interacted with either schools and he likes quite a bit of ASU’s content and none of UND’s.

From a distance it’s seems like ASU is the heavy favorite but you never know.

[cberkas]

Rian Marquardt to ASU

[UNDMOORHEAD]

On 11/10/2025 at 10:49 AM, cberkas said:

So, Joey Cullen is back at Moorhead

He's a Gopher unless you get the other two.

[ChadR]

17 minutes ago, UNDMOORHEAD said:

He's a Gopher unless you get the other two.

We don't want Brooks.

[UNDMOORHEAD]

22 minutes ago, ChadR said:

We don't want Brooks.

Word around town is it's like the Potulny deal. 

[beastandco]

5 minutes ago, UNDMOORHEAD said:

Word around town is it's like the Potulny deal. 

What is the Potulny deal?

[cberkas]

Just now, beastandco said:

What is the Potulny deal?

Had to take both

[beastandco]

Potential UND target Brayden Willis had quite the U17 tournament. He’s going to go very high in the 2028 NHL draft if he adds a couple of inches. He has been the most productive player for the UTDP this year. 

Steering him away from ASU would be massive.

[cberkas]

9 minutes ago, beastandco said:

Potential UND target Brayden Willis had quite the U17 tournament. He’s going to go very high in the 2028 NHL draft if he adds a couple of inches. He has been the most productive player for the UTDP this year. 

Steering him away from ASU would be massive.

Schultz, Pue, and Joseph three I hope they get

[SpudsSioux]

17 hours ago, ChadR said:

We don't want Brooks.

Maybe I'm in the minority, but I wouldn't mind Brooks. I actually think his game translates better to the NCHC than the B1G. He's also the type of guy this staff seems to like to build around. Big and strong, wins an unbelievable amount of draws, good defensively, no nonsense. He's like a mini Matt that will likely over achieve his whole career by just doing the little things right all the time. You need those players anyway which they've shown they want (Brock Schultz). Why not take one that also has the added benefit of two high end skill guys coming with?

[scpa0305]

34 minutes ago, SpudsSioux said:

Maybe I'm in the minority, but I wouldn't mind Brooks. I actually think his game translates better to the NCHC than the B1G. He's also the type of guy this staff seems to like to build around. Big and strong, wins an unbelievable amount of draws, good defensively, no nonsense. He's like a mini Matt that will likely over achieve his whole career by just doing the little things right all the time. You need those players anyway which they've shown they want (Brock Schultz). Why not take one that also has the added benefit of two high end skill guys coming with?

To get the other two, I’d definitely take him as a depth add. 100%. Decent size, plays D, etc. 

But Wyatt just announced, they’re not changing I wouldn’t think. I actually heard Matt is letting each of them make their own decisions. 

[skateshattrick]

1 hour ago, SpudsSioux said:

Maybe I'm in the minority, but I wouldn't mind Brooks. I actually think his game translates better to the NCHC than the B1G. He's also the type of guy this staff seems to like to build around. Big and strong, wins an unbelievable amount of draws, good defensively, no nonsense. He's like a mini Matt that will likely over achieve his whole career by just doing the little things right all the time. You need those players anyway which they've shown they want (Brock Schultz). Why not take one that also has the added benefit of two high end skill guys coming with?

I agree 100%. I know Matt very well, and you will not find a harder working, classier person who did everything right on and off the ice to make himself an exceptional hockey player. His son Brooks reminds me of Matt. He will be a very solid college hockey player with the potential of becoming exceptional because of his work ethic, size and hockey sense. At worst, you will have a very good defensive hockey player who wins draws. 

[scpa0305]

11 minutes ago, skateshattrick said:

I agree 100%. I know Matt very well, and you will not find a harder working, classier person who did everything right on and off the ice to make himself an exceptional hockey player. His son Brooks reminds me of Matt. He will be a very solid college hockey player with the potential of becoming exceptional because of his work ethic, size and hockey sense. At worst, you will have a very good defensive hockey player who wins draws. 

They seem to like that Fargo area…shocked they didn’t choose Nodak. 

[beastandco]

26 minutes ago, scpa0305 said:

They seem to like that Fargo area…shocked they didn’t choose Nodak. 

Schloss had stated in a podcast a couple of months ago that Wyatt had some interest in UND and even toured, but flipping Brooks from Michigan State is what made it difficult. 
 

Maybe Wyatt still goes to Minnesota if Brooks is not a factor. There was interest for at least Wyatt to come to North Dakota.

[I Ranger]

30 minutes ago, scpa0305 said:

They seem to like that Fargo area…shocked they didn’t choose Nodak. 

The question is did anyone other than Minnesota (and Mich St) really recruit Wyatt after the Brooks commit? As has been mentioned they are a 3 headed package deal and after Brooks committed to Mich St I wonder how many schools really went after Wyatt since it had to be pretty well recognized/assumed he would follow to Mich St.? Joey is supposedly the biggest prize of the 3 so are any schools really putting much effort into him or again just assuming he's already a Minnesota commit?