Prospective Recruits

[Sioux90]

40 minutes ago, Fratt Mattin said:

I’m no expert, but my uneducated opinion is that his chances are slim. The NHL doesn’t like sub-6 foot defensemen at all. Stretcher has made it work, but his physicality and compete were both a clear level above Livanavage’s.

No hate to Jake. I think he’s a great player and would love to have him back. Just my amateur analysis and I’d love it if he proved me wrong

Stecher had that special spark to his game from day one. Liver is an exceptionally well rounded player. If he doesn’t come back, he’ll regret it later on. 

[tnt]

Just now, Sioux90 said:

Stecher had that special spark to his game from day one. Liver is an exceptionally well rounded player. If he doesn’t come back, he’ll regret it later on. 

It would be nice at least if a National Championship in hand guides decisions.

[stoneySIOUX]

2 hours ago, Sioux90 said:

Is it totally possible that both of them choose to stay for Senior years?

Absolutely. But, the last time I was told about who's leaving, these two were in the "highly likely" category.

[stoneySIOUX]

3 hours ago, burd said:

Are they permitted to have agents while still classified as eligible?   In other words, is there usually a fairly lengthy negotiating period before they decide?

Can't have an "agent" but as others have said, a family advisor, everyone has one.

[stoneySIOUX]

2 hours ago, hockeytherapy13 said:

I'm a dummy. Carry on haha

Although I still am bummed about Jubenvil. I'm a fan of his simple defensive style. Boring but very solid. 

Juby is a very good hockey player and would be a Top 4 in most and Top 2 pairing at many, many schools. It comes down to playing time and we're LOADED at D. Also, we have some studs confirmed and a couple unconfirmed studs in our pipeline. Just the nature of the beast.

[stoneySIOUX]

2 hours ago, Sioux90 said:

Stecher had that special spark to his game from day one. Liver is an exceptionally well rounded player. If he doesn’t come back, he’ll regret it later on. 

Those two statements don't seem to jibe. I happen to think Liver could absolutely fit into the pro game. Elite offensive ability in skating and vision, good shot, great awareness, and this season, he's truly become a defensive threat in terms of shutting players down. I think he's an NHL guy after a stint in the AHL. Substantial career? Maybe not. Kid certainly has his role. 

As far as regret goes, this gets said a lot around here about player regretting things. Hindsight is always 20/20. Even studs like Sandy say they should have stayed. With that said, should they? If they get a chance to play in the NHL right out of college, achieving their dream, who are we to say they should have regret? Get paid to play pro hockey in pro arenas in pro towns? Sign me up.

[Fratt Mattin]

20 minutes ago, stoneySIOUX said:

Those two statements don't seem to jibe. I happen to think Liver could absolutely fit into the pro game. Elite offensive ability in skating and vision, good shot, great awareness, and this season, he's truly become a defensive threat in terms of shutting players down. I think he's an NHL guy after a stint in the AHL. Substantial career? Maybe not. Kid certainly has his role. 

As far as regret goes, this gets said a lot around here about player regretting things. Hindsight is always 20/20. Even studs like Sandy say they should have stayed. With that said, should they? If they get a chance to play in the NHL right out of college, achieving their dream, who are we to say they should have regret? Get paid to play pro hockey in pro arenas in pro towns? Sign me up.

I think when people say “regret” they generally mean that another year at UND is probably better than any pro option short of playing full time in the NHL. So, when a guy leaves early just to be a full time AHLer or lower, it does make you wonder if they wouldn’t have been better off sticking around here. This is an even more valid argument now that guys can get paid to play here

[stoneySIOUX]

8 minutes ago, Fratt Mattin said:

I think when people say “regret” they generally mean that another year at UND is probably better than any pro option short of playing full time in the NHL. So, when a guy leaves early just to be a full time AHLer or lower, it does make you wonder if they wouldn’t have been better off sticking around here. This is an even more valid argument now that guys can get paid to play here

Well, of course WE think that staying at UND is better than AHL, but maybe it's not for the player. Hindsight is always 20/20 on this. Certainly not an invalid opinion, but it's literally a dream job for these kids, to play professional hockey. Feels unfair to say they will regret it. Not a big deal at all. The whole conversation feels gross to me as sometimes, not saying in this particular instance, that line about players "regretting" their move comes from a place of hostility towards their personal choice. 

[hockeytherapy13]

1 hour ago, Fratt Mattin said:

I think when people say “regret” they generally mean that another year at UND is probably better than any pro option short of playing full time in the NHL. So, when a guy leaves early just to be a full time AHLer or lower, it does make you wonder if they wouldn’t have been better off sticking around here. This is an even more valid argument now that guys can get paid to play here

Calling Tyson Jost

[Sioux90]

2 hours ago, stoneySIOUX said:

Those two statements don't seem to jibe. I happen to think Liver could absolutely fit into the pro game. Elite offensive ability in skating and vision, good shot, great awareness, and this season, he's truly become a defensive threat in terms of shutting players down. I think he's an NHL guy after a stint in the AHL. Substantial career? Maybe not. Kid certainly has his role. 

As far as regret goes, this gets said a lot around here about player regretting things. Hindsight is always 20/20. Even studs like Sandy say they should have stayed. With that said, should they? If they get a chance to play in the NHL right out of college, achieving their dream, who are we to say they should have regret? Get paid to play pro hockey in pro arenas in pro towns? Sign me up.

Disagree.

[burd]

It’s also worth remembering that most of these kids have been “playing up” since they were middle schoolers, and the fact that they now have a chance to go pro pretty much validates their decisions leading up to this point.  Their aggressive development path decisions have paid off.   It’s not hard to understand why they would tend to continue that approach.    Especially if their “family advisors” are the same people they’ve always listened to.  
 

But then, burd doesn’t know shyt about the subject.  

[yzerman19]

don't forget that the family advisors finally get paid once the player they represent turns pro...its at that signing that the advisor becomes an agent

[burd]

1 hour ago, yzerman19 said:

don't forget that the family advisors finally get paid once the player they represent turns pro...its at that signing that the advisor becomes an agent

So at least some players use professional agents early in their amateur careers, only without pay?   An on-ramp to paid agency?  

[stoneySIOUX]

15 hours ago, Sioux90 said:

Disagree.

With which part? LOL

[yzerman19]

46 minutes ago, burd said:

So at least some players use professional agents early in their amateur careers, only without pay?   An on-ramp to paid agency?  

correct...most top agencies offer free advisory to assist the families of top players with the goal of helping them make it; and then only earning money once that player starts making money.  

[beastandco]

Swedish center Alexander Command is a name worth monitoring in the next couple of months. He only follows Bryn and UND hockey on instagram, for what that’s worth.
 

Cam Robinson also mentioned today in the “Called Up” podcast that DuPont, Rudolph, and Carels are all likely headed to college hockey next season. Mentions the only way Carels doesn’t head to college, specifically only mentions North Dakota, is if a team takes him high and he makes the roster but that is unlikely.

[Sioux90]

1 hour ago, stoneySIOUX said:

With which part? LOL

Most guys don’t play in the NHL. A lot of the play in Europe for years. Parise told them how special the college game was to him. That should be a lesson.

[yzerman19]

NTDP roster announced for 2026-2027 U17 team

 

https://www.usahockeyntdp.com/news_article/show/1358717

[Fratt Mattin]

25 minutes ago, beastandco said:

Swedish center Alexander Command is a name worth monitoring in the next couple of months. He only follows Bryn and UND hockey on instagram, for what that’s worth.
 

Cam Robinson also mentioned today in the “Called Up” podcast that DuPont, Rudolph, and Carels are all likely headed to college hockey next season. Mentions the only way Carels doesn’t head to college, specifically only mentions North Dakota, is if a team takes him high and he makes the roster but that is unlikely.

Command would be very interesting, as it looks like he has played his whole career in Sweden thus far. I can’t remember the last time we brought in a freshman who had no previous experience in North America. He’s a great player though, so I hope they can make it happen.

[yzerman19]

lotta Minny flavor to that USA roster...

[AlphaMikeFoxtrot]

23 minutes ago, Fratt Mattin said:

Command would be very interesting, as it looks like he has played his whole career in Sweden thus far. I can’t remember the last time we brought in a freshman who had no previous experience in North America. He’s a great player though, so I hope they can make it happen.

His 6 games in the SHL would previously present a barrier but probably not anymore. Glad to see we are pushing the envelope.

[stoneySIOUX]

56 minutes ago, Sioux90 said:

Most guys don’t play in the NHL. A lot of the play in Europe for years. Parise told them how special the college game was to him. That should be a lesson.

Ryan Duncan never made the the NHL, but was making over a million a year with Salsburg his last several seasons. Regardless it's the AHL, NHL, or Europe, who are we as fans to say that this should cause regret? The college game IS special, but if Liver is ready to play pro, which he is, why wouldn't he?

[SiouxFanatic]

33 minutes ago, Fratt Mattin said:

Command would be very interesting, as it looks like he has played his whole career in Sweden thus far. I can’t remember the last time we brought in a freshman who had no previous experience in North America. He’s a great player though, so I hope they can make it happen.

Jakob Hellsten?

[dustnyou]

19 hours ago, hockeytherapy13 said:

Calling Tyson Jost

Jost has been a mainstay in the NHL since the day he left ND. He didn’t get sent down to the AHL. He’s made tens of millions of dollars. What regret would he have? I hate how this is the name that always gets dropped in these discussions. 

[beastandco]

1 hour ago, Fratt Mattin said:

Command would be very interesting, as it looks like he has played his whole career in Sweden thus far. I can’t remember the last time we brought in a freshman who had no previous experience in North America. He’s a great player though, so I hope they can make it happen.

Suvanto and Command are arguably the two top draft eligible centers that are currently not committed to a college program. Both play in Europe under junior contracts. Command seems more likely to make the jump but who knows how likely that is. 
 

I would imagine UND has 1-2 “uncommitted” forwards they have in line for next year as they deferred or dropped Pilgrim and O’Neill within the last month. I doubt Bryn does that unless he has a couple of guys that will commit once their season ends. Pushing solid recruits back before you have commits lined up doesn’t make a ton of sense, in my opinion.
 

Outside of the top draft eligibles, a large chunk of the CHL is either signed or committed already. The majority of players that are marginally better than Pilgrim and O’Neill are those top draft eligibles along with Cameron Schmidt and Jack Nesbitt.

Chris Peters also mentioned that he thinks Bryn will be bringing in “even more firepower” in year 2 while previewing the frozen four.