2026-27 University of North Dakota Hockey Season

[cberkas]

12 minutes ago, siouxweet said:

We needed some finishers.  Do any of the incoming freshmen or portal pick ups fill this need?

Lindberg would have finished in the top 10th, 10th in goals (T8th)

Magnussen would have finished in the top 6th, 7th in goals (T6th)

Malinoski would have finish in the 12th, 6th goals (T4th)

Boser would have finished 18th (beat out 2 defensemen that played), 19th in goals

Lost 1st, 2nd, 5th, 6th, 8th, 14th, 16th, and 18th (last 4 didn't really factor that much)

This points totals

[brianvf]

2 hours ago, Siouxdaddy said:

I believe Carels is a silent commit or at a very minimum a lock once we tour him. 90% sure he is coming on a visit this week. I know Schloss said we didn’t have any, but he’s always going to say that, especially about high profile potential ones. People gotta understand too Schloss can only say so much. If he leaks something he’ll burn a bridge. 

1 hour ago, AJS said:

He’s playing in Game 6 tonight. Whenever his season ends I would think he’d schedule something shortly after, but would find it odd to have something already scheduled when his team is still playing. 

Timing could work out for a visit this week...looks like they have a few days off in between a potential game 7 (if PG wins tonight) and the next playoff round starting.
If PG loses tonight, it'd be great to get a Carels official commitment sometime later this week.

[AJS]

1 hour ago, scpa0305 said:

As we haven’t really hammered the portal I’m assuming we’ll get a pretty good young F and another good young D. Both will be up in the lineup. I could see Carels and Belchetz…something like that 

Schloss saying Belchetz name in a recent article is noteworthy. I do find it odd that Chyzyk doesn’t follow him.

[.357]

1 hour ago, brianvf said:

Timing could work out for a visit this week...looks like they have a few days off in between a potential game 7 (if PG wins tonight) and the next playoff round starting.
If PG loses tonight, it'd be great to get a Carels official commitment sometime later this week.

Would be interesting to know if a player can commit simply over a video-call, or if NCAA rules require that one must visit the campus first before committing.

[brianvf]

6 minutes ago, .357 said:

Would be interesting to know if a player can commit simply over a video-call, or if NCAA rules require that one must visit the campus first before committing.

They don't have to be present to commit.
Last season, Gibson Homer committed over a call.  He mentioned that he had just watched the Spittin Chiclets video a bunch of times.   

[Mhockey]

Maybe a dumb question but I’m curious why chyz hasn’t sent out any bat signals for the portal pickups?  Was that a one year deal?  I really enjoyed the anticipation it brought when receiving commitments 😂

[brianvf]

4 minutes ago, Mhockey said:

Maybe a dumb question but I’m curious why chyz hasn’t sent out any bat signals for the portal pickups?  Was that a one year deal?  I really enjoyed the anticipation it brought when receiving commitments 😂

He said last year that he wasn't going to do that any longer.  Not sure why.
Maybe he didn't appreciate the MTU fans doing it back to him when Isaac Gordon re-committed back to MTU.    

[Walsh Hall]

Gonna be a weird senior night.

[tnt]

1 minute ago, Walsh Hall said:

Gonna be a weird senior night.

Being that all three will be portal guys, right?

[brianvf]

I'm hoping one of these portal forwards takes off like Rickwood did this year.
So consistent and reliable with steady points each night.

[InHeavenThereIsNoBeer]

Anyone want to bet against Zellers having 25 goals next season?

[OopsSioux]

1 hour ago, InHeavenThereIsNoBeer said:

Anyone want to bet against Zellers having 25 goals next season?

Not me. 

He seemed a bit snake bit at the end of the season but the young man can shoot.  If he and Reschny both keep progressing I think there's a world where you could see 40+ goals between the two of them

[hockeytherapy13]

7 hours ago, jk said:

About Malinoski and faceoffs, I was curious on his usage against Q a few weeks ago, and let's just say he had a rough game.  According to the box score, he was 1-15 in the dot.  He was fourth in TOI among forwards, so that's good.

I know I shouldn’t put much stock into +\- but he was dead last on PC for all regulars in the lineup. That being said, we know the staff sees something there that my untrained eye cannot; plus scoring 11 goals 2 seasons in a row cant hurt his case when we will need some finishers. 

[hockeytherapy13]

7 hours ago, jk said:

About Malinoski and faceoffs, I was curious on his usage against Q a few weeks ago, and let's just say he had a rough game.  According to the box score, he was 1-15 in the dot.  He was fourth in TOI among forwards, so that's good.

I know I shouldn’t put much stock into +\- but he was dead last on PC for all regulars in the lineup. That being said, we know the staff sees something there that my untrained eye cannot; plus scoring 11 goals 2 seasons in a row cant hurt his case when we will need some finishers. 

[AlphaMikeFoxtrot]

https://www.dailyfaceoff.com/news/keaton-verhoeff-2026-nhl-draft-u-18-world-championship-scouting-report-north-dakota

[Wilbur]

19 hours ago, jk said:

About Malinoski and faceoffs, I was curious on his usage against Q a few weeks ago, and let's just say he had a rough game.  According to the box score, he was 1-15 in the dot.  He was fourth in TOI among forwards, so that's good.

This is an excellent take.  Face offs extremely important and are amplified when you get into the one and done where zone puck possession is so key in the outcomes of games.

I think there will be a real battle for the center roles on this year's squad.  

[Scratch]

20 hours ago, InHeavenThereIsNoBeer said:

Anyone want to bet against Zellers having 25 goals next season?

I'd take that bet. We haven't had a 25 goal scorer since Boeser and Caggiula and I'd guess next years team doesn't score as much as this years. 

[brianvf]

2 minutes ago, Scratch said:

I'd take that bet. We haven't had a 25 goal scorer since Boeser and Caggiula and I'd guess next years team doesn't score as much as this years. 

I think next year's team has the potential to be more offensive than this years...certainly would help to add one elite FR recruit and at least one of the CHL dman studs that can help generate offense.  But looking at the players lined up...our 3rd/4th lines should score even more.  And we have most of the pieces together to have a really strong top 2 lines.

Last year at this time, most wouldn't have predicted that UND would have scored as much as they did this year.  Fresh off losing Boisvert, OMac, Perron, plus the senior group.  But then James went +7 in goals, Strinden +7, Swanson +9, Croal +9 combined with FR Zellers 18g and Kernan 11g.

[Level B Fishbowl]

Maybe Malinoski thrives in a different environment under a new system. PC under Leaman hasn't exactly been a high-powered offensive team, as he tends to coach a more defensive structured style and usually can't get the same kind of high-end talent that some other schools in HEA can.

[cberkas]

Opening NCHC game vs Western Michigan November 6-7

[nascar99]

47 minutes ago, Level B Fishbowl said:

Maybe Malinoski thrives in a different environment under a new system. PC under Leaman hasn't exactly been a high-powered offensive team, as he tends to coach a more defensive structured style and usually can't get the same kind of high-end talent that some other schools in HEA can.

Exhibit A being Trevor Connelly who had a statline of 23 GP, 13 PTS and is now over a point per game in the A for Henderson. Providence College just doesn't like unleashing offensive skill

[Scratch]

7 hours ago, brianvf said:

I think next year's team has the potential to be more offensive than this years...certainly would help to add one elite FR recruit and at least one of the CHL dman studs that can help generate offense.  But looking at the players lined up...our 3rd/4th lines should score even more.  And we have most of the pieces together to have a really strong top 2 lines.

Last year at this time, most wouldn't have predicted that UND would have scored as much as they did this year.  Fresh off losing Boisvert, OMac, Perron, plus the senior group.  But then James went +7 in goals, Strinden +7, Swanson +9, Croal +9 combined with FR Zellers 18g and Kernan 11g.

Could very well be. I just think its unlikely without a 50 pt type freshman being added to the lineup. Beating the 3.7 goals/game from this year would be impressive

[Oxbow6]

8 hours ago, cberkas said:

Opening NCHC game vs Western Michigan November 6-7

Home FB game that Saturday as well.

[SJHovey]

8 hours ago, cberkas said:

Opening NCHC game vs Western Michigan November 6-7

Our only games against WMU this season?  Finish with them last year, start with them this year, and it's the only time we see them in either season?

[InHeavenThereIsNoBeer]

15 hours ago, Scratch said:

I'd take that bet. We haven't had a 25 goal scorer since Boeser and Caggiula and I'd guess next years team doesn't score as much as this years. 

18 goals his freshman year and he couldn't buy one at the end of the season. I think he's as good a bet as any, especially if he's being set up by a Reschny and/or Swanson.