2026-27 University of North Dakota Hockey Season

[farce poobah]

13 hours ago, brianvf said:

That's pretty much a wrap on next season's roster, aside from adding a third goalie!
Just a super deep team.  Looking at this list, I honestly can't tell you which 3F and 2D will be sitting to start the season.  Other years, you had guys like Andrew, Engel, etc that you could pencil in for being in the stands.  None of that this year.

Forwards...scoring by committee.  This team will win a lot of 3rd/4th line matchups just due to their depth...even more than this past season IMO.
Defense...super skilled & young.  Really excited to see Verhoeff progress and see what Carels & MacK bring to the ice.
Goalies...now that's a skilled goalie tandem!

Forwards (15 of 15):
SR - Magnussen, Malinoski, Menghini
JR - Croal, Lindberg, Swanson
SO - Josephson, Kernan, Reschny, Zakreski, Zellers
FR - Davis, A.Schultz, B.Schultz, Simpson

Defense (8 of 8):
SR -
JR - Boser, Emery
SO - Laurila, Verhoeff
FR - Carels, Dumanski, Lindberg, MacKenzie

Goalies (2 of 3):
SR - 
JR -
SO - Spunar
FR - Heil

So in 14 months, only 3 players remain from the Berry era.  Wowsers.

Rebuilding is no longer a 3-4 year project for a new coaching staff.

[Oxbow6]

55 minutes ago, farce poobah said:

So in 14 months, only 3 players remain from the Berry era.  Wowsers.

Rebuilding is no longer a 3-4 year project for a new coaching staff.

Good. Watching some of those teams was not worth the price of admission.

[Fratt Mattin]

19 minutes ago, Oxbow6 said:

Good. Watching some of those teams was not worth the price of admission.

There were a few like that, but the 2018-2019 and 2022-2023 teams stick in my memory. The former because they couldn't score a goal to save their lives and the latter because they couldn't stop one.

I still don't understand what the guiding philosophy behind our roster building was supposed to be during the Berry era. Never seemed like the coaches knew what they wanted the final product to look like

[tnt]

54 minutes ago, Fratt Mattin said:

There were a few like that, but the 2018-2019 and 2022-2023 teams stick in my memory. The former because they couldn't score a goal to save their lives and the latter because they couldn't stop one.

I still don't understand what the guiding philosophy behind our roster building was supposed to be during the Berry era. Never seemed like the coaches knew what they wanted the final product to look like

I will only say that when you had a heart and soul guy like Cody Croal sitting in the stands when guys that wouldn’t engage physically were staples in the lineup was an indictment on how far we moved away from our culture, which is why the overuse of the word “culture” irritated many who believed their eyes rather than a catchphrase.

[Scratch]

8 hours ago, Big Green said:

What is it with this board?  Seems like posters are planning on players leaving all the time, some before they even step on campus.  

I think part of it is there's media guys like Cam Robinson on podcasts a week ago saying he thinks whether Carels goes straight to the NHL depends on who drafts him. Granted, media says things like this, but I believe Robinson first confirmed in late 2025, early 2026 (maybe around world juniors?) that Carels was going to UND in the first place. 

[Sioux90]

1 hour ago, tnt said:

I will only say that when you had a heart and soul guy like Cody Croal sitting in the stands when guys that wouldn’t engage physically were staples in the lineup was an indictment on how far we moved away from our culture, which is why the overuse of the word “culture” irritated many who believed their eyes rather than a catchphrase.

While I agree, it should be noted that Croal was a Freshman, and his game was much progressed, year to year. Now the type of game he plays, speaks more to his character on the ice, and what Jackson is trying to build.

[Wilbur]

22 hours ago, Oxbow6 said:

Good. Watching some of those teams was not worth the price of admission.

I think the Friday night game against Omaha in the playoffs summed up the end of his tenure to a T.  Up a goal in the third period, and you got outshot 17-0 while sitting back and taking punches from Omaha like they were the Soviet Red Army team.  Murdered in the faceoff circle, outhustled, outhit, out whatever you want to call it, yet after the game we talked "culture" and "finding a way" and "a full sixty on Saturday" when our goalie just stood on his head so we could barely get to the finish line.

I don't know if that, or needing to beat Robert Morris in OT and getting pushed to the brink by them after having to beat them in OT was the low point.      

[cberkas]

2 minutes ago, Wilbur said:

I think the Friday night game against Omaha in the playoffs summed up the end of his tenure to a T.  Up a goal in the third period, and you got outshot 17-0 while sitting back and taking punches from Omaha like they were the Soviet Red Army team.  Murdered in the faceoff circle, outhustled, outhit, out whatever you want to call it, yet after the game we talked "culture" and "finding a way" and "a full sixty on Saturday" when our goalie just stood on his head so we could barely get to the finish line.

I don't know if that, or needing to beat Robert Morris in OT and getting pushed to the brink by them after having to beat them in OT was the low point.      

The moment the ASU loss in Tempe happened he was fired. 

[cowboys5xsbs]

 

[cowboys5xsbs]

Rules Committee Approves Changes to Hand Passes and Equipment Standards : College Hockey News

 

[Sioux90]

2 hours ago, Wilbur said:

I think the Friday night game against Omaha in the playoffs summed up the end of his tenure to a T.  Up a goal in the third period, and you got outshot 17-0 while sitting back and taking punches from Omaha like they were the Soviet Red Army team.  Murdered in the faceoff circle, outhustled, outhit, out whatever you want to call it, yet after the game we talked "culture" and "finding a way" and "a full sixty on Saturday" when our goalie just stood on his head so we could barely get to the finish line.

I don't know if that, or needing to beat Robert Morris in OT and getting pushed to the brink by them after having to beat them in OT was the low point.      

Wrong thread men. We live in the present, here.

[InHeavenThereIsNoBeer]

52 minutes ago, cowboys5xsbs said:

 

Wonder if this neutralizes spoon man’s skill a bit

[cberkas]

1 hour ago, InHeavenThereIsNoBeer said:

Wonder if this neutralizes spoon man’s skill a bit

Spoon never went into the corners, mainly behind the net (trapezoid area).

It's dumb in the NHL and finally saw a penalty from the trapezoid in the playoffs.

[Big Green]

14 hours ago, cowboys5xsbs said:

Rules Committee Approves Changes to Hand Passes and Equipment Standards : College Hockey News

 

Dumb rule changes except #2.  

1. Game is meant to be played with the stick.  Its not hand ball.  If you are going to allow hand passes just allow it anywhere on the ice.  Seems like most rules are to generate more scoring, but this one is meant to limit the scoring.

3. Love the strategy of when to take the time out.  This one makes no sense.  Seems odd you can't take the TO when you really need it.

4. Seems odd for just the Women's game.  Also seems like a player safety issue.  No reason to be swinging your stick above the shoulders.

 

As far as the Trapezoid for Goaltenders.  I like that is copies what the NHL does, but still think it is dumb.  Why are we taking the ability for Goaltenders to play the puck?  It adds to the excitement of the game when a goalie play the puck and the team is attaching again right away.

 

 

[SpudsSioux]

43 minutes ago, Big Green said:

Dumb rule changes except #2.  

1. Game is meant to be played with the stick.  Its not hand ball.  If you are going to allow hand passes just allow it anywhere on the ice.  Seems like most rules are to generate more scoring, but this one is meant to limit the scoring.

3. Love the strategy of when to take the time out.  This one makes no sense.  Seems odd you can't take the TO when you really need it.

4. Seems odd for just the Women's game.  Also seems like a player safety issue.  No reason to be swinging your stick above the shoulders.

 

As far as the Trapezoid for Goaltenders.  I like that is copies what the NHL does, but still think it is dumb.  Why are we taking the ability for Goaltenders to play the puck?  It adds to the excitement of the game when a goalie play the puck and the team is attaching again right away.

 

 

I don't think the hand pass rule is to limit scoring; it's definitely to keep the game moving. All that happens with a hand pass it a face-off. If you're in the defensive zone and scrambling, a chance to reset at a face-off is a bigger advantage than a hand pass is. I would agree with you if the hand pass rule actually resulted in a delay-of-game penalty right now, but it doesn't.

[AlphaMikeFoxtrot]

49 minutes ago, Big Green said:

 

3. Love the strategy of when to take the time out.  This one makes no sense.  Seems odd you can't take the TO when you really need it.

 

 

 

What's the NHL rule for this? Really odd to restrict timeouts. Agreed on the strategy aspect, not a fan of this change at all.

[cberkas]

2 hours ago, AlphaMikeFoxtrot said:

What's the NHL rule for this? Really odd to restrict timeouts. Agreed on the strategy aspect, not a fan of this change at all.

You can't take a time out after icing in the NHL

[dustnyou]

I would’ve liked to see delay of game penalty added for clearing the puck out of the playing surface from the D zone. Just copy the NHL rule on this one.. 

[cberkas]

4 minutes ago, dustnyou said:

I would’ve liked to see delay of game penalty added for clearing the puck out of the playing surface from the D zone. Just copy the NHL rule on this one.. 

Funny this is they can call it if they want too.

They do need it.

I was wanting the 2 extra coaches that can't recruit to be added

[atxsioux]

2 hours ago, cberkas said:

Funny this is they can call it if they want too.

They do need it.

I was wanting the 2 extra coaches that can't recruit to be added

Ya i think bare minimum a fair compromise would be the committee re-emphasizes ref calls it at their discretion. It’s slowly ramped up imo where I’ve definitely seen teams do it when they are hemmed in their zone. 
 

only issue is the refs don’t want to affect the game so they’ll avoid calling it 

[Wilbur]

I see the pros and cons of the rule changes.  No bailout TO on an icing is for more offense, but will lead to more delay BS of the team that has been out there on a 2 minute shift, unless the officials start calling delay of game on it.  I'd rather see it stay the same and each team uses a TO where they want it.  I think the players for the most part adapted really well to the no hand pass rule.  I guess adding it back in the defensive end means that when a guy is down on his knees in the corner he can glove the puck to a teammate to keep the game going.  Count me in the should've kept it where it was group with that one too.

As far as the trapezoid and goalies being unfairly limited in showing off their athletic ability in the corner by playing the puck....I mean we need to let the best athletes on the ice show off that skill.  I know @burd agrees......   

[tnt]

1 hour ago, Wilbur said:

I see the pros and cons of the rule changes.  No bailout TO on an icing is for more offense, but will lead to more delay BS of the team that has been out there on a 2 minute shift, unless the officials start calling delay of game on it.  I'd rather see it stay the same and each team uses a TO where they want it.  I think the players for the most part adapted really well to the no hand pass rule.  I guess adding it back in the defensive end means that when a guy is down on his knees in the corner he can glove the puck to a teammate to keep the game going.  Count me in the should've kept it where it was group with that one too.

As far as the trapezoid and goalies being unfairly limited in showing off their athletic ability in the corner by playing the puck....I mean we need to let the best athletes on the ice show off that skill.  I know @burd agrees......   

Giving them the timeout for icing probably also saves time because it won’t be used  throwing a challenge at the wall and hoping it sticks.  Remember when Carle used a timeout or two against Duluth in the overtime’s challenging something that was ridiculous, but it essentially was a timeout for his players anyway.