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Mar. 9—GRAND FORKS — UND put together this year's freshman class on the fly.
Six of the 11 rookies committed after Dane Jackson was named UND's head coach on March 30th.
But it turned out pretty good.
UND players dominated the National Collegiate Hockey Conference's all-rookie team, which was announced Monday.
Center Cole Reschny, winger Will Zellers, defenseman Keaton Verhoeff and goaltender Jan Špunar all were recognized by the league.
They accounted for four of the six spots.
The only non-UND players to make NCHC all-rookie team were Miami forward David Deputy and Denver defenseman Eric Jamieson.
Head coaches and media members vote on the awards.
While Zellers committed to UND in September 2023, the Fighting Hawks landed Reschny, Verhoeff and Špunar this summer after Jackson took over as head coach and named Bryn Chyzyk general manager to head UND's recruiting and roster management.
Reschny led all NCHC rookies in points in both overall and league games. In conference play only, Reschny finished with 23 points in 22 games.
Reschny, a first-round pick of the Calgary Flames from Macklin, Sask., also is a finalist for the NCHC's Rookie of the Year honor.
Zellers led all NCHC rookies in goals in both overall and league games. In NCHC play, Zellers finished with 13 goals, trailing only St. Cloud State junior Tyson Gross and Western Michigan senior Liam Valente.
Zellers, of Maple Grove, Minn., is a third-round NHL draft pick whose rights belong to the Boston Bruins.
Verhoeff led all NCHC rookie defensemen in scoring in both overall and league games. In NCHC play, Verhoeff tallied three goals and 14 points in 22 games. Verhoeff, 17, is the second-youngest defenseman in college hockey in the last 27 years.
Verhoeff, of Fort Saskatchewan, Alta., is eligible for the 2026 NHL Draft. He's expected to go in the top five.
Špunar led all NCHC rookie goalies in wins in both overall and league games. In conference games, Špunar finished in a three-way tie for second in save percentage (.915) just one point behind Denver's Quentin Miller (.916).
Špunar, from Olomouc, Czechia, also is a finalist for the NCHC's Rookie of the Year honor.
Since the league's formation in 2013-14, there has been just one other time when a school landed four players on the all-rookie team. In 2021-22, Denver had four in forward Carter Mazur, forward Massimo Rizzo, defenseman Sean Behrens and defenseman Shai Buium.
UND's previous 14 members of the NCHC all-rookie team are forward Sacha Boisvert, defenseman Jake Livanavage, forward Jackson Blake, forward Matteo Costantini, goaltender Jakob Hellsten, forward Riese Gaber, defenseman Jake Sanderson, forward Shane Pinto, goaltender Adam Scheel, forward Grant Mismash, forward Tyson Jost, forward Brock Boeser, forward Nick Schmaltz and defenseman Paul LaDue.
The only times UND had more than one all-rookie team member in a year were 2021 (Gaber, Sanderson) and 2022 (Costantini, Hellsten).
Continue reading...
Six of the 11 rookies committed after Dane Jackson was named UND's head coach on March 30th.
But it turned out pretty good.
UND players dominated the National Collegiate Hockey Conference's all-rookie team, which was announced Monday.
Center Cole Reschny, winger Will Zellers, defenseman Keaton Verhoeff and goaltender Jan Špunar all were recognized by the league.
They accounted for four of the six spots.
The only non-UND players to make NCHC all-rookie team were Miami forward David Deputy and Denver defenseman Eric Jamieson.
Head coaches and media members vote on the awards.
While Zellers committed to UND in September 2023, the Fighting Hawks landed Reschny, Verhoeff and Špunar this summer after Jackson took over as head coach and named Bryn Chyzyk general manager to head UND's recruiting and roster management.
Reschny led all NCHC rookies in points in both overall and league games. In conference play only, Reschny finished with 23 points in 22 games.
Reschny, a first-round pick of the Calgary Flames from Macklin, Sask., also is a finalist for the NCHC's Rookie of the Year honor.
Zellers led all NCHC rookies in goals in both overall and league games. In NCHC play, Zellers finished with 13 goals, trailing only St. Cloud State junior Tyson Gross and Western Michigan senior Liam Valente.
Zellers, of Maple Grove, Minn., is a third-round NHL draft pick whose rights belong to the Boston Bruins.
Verhoeff led all NCHC rookie defensemen in scoring in both overall and league games. In NCHC play, Verhoeff tallied three goals and 14 points in 22 games. Verhoeff, 17, is the second-youngest defenseman in college hockey in the last 27 years.
Verhoeff, of Fort Saskatchewan, Alta., is eligible for the 2026 NHL Draft. He's expected to go in the top five.
Špunar led all NCHC rookie goalies in wins in both overall and league games. In conference games, Špunar finished in a three-way tie for second in save percentage (.915) just one point behind Denver's Quentin Miller (.916).
Špunar, from Olomouc, Czechia, also is a finalist for the NCHC's Rookie of the Year honor.
Since the league's formation in 2013-14, there has been just one other time when a school landed four players on the all-rookie team. In 2021-22, Denver had four in forward Carter Mazur, forward Massimo Rizzo, defenseman Sean Behrens and defenseman Shai Buium.
UND's previous 14 members of the NCHC all-rookie team are forward Sacha Boisvert, defenseman Jake Livanavage, forward Jackson Blake, forward Matteo Costantini, goaltender Jakob Hellsten, forward Riese Gaber, defenseman Jake Sanderson, forward Shane Pinto, goaltender Adam Scheel, forward Grant Mismash, forward Tyson Jost, forward Brock Boeser, forward Nick Schmaltz and defenseman Paul LaDue.
The only times UND had more than one all-rookie team member in a year were 2021 (Gaber, Sanderson) and 2022 (Costantini, Hellsten).
Continue reading...
