MEET THE BEAVS

Vann Yuhas rekindles old recruiting flame, commits to Bemidji State out of transfer portal

Jared Rubado — Wed, 16 Apr 2025 21:56:15 GMT

BEMIDJI – Vann Yuhas knows what to expect when he comes to Bemidji State in the fall for his sophomore season.

Yuhas, a 21-year-old forward out of Medicine Hat, Alberta, became the first commitment for the Bemidji State men’s hockey team out of the transfer portal this offseason on Wednesday morning. He announced he was joining the Beavers on Twitter.

https://x.com/_vannyuhas/status/1912542576311156870

He almost committed before his freshman season with Merrimack.

“I’ve flown down to Bemidji before coming to Merrimack, and I had nothing but good things to say,” Yuhas said. “It was amazing. The coaches are amazing, and I believe in what they believe. It was honestly an easy decision to commit to Bemidji because I believe in what they have going on there. I’m excited to help the team and help the group.”

Yuhas is a 6-foot, 174-pound right-shot forward. He scored twice in 16 games for Merrimack as a rookie.

He’s eyeing a sophomore jump at BSU during the 2025-26 season.

“I think it’s just trying to build off my first year,” Yuhas said. “There’s always going to be bumps and bruises in your first year of college hockey. I still believe in myself and I’m still trying to grow as a player.”

https://x.com/Merrimack_MIH/status/1877888761905766852

Yuhas was a point-per-game player in two of his three AJHL seasons. He was a captain for the Drumheller Dragons in 2023-24, scoring 22 goals and 32 assists in 54 regular-season games.

Yuhas had 16 goals and 44 assists in 60 games the year prior. He’s the third-highest scorer in Drumheller’s program history.

However, he’s willing to play the physical game at Bemidji State.

“Coming from the AJHL, it’s not the most skilled league compared to the USHL,” Yuhas said. “There’s a lot of physicality in it. I kind of learned to adapt it to my game. I’m not scared to be physical. It’ll be good, and it’ll be a good challenge.”

In and out of Merrimack’s lineup last season, Yuhas kept an eye on the Beavers last season.

“I’ve been keeping tabs on Bemidji all year, and I watched some of the big games,” Yuhas said. “It looks electric in the building. The boys beat Minnesota this past year, and that’s awesome. I’m hoping to get more wins like that with the boys next year.”

Yuhas is close with BSU sophomore defenseman Ryan Henderson.

“I’ve known him almost my whole life,” Yuhas said. “I played spring hockey with him for five or six years. Our parents are really good friends. They still keep in touch quite a bit, so I see Hendo all the time.

“I also know Eric Martin a little bit. When I flew down there, he took me out. He’s a nice guy.”

Above all else, Yuhas is committed to winning in all areas of the ice. He leans on his senses to become a well-rounded player.

“My main strength is my hockey IQ,” Yuhas said. “I like to think I can make plays and read plays well. I can read plays offensively, score and set guys up, but I can also be responsible defensively. It’s about being a 200-foot player. If I have to play defense first, I’m going to do it.”

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Brayden Dube’s recruiting process comes full circle with commitment to Bemidji State

Jared Rubado — Tue, 18 Feb 2025 16:00:00 GMT

BEMIDJI – When Brayden Dube was 16 years old, he had a big decision to make that involved the future of his hockey career.

His first option was to join the Bemidji State men’s hockey team down the road. After wrapping up his time with the Parkland Rangers AAA programs near his hometown Roblin, Manitoba, he could’ve played junior hockey outside of the Canadian Hockey League before becoming a Beaver.

Dube chose his second option. After playing a season with the Dauphin Kings in the MJHL in 2021-22, the 5-foot-10, 179-pound winger began playing in the Western Hockey League with the Prince Albert Raiders in his first of three seasons so far.

At the time, that decision put an end to his prospects of playing collegiate hockey in the United States.

That was until Nov. 7, 2024. The NCAA Division-I Council voted to amend a longstanding rule that deemed the CHL – which includes the WHL, Ontario Hockey League and Quebec Maritimes Junior Hockey League – as professional hockey. CHL players were now allowed to open their recruitment to collegiate hockey programs.

That amendment rekindled a relationship between Dube and Bemidji State.

“I was talking to (BSU) when I was younger, but I decided to go to the WHL,” Dube said. “I got a text from Bemidji this year earlier this season. We talked for a month or two and got it done. Kind of full-circle in that way.”

Dube is the Beavers’ fourth CHL commitment. Prince Albert goaltender Max Hildebrand and forward Brady Birnie of the Swift Current Broncos signed on to play for BSU out of the WHL next season. Forward Max Namestnikov also inked his commitment out of the OHL with the Guelph Storm, as did defenseman Benjamin Vigneault from the Québec Remparts in the QMJHL.

Bemidji State has a fifth CHL recruit. Goaltender Raiden LeGall, who played 15 games with the Niverville Nighthawks this season in the MJHL, now plays for the Everett Silvertips in the WHL.

“Everyone has another option now,” Dube said. “You’re not so stressed out about where you’re going to play once you (age out) of the WHL. For some kids, it’s a backup plan. For others, it’s the next step. Either way, it’s a really good thing.”

Dube won’t arrive at Bemidji state until the 2026-27 season. Unlike the aforementioned commits to BSU, he hasn’t aged out of CHL yet, giving him another year of playing in Prince Albert.

Regardless of when he joins the NCAA ranks, Dube decided early on that the collegiate route was the path for him.

“I knew pretty quickly that I’d end up going NCAA after that (ruling),” Dube said. “It’s a really good option for players like me. It’s nice to have another option after playing junior hockey and to get schooling.”

In 53 games this season, Dube has 25 goals and 29 assists. He scored 17 times last season, totaling 29 points in 63 games.

Dube considers himself a fast skater with enough skill to make a consistent impact offensively. He’s also looking forward to more strength-building in the college ranks. College hockey programs typically play around half as many games in a season as CHL teams play.

“I think it’ll be good to get more off-ice training,” Dube said. “I want to get stronger. When you play 68 games, you don’t get as much time to work out. Playing in (34 regular-season) games, that’ll be good for me in getting stronger and good for my development.”

Dube was drawn to the small community living in Bemidjii from the start. In a year and a half, he’s excited to call it home.

“It’s kind of a smaller town, like the town I’m from,” Dube said. “It just seems nice there. Lots of lakes, lots of fishing, lots of outdoor stuff like that. I think I’ll fit into Bemidji pretty well.”

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Brady Birnie was looking for ‘the right fit,’ and he found it at Bemidji State

Jared Rubado — Wed, 20 Nov 2024 22:52:07 GMT

BEMIDJI – To say Brady Birnie is unfamiliar with Bemidji would be an understatement.

On Sunday, the Beavers received their second CHL commitment. Birnie, the leading scorer for the Swift Current Broncos in the WHL, announced his intentions to play for the Bemidji State men’s hockey team.

“Minnesota is a state, right?” Birnie asked with a laugh. “I’ve been to Minneapolis, and I mix up Minneapolis and Minnesota. I know there’s a pretty big mall there, but that’s all I know. I hadn’t ever heard of Bemidji before this, I didn’t even know Minnesota was a state. I’m not really up to par with the U.S., honestly.”

Birnie, a Regina, Saskatchewan native, recalled playing in a tournament in Minneapolis six years ago, but hasn’t been back to the State of Hockey since.

“College hockey is not as huge up here,” Birnie said. “Until this (recruiting) process started, I only just started learning about college hockey and understanding that there’s conferences, the season is much shorter, that you have to make (the NCAA Tournament). I’m still learning about all of that. I didn’t know Bemidji was a place, but it’s gorgeous. It’s right on the water, so no complaints about that.”

Birnie is in his fourth full season with the Broncos. He has 14 goals and 16 assists in 20 games. It followed a 50-point season in 2023-24 with 22 goals and 28 assists.

But this year, Birnie juggled his future in hockey beyond the Western Hockey League.

On Nov. 7, the NCAA reversed a rule that deemed CHL players ineligible to play college hockey. Under the expectation that the rule would be overturned, Birnie started fielding offers.

“It’s been a new process, but it’s also been very exciting,” Birnie said. “It was calls here, calls there, just seeing what everybody has to offer. Once you have interest in a school, it’s just about diving deeper into what they have to offer and how they see you being a part of it. I got to that deeper level with (BSU head coach Tom Serratore). It worked out well.”

Birnie added that CHL players gaining the ability to play college hockey gives them a new lease on their hockey lives.

“It’s not just me, everybody else up here my age is excited about it,” Birnie said. “I never thought I’d make a commitment, but I’m very grateful for it. Talking on behalf of 19 year olds and 2005-born players with CHL careers winding down, most of us don’t have NHL teams. It looked like this was going to be the end. Now, this rule change revives careers. You’ll see a lot of undrafted guys that end up going NCAA who will be on NHL teams one day.”

Birnie, who stands at 5 feet 8 inches tall and 159 pounds, is aiming to play professional hockey after college. It’s what drew him to becoming a Beaver.

“It just seemed like the right fit,” Birnie said. “Tom has done a really good job of getting smaller players to the next level. That was one of the main factors. You see my build as a person, and you see what Tom has done with people my size. He has dozens and dozens of examples of guys like me who moved on to play at the next level. All of that factored into my decision.”

While the Beavers were in the process of upsetting No. 3 Minnesota on Saturday, Birnie was watching. His remote exposure to collegiate hockey has sparked internal excitement.

“I watched the game against Minnesota, and that atmosphere was unreal,” Birnie said. “We get really good crowds here, but that looked like a lot of fun. We get that for playoffs, but not for regular-season games.”

Birnie was the second CHL player to commit to Bemidji State. Prince Albert goaltender Max Hildebrand was the first, officially announcing his commitment on Nov. 14.

Both were afforded unexpected opportunities with the CHL eligibility change.

“When I was 15 years old, playing CHL was a decision my family and I had to make,” Birnie said. “We chose to play in the Western Hockey League, and if the NHL wasn’t going to happen, then I’d go play in U Sports up here in Canada. The rule change happened, and I was super excited about it.”

The current plan is for Birnie to enroll at BSU next fall for his freshman season. Barring an offseason trip, it’ll be his first time in Bemidji.

While Birnie is looking to develop into a player who can compete at the highest level, he’s more focused on winning. He believes he can do that at Bemidji State.

“Taking every day one day at a time is important,” Birnie said. “I just want to be a sponge in my first year there and learn from the older guys and the coaching staff so I can turn into a productive player, someone they can rely on. … I want to win, I want to make the tournament. You see what it looks like, you see all of that stuff. That’s an experience I’d cherish the rest of my life.”

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Max Hildebrand’s commitment kicks off new era in Bemidji State hockey recruiting

Jared Rubado — Mon, 18 Nov 2024 19:53:15 GMT

BEMIDJI — If you told Max Hildebrand two years ago he’d be making a college commitment, he wouldn’t have believed you.

Hildebrand is the latest Bemidji State men’s hockey commit, and it came after a significant NCAA rule change.

The NCAA Division-I Council voted on Nov. 7 to amend a longstanding rule that deemed the Western Hockey League, Ontario Hockey League and Quebec Maritimes Junior Hockey League as professional leagues.

Canadian Hockey League players are eligible to be recruited now. They can be placed on rosters Aug. 1, 2025, and play next season.

A week after the ruling, Hildebrand chose to become a Beaver.

“Obviously, it happened pretty quick with the rule change,” he said. “I had some schools talking to me pretty quick. If you had told me this was happening a couple of years ago, I wouldn’t have expected it. But it’s awesome, it’s going to be good for players to get four more years of playing time and get to go to school. I’m super excited about it.”

Hildebrand is in this third season with the Prince Albert Raiders in the WHL. He’s played in 17 games this season, posting a .900 save percentage and a 3.56 goals-against average.

Last year, Hildebrand notched a record of 25-20-2 in the regular season for the Raiders. He had a .907 save percentage and a 2.88 goals-against average. He also had a .902 mark in goal in the playoffs with a 3.63 GAA.

“It’s my compete and battle level, I like to call myself a winner,” he said. “I think I just compete in the net and give my team a chance to win every night. Obviously, you’re not going to be Picasso every night. But I like battling through games and finding ways to give my team a chance.”

Hildebrand was the first of two CHL players to commit to Bemidji State in the last week. Serratore also picked up forward Brady Birnie from the Swift Current Broncos in the WHL on Sunday.

Hildebrand’s arrival to BSU will come after longtime goaltender Mattias Sholl’s departure. Sholl will graduate following the 2024-25 season.

“I’m excited to get a chance to prove myself in my first year,” he said. “Obviously, with (BSU) losing Sholl – I’ve started looking at highlights since I committed, and he’s an unreal goalie –that’s something me and Tom talked about, the rich history of goaltending there. They move guys on to play pro, and that’s a big thing for me.”

Hildebrand’s connections to the WHL run deep. His dad, Steve Hildebrand, is the assistant general manager for the Saskatoon Blades.

So when Hildebrand had his breakout season in Prince Albert last year, he realized hockey could become a career if he played his cards right.

“I grew up in a hockey family,” Hildebrand said. “It’s kind of been my life for a long time. Last year, I started to play a lot more, and I was playing good hockey. I think that’s when I realized going pro could be a possibility.”

When the NCAA announced its rule change, he had already received interest from collegiate programs. Bemidji State head coach Tom Serratore was one of the first to reach out.

“It started happening a week before the rule change,” Hildebrand said. “I started getting texts and calls. … I was super excited about it because (BSU) was one of the first ones to reach out. I did some research on it, I have some friends who play in the same conference as them. I’ve heard nothing but great things.”

Hildebrand said his move to Bemidji will be his first time being in Minnesota.

“It’s a small town, it’s a hockey town, from what I’ve heard,” he said. “I’ve never been to Minnesota before but I’m excited to come see it. I’ve heard it’s beautiful. I’ve seen the pictures of campus on the lake there. But other than that, I don’t know too much, that’s for sure.”

Hildebrand added that making a quick commitment was important for him, as he wants to finish out his last season in the WHL with the sole focus on winning a championship.

But when it’s time to pack his bags for Bemidji, he’s eyeing a fruitful collegiate career.

“I’m super excited to get down there and meet everyone,” he said. “I want to be the next guy at Bemidji State. I want to win a lot of hockey games and win a lot in the playoffs. I want to be a pro hockey player. Having schooling is never a bad option at the end of your career. It’s a super high level of hockey, playing against older guys. I get four more years of pro teams watching me, so there are really no negatives in this for me.”

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Bemidji State finalizes men’s hockey roster, coaching staff for 2024-25 season

Jared Rubado — Wed, 07 Aug 2024 19:44:12 GMT

BEMIDJI – Tom Serratore’s roster is set for his 24th season as the Bemidji State men’s hockey head coach.

After winning the MacNaughton Cup for the second time in program history, the Beavers bring back a healthy mix of tenured veterans and underclassmen with the potential to break out in 2024-25.

BSU will also roster seven freshmen and three transfers, completing a 28-player roster to kick off its championship-defending campaign.

From the returners to the rookies, along with the finalized coaching staff, here’s what’s known about the 2024-25 Beavers.

Change of scenery

Bemidji State finalized its 2024-25 roster with the addition of a third player out of the transfer portal. Reilly Funk played three seasons as a forward at Northern Michigan, scoring three goals and eight assists in 41 games.

Funk is listed at 6 feet, 3 inches as a junior at 209 pounds. A native of Portage, Manitoba, Funk is a 23-year-old lefthanded forward who played for the Youngstown Phantoms in the USHL for two seasons.

Funk joins a forward graduate transfer, Carter Randklev, out of Niagara and junior defenseman AJ Macaulay out of Alaska. In four seasons, Randklev had 33 goals and 35 assists in 110 games. Macaulay had seven goals and 17 assists on the Nanooks’ blue line in 67 games over two years.

Fresh meat

Seven incoming freshmen round out the Beavers’ crop of 10 new players on their 2024-25 roster.

After four years of junior hockey in the OJHL and the BCHL, Isa Parekh will step into the BSU defensive room as the only righthanded blueliner. Listed at 6 feet, 157 pounds, Parekh was one of two Bemidji State players to receive a development camp invite from an NHL team. He skated with his brother Zane Parekh at the Calgary Flames camp in July. Zane was selected ninth overall in the NHL Draft by the Flames.

In 78 games with the North York Rangers, Parekh scored 12 goals and 46 assists. He had eight goals and 24 assists with the Georgetown Raiders to finish his 2022-23 season in the OJHL. Parekh played with the Nanaimo Clippers in the BCHL in his final season in juniors, scoring five times and assisting on 33 goals in 52 games.

Alexi Sylvestre was a point-per-game player in two seasons with the Flin Flon Bombers in the SJHL. He will now play for Bemidji State starting this fall.

Sylvestre had 53 goals and 60 assists in 111 games with the Bombers. At 6 feet, 2 inches and 194 pounds, Sylvester will be slotted as a forward who can play center and left wing.

Jaksen Panzer didn’t expect to be a Beaver a few years ago.

The Grand Forks, N.D., native committed to North Dakota when he was in eighth grade. That was until last March when he flipped to Bemidji State.

Panzer played for East Grand Forks High �� for three seasons before opting to play his junior year of high school with the Sioux Falls Stampede in the USHL. In two-plus USHL seasons, Panzer had 24 goals and 41 assists in 135 games.

At 5 feet, 10 inches and 170 pounds, Panzer can play as a center or a winger. His father, Jeff, and his uncle, Jay, both played for North Dakota collegiately.

Luke Roelofs is one of two Minnesota natives in BSU’s incoming rookie class. After three seasons at Holy Family High ��, Roelofs played in the NAHL for the Bismarck Bobcats for three years. In 171 games, Roelofs had 12 goals and 39 assists.

Listed at 6 feet, 2 inches at 192 pounds, the defenseman out of Mound begins his college career at 21 years old – the oldest of all seven Bemidji State freshmen.

Tory Lund’s breakout season with the El Paso Rhinos in the NAHL nabbed him a spot on the Beavers’ 2024-25 roster. He had 18 goals and 30 assists last season as a forward, then committed to BSU shortly after returning to his hometown in Sartell. Lund is listed at 5 feet, 10 inches and 185 pounds.

Ryan Henderson rounds out BSU’s group of incoming skaters. The freshman defenseman is listed at 6 feet, 2 inches and 170 pounds. He played 111 games in the AJHL with the Drumheller Dragons, scoring seven goals and 47 assists over two seasons.

BSU’s last rostered freshman filled out the goalie room. Fargo, N.D., native Trent Wiemken posted a record of 47-23-9 in 82 games with the Austin Bruins in the NAHL. He held a 2.125 goals-against-average and a .915 save percentage in two seasons.

Wiemken played for Fargo Davies High �� through his 2021-22 season before playing juniors. He’s listed at 6 feet and 170 pounds.

Familiar faces

Eighteen of the 28 players on Bemidji State’s roster have suited up for the Beavers prior to the 2024-25 season.

The forwards are highlighted by fifth-year captain Jackson Jutting and fifth-year alternates Eric Martin and Austin Jouppi. Jere Vaisanen was also named an alternate captain for his senior season. Donte Lawson is the lone senior forward on the roster outside of the leadership group.

BSU has just two junior forwards with experience at the Sanford Center. Adam Flammang and Kirklan Irey join Funk as the junior forwards, while Noah Quinn, Rhys Chiddenton, Jake McLean and Kasper Magnussen all came back for their sophomore season as forwards for Bemidji State.

The Beavers have plenty of experience on the blue line in seniors Tony Follmer and Will Magnuson, along with juniors Mitch Wolfe, Patrik Satosaari and Vince Corcoran. BSU does not have a rostered sophomore defenseman for 2024-25.

Rounding out the goalie room is senior Mattias Sholl, who will start his fourth consecutive season for Bemidji State. Behind him is Raythan Robbins, who skated in just three games during his freshman season last year.

Fifth-year: Jackson Jutting, Eric Martin, Carter Randklev, Austin Jouppi. Seniors: Jere Vaisanen, Tony Follmer, Will Magnuson, Donte Lawson, Mattias Sholl. Juniors: Patrik Satosaari, Mitch Wolfe, Adam Flammang, AJ Macaulay, Kirklan Irey, Vince Corcoran, Reilly Funk. Sophomores: Noah Quinn, Rhys Chiddenton, Jake McLean, Kasper Magnussen, Raythan Robbins. Freshmen: Isa Parekh, Alexi Sylvestre, Jaksen Panzer, Luke Roelofs, Tory Lund, Ryan Henderson, Trent Wiemken. 2023-24 departures: Kyle Looft (graduated), Carter Jones (graduated), Jack Powell (graduated), Gavin Enright (transferred to St. Cloud State), Eric Pohlkamp (transferred to Denver), Alexander Lundman (in transfer portal), Jakub Lewandowski (in transfer portal), Logan Acheson (transferred to Alaska), Lleyton Roed (Signed with Seattle).

Coaching room finalized

With the 2024-25 roster being locked in last week, Serratore also promoted Joe Wegwerth as an assistant coach.

Wegwerth joined the BSU staff as a volunteer assistant and a video coordinator last season. Wegwerth played four seasons at Notre Dame from 2015-19 before he spent two years in the ECHL with the Utah Grizzlies.

Bemidji State posted a position for hire for a goalie coach after Brock Kautz left following the 2023-24 season. After a searching process, the Beavers opted to promote Wegwerth instead of hiring an outside candidate to specifically coach goalies.

Serratore enters his 24th season as the head coach for Bemidji State, while Travis Winter begins his 11th as an assistant/associate head coach. Andrew Magera will be staffed as a BSU assistant for the second consecutive season, while Wegwerth begins his first year as an assistant and his second with the program.

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AJ Macaulay’s transfer from Alaska Fairbanks to Bemidji State comes after ‘stressful’ portal process

Jared Rubado — Fri, 05 Jul 2024 18:00:00 GMT

Every college hockey player who enters the transfer portal has a different experience.

Some players have a destination lined up before they submit their paperwork through their school’s respective compliance office. Other players go in blind, seeing what opportunities are out there while taking a bigger risk.

AJ Macaulay is one of those players.

The 5-foot, 9-inch, 185-pound left-handed defenseman capped his sophomore season at Alaska by entering the transfer portal. The blueliner had 24 points in 67 games over his first two seasons, including career highs in goals (five) and assists (10) during his sophomore campaign.

But Macaulay was looking for a new home with a more consistent travel schedule, one that didn’t involve traveling over Canada by flight to play in almost every road game.

“It was just the situation that they're in with being an independent (school),” Macaulay said. “You travel a whole lot more being on an Alaskan team. We traveled thousands of miles. But being in Alaska, it was a great experience. Not many people get to say that they've lived in Alaska and played hockey. I’ve seen all kinds of different places that I wouldn't have seen before if I went to a different team.”

Macaulay, a Bonnyville, Alberta, native, didn’t know what his experience would be like when he entered the portal. Then Bemidji State slid him an offer to finish his final two years of college hockey in northern Minnesota.

“Definitely a stressful process,” Macaulay said. “The transfer portal and just the way they have it now and it being basically free agency, it’s stressful. I'm definitely excited to become a Beaver here this year. I think all the chips fell where they needed to get me to Bemidji. I had the right people in my corner to make it happen.”

Since launching in October 2018, the portal has become a widely-used mechanism for players to alter their collegiate careers. This past spring, the NCAA ruled players are allowed to transfer more than once without penalty.

The portal is one of the most divisive topics in collegiate sports. Players entering are not immune to the discourse. That includes Macaulay.

“I just think that the portal all the transfer rules that are coming out, it can be a good thing and it can be a bad thing, right?” Macaulay said. “You might be able to transfer four years in a row, and it kind of lessens the commitment.

“If you don't like a school, you can move on. And then if you don't like that second spot, you can move on again. There are positives and negatives, and it's a stressful situation. It's important to have the right intentions when going into the portal and not just going in there because your coach didn't play you for X, Y and Z reasons.”

Macaulay believes he has the right intentions, and also believes Bemidji State is the perfect fit for him. But getting to Bemidji took patience.

“To be honest, I just knew that there was a possibility that I might not get picked up,” Macaulay said. “That thought alone had a lot of hesitation just for me to make that decision to go in the portal. But you know what, I have no regrets. … Go in (the portal) because you feel like there's something that will make you a better hockey player and give you a better opportunity. That's kind of my experience with it. ”

Macaulay called himself “lucky” when he got the chance to play junior hockey in his hometown with the Bonnyville Pontiacs in the AJHL. He grew up an Oilers fan about an hour outside of Edmonton.

When considering his collegiate choices — before and after entering the portal — Macaulay was looking to play in a place similar to Bonnyville, a town of just under 6,000 people.

“I'm a small-town kid and I don't think being at a big school would be my type of thing,” Macaulay said. “The (CCHA), there's a lot of good teams in the conference, and I think it gets overlooked. It's a super competitive conference with great teams. I've heard nothing but great things about the coaching staff. Bemidji State has a great facility there. There's just a lot of good things that checked the boxes.”

Macaulay joins an already talented group of returning defensemen who played consistent minutes in 2023-24 — Tony Follmer, Will Magnuson, Mitch Wolfe, Vince Corcoran and Patrik Satosaari. Macaulay and the Beavers’ incoming freshman class will also help fill the shoes of now-graduated Kyle Looft and transferred D-men Eric Pohlkamp and Logan Acheson.

“I'm going to have a lot of expectations for myself right away, and that's something that I'm looking forward to,” Macaulay said. “I'm a player that has played in (high-pressure situations) already in my college career, and I just want to elevate the team. Whether it's power play, penalty kill — you name it — as long as I'm helping out and doing my part, that's all I want to do.”

Macaulay is also excited to get to work with a seasoned coaching staff in a place where his family can make easier trips to watch him play.

“It's going to a spot where I think I'm gonna be better off as a person as a player,” Macaulay said. “Being from Alberta, (BSU) is one of the closer teams to Alberta, so I can't complain about that. … I kind of had a few teams in mind after I went in the portal. When things kind of started getting serious with Bemidji, I was like, ‘You know what, this team's really close. This is going to work out perfectly.’”

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Former Sartell Sabre Tory Lund ‘thrilled’ to receive offer from Beavers

Jared Rubado — Tue, 02 Jul 2024 15:13:53 GMT

BEMIDJI – Every recruit finds their way to a college hockey program differently, including Tory Lund.

The former Sartell Sabre committed to Bemidji State after his second season in the NAHL with the El Paso Rhinos on June 4. Unlike most of his future teammates, he won’t have to wait very long to don a BSU jersey.

“It was an incredibly fast process,” Lund said. “I fully expected to play another year of juniors because I had one left, whether in El Paso or somewhere else. But I got a call from (BSU associate head coach Travis Winter). They recruited me for a short period of time and offered me shortly after I went up there for a visit.”

Lund played in 81 games for El Paso, scoring 20 goals and logging 37 assists. He also had 11 points with the Minot Minotauros.

A recruit with Lund’s pedigree would often be asked to play his last year of juniors after finishing his second season without a collegiate commitment. But the Beavers believe he can be an impactful player for the 2023-24 season.

“It means they trust me and trust that I'm ready to come now as opposed to another year from now,” Lund said. “They mentioned I’m not going to get any stronger (as a recruit).

I'm not necessarily at the top of my game but I'm ready. I’m mentally and physically mature enough to step into college-level hockey.”

Lund played for Sartell through his junior season in high school. In 70 games over three years, he scored 52 goals and 52 assists.

But Lund recognized he needed to take his game a step further, and the best chance to do that was away from the high school ranks.

“I knew I needed a couple of your juniors to get up to speed and play at the level that I know I can play at,” Lund said. “I struggled a little bit in my first month or two (in juniors). I kind of developed and learned how to play a different role as opposed to always being the guy who had to learn how to fit into a lineup and change my game to help better the team rather than myself.”

Lund had just 11 points in his first 36 games in Minot before being traded to El Paso. Moving further away from home, Lund got a better chance to showcase his potential in Texas.

“I got to kind of rise through the ranks and become one of the guys who really led the team in many aspects both on and off the ice,” Lund said. “It really helped prepare me to get a commitment from Bemidji State. I’m thrilled about it, to say the least.”

Lund said he’s excited about the opportunity to play closer to home in front of his family more consistently. He fielded calls from teams in the northeast but was eyeing a chance to play in the CCHA.

“Playing in the NAHL, you’re not going to get an offer from a (blue blood) school unless it's a walk-on spot,” Lund said. “So playing in the NAHL, I know options are somewhat limited. But Bemidji (and others in the CCHA) were on the top of my list. It was a goal for me to get a chance to play in the CCHA. I talked to some AHA schools, but I was really thrilled when I got the phone call from Bemidji. I'm thrilled to be to be a Beaver.”

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Bemidji State gives Moorhead’s Carter Randklev overdue chance to play closer to home

Jared Rubado — Thu, 27 Jun 2024 19:22:17 GMT

Carter Randklev thought he had it all figured out.

The 2018 Moorhead High �� graduate and Mr. Hockey finalist was staying close to home to play junior hockey with the Fargo Force. He intended to play two seasons in the USHL before heading to North Dakota, his dream college hockey school.

Randklev grew up about an hour away from Grand Forks, N.D., and was offered by the Fighting Hawks in December 2017 after de-committing from Arizona State in high school.

Everything was going according to plan — until it wasn’t.

On Dec 1, 2018, Randklev tore his left anterior cruciate ligament, ending his first USHL season.

“Everything was going in the right direction,” Randklev recalled. “There are many things in life that set you back a little bit or change your path. Injuries are a big thing in sports. Sometimes, it sets players back and takes them a little bit longer to kind of get back on the road that they were once on. Unfortunately for me, tearing my ACL and being a smaller person, it was quite the injury for me to have.”

Ranklev’s stroke of bad luck did more damage than just putting him on the shelf for 10 months. The 5-foot, 8-inch forward had his commitment pulled from UND, forcing him to change his collegiate plans.

However, Niagara still took a chance on him. And after 13 points in 33 games over his first two years in the Atlantic Hockey America conference, he broke out into the elite scorer he was once thought to be.

Now, Randklev is headed back to the State of Hockey through the transfer portal. He will play his fifth and final collegiate season at Bemidji State, where he feels like he’s getting back to his roots.

“I wanted to try to test myself, and I'm always trying to get better,” Randklev said. “In my eyes, Bemidji is a really good program, so I just wanted to take a step forward and a step up. … My family hasn't really been able to see me play much in person (at Niagara). To have the opportunity to come back and only be two, three hours away from home gives them more availability to see me play.”

Road to recovery

Randklev admitted he wasn’t the same player after he tore his ACL.

“Being committed to North Dakota at one time and kind of having everything that I ever really wanted in hockey and in life, to be so close to family, and to have that kind of pulled away, it’s challenging,” Randklev said. “The next thing I knew I was moving 18 hours away from family playing out in New York.”

In his first season at Niagara, Randklev struggled to crack the lineup as a depth forward. He played in just 13 games and recorded three goals and two assists.

His second season saw marginal improvements — six goals and two assists in 22 games.

“I'm extremely thankful for the coaches out in Niagara for sticking with me even through that injury,” Randklev said. “When I first came back, I wasn't the same player as I once was. You have to deal with the mental obstacles, not believing that you're supposed to be there and not believing that you're good enough. All of those thoughts go through your mind.”

Heading into his junior year — three and a half years removed from his ACL tear — Randklev discovered a shift in his mental approach. He thought about hanging up his skates on more than one occasion. Then he found his confidence.

“The last couple of years, I really kind of found myself again,” Randklev continued. “I found out how I could get back from this injury and get back to that player that I once was, or at least somewhat close to it. … It’s me believing that college hockey is a place where I can be and play. I want to dominate in college hockey and be a difference-maker for a team. I think I'm more determined now than I ever been.”

Randklev became Niagara’s leading scorer. He had 24 goals and 31 assists in his last 75 games with the Purple Eagles.

“There were so many other things and other crafts that I really had to hone into just to be able to play with these kinds of players,” Randklev said. “I just kind of got back to my skill work, shot a lot of pucks and got into scoring areas. I shifted my focus from how I was playing hockey in my last year in Fargo and my first two years in Niagara because I had a realization that it wasn't working out for me.”

Coming home

Following Niagara’s 18-18-3 season in 2023-24, Randklev entered the transfer portal as a graduate student. He didn’t know what to expect but hoped an opportunity closer to home would present itself.

“The process of being in the portal was quite hectic,” Randklev said. “I really wasn't in there for that long. Bemidji State was actually one of the first teams that called me. With that initial conversation, they didn’t give me an offer. … I really had to be patient. But in my heart throughout the whole process, I was really hoping there was a spot for me in Bemidji.”

Randklev’s first call came as the Beavers were preparing for the Mason Cup championship game against Michigan Tech. He didn’t receive his offer until the following week after BSU’s season ended.

Bemidji State checked every one of Radklev’s boxes. It’s a place where his family can watch him play more consistently while also providing a step up in competition. Randklev hopes to be one of the final pieces for a team hoping to get back to the NCAA Tournament next spring.

“Playing at my home state and being so close to family, it was really a no-brainer,” Randklev said. “The reputation that Bemidji State has and the coaching staff there, it’s amazing. I've always kind of been an outdoorsy type of guy, too, so it's super nice to be in a location like that where I can still hone in kind on the hockey side of things.”

Randklev contemplated turning pro and playing in Europe, an option he’s still considering after his fifth-year season with the Beavers.

Regardless of where hockey takes him after college, Randklev will forever have a complex relationship with the sport that took everything away from him before giving it back.

“I had to learn how to enjoy it and just live in the moment, focus on my hockey side of things,” Randklev said. “I thought about quitting. I've never been one to give up on my dreams and give up on something like hockey. It’s been my whole life. That's kind of all I've had, and it's something that I've always wanted to make a job out of."

Randklev added that it was his injury and recovery that pulled a love for hockey out of him that he didn't have before.

“There were so many times in those three years that I contemplated quitting, times I wasn’t really giving much effort," he left off. "It's really shown within my confidence and my production on the ice just how much love for the game I still have in me. So to come into Bemidji, I would say that I'm super confident.”

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Jaksen Panzer released from commitment to North Dakota, flips to Bemidji State

Jared Rubado — Thu, 14 Mar 2024 23:56:22 GMT

BEMIDJI — Jaksen Panzer wants to play college hockey close to home.

No school is closer than North Dakota, the institution he was previously committed to since April 2, 2019. Panzer, a Grand Forks, N.D., native, grew up at Ralph Engelstad Arena watching the Fighting Hawks in his backyard. It’s the program his father, Jeff, and uncle, Jay, played for, winning national championships in 2000 and 1997, respectively.

Panzer committed to North Dakota in eighth grade and was one of the youngest UND commits in program history.

Now, he’s set to play for Bemidji State. Panzer expressed his desire to decommit from UND, and North Dakota released him from his National Letter of Intent earlier this week. Panzer announced his new commitment on Instagram Thursday afternoon.

“It was nothing bad between me or North Dakota,” Panzer said. “I kind of wanted to look for something new, maybe get a different opportunity or a better opportunity. That’s where I stood. I informed UND of that, and they were very understanding of me. They worked very well with me, my family and my advisor to get that done as soon as possible.”

Panzer is in his second full season with the Sioux Falls Stampede in the USHL. The 5-foot-9, 185-pound forward has 15 goals and 17 assists in 53 games. He had 13 goals and 15 assists in his first full season and three goals and eight assists for the Stampede in 18 games following his junior season at East Grand Forks High ��.

“The USHL, I’d say, is one of the hardest leagues to play in,” Panzer said. “My first year wasn’t all sunshine and rainbows. I battled through a couple of months throughout the season where I was struggling. It’s helped me mature as a player and as a person. You have to get through those times mentally and physically.”

Panzer plans to attend Bemidji State next year, an opportunity he likely wouldn’t have had at North Dakota, according to Fighting Hawks beat writer Brad Schlossman on Twitter.

https://twitter.com/SchlossmanGF/status/1768397878383247780

“When I was thinking about room (to play) next year, there were some other schools I also had in mind,” Panzer said. “Bemidji offered me what I liked and what I was looking for. It was a pretty easy decision.”

Wanting to stay relatively local, Panzer committed to play for the Beavers 110 miles from his hometown.

“I’ve always kind of wanted to be close to home to play college hockey,” Panzer said. “Even when I was committed to UND, Bemidji State was always in the back of my head. I’ve always thought it was a really good school. I’ve always heard stuff about the coaches, especially Tom Serratore. When they gave me a call, it was pretty easy to tell them, ‘I’m in.’

“I’ll be able to have my parents at pretty much every home game. Whether it’s my parents, my grandparents, my aunt and uncle, I’ll have somebody I’m pretty close with at every home game. That’s important to me, and it made the decision pretty easy when Bemidji gave me the call.”

Panzer noted the importance of East Grand Forks head coach Tyler Palmiscno and his guidance throughout the recruiting process.

“I have to give him a lot of credit,” Panzer said. “He did absolutely everything for me and gave me everything I needed. Most guys don’t get second chances to (choose) a different school, and he’s helped me a lot. If it wasn’t for him, I don’t know if I’d get another chance like I did.”

Panzer is eager to finish the rest of his USHL stint with a clear vision of his future. He’s even more excited to build on a MacNaughton Cup-winning season for the Beavers starting in the fall of 2024.

“I want to get better every year,” Panzer said. “I want to be better as a sophomore than I was as a freshman, then continue that chain. I want to come in and help the team win. I don’t care if I score or get a point, I just want to win. (BSU) has had a lot of success this year, and I want to help keep that going.”

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