University of North Dakota head hockey coach Brad Berry announced that eight freshmen will join the Fighting Hawks program for the 2021-22 season, bringing the total number of newcomers to 13.
The eight rookies consist of four forwards, a pair of defensemen and two goaltenders, marking the first time since 2016-17 that UND will carry four goalies on its roster.
Luke Bast | D | Red Deer, Alberta | Waterloo (USHL)
Played the last two seasons with the Waterloo Blackhawks of the USHL … Appeared in 79 games on the blue line, totaling 29 points … Scored six goals and finished a +10 in 2019-20 … Spent a pair of seasons with the Brooks Bandits (AJHL) from 2017-19 … Tallied over 30 points in both campaigns … Captured the Canada National Junior A Championship in 2018-19 after winning 57 of 60 regular season games … Earned top defenseman honors in the postseason … Represented Canada West at the World Junior A Challenge … Brother of former UND defenseman Gabe Bast.
Matteo Costantini | F | St. Catharines, Ontario | Sioux City (USHL)
Starred with the Buffalo Jr. Sabres of the OJHL in 2019-20, scoring 68 points in 50 games … Named the league’s top rookie … Earned second team honors … Added 10 more points in six playoff games … Joined the Sioux City Musketeers (USHL) midway through the 2020-21 season … Netted 22 points in 37 games … Scored seven goals … Helped the Musketeers reach the Clark Cup playoffs … Selected in the fifth round by the Buffalo Sabres in the 2020 NHL Entry Draft.
Jakob Hellsten | G | Ljusdal, Sweden | Halmstad (HockeyEttan)
Will become the first Swedish-born player to play at North Dakota … Has represented Sweden on the international level at the IIHF U-16, U-17 and U-18 World Championships … Made three starts in the 2017 U-17 World Championships, posting a 1.00 GAA, .955 save percentage and a 3-0-0 record … Spent last season with the Halmstad Hammers HC … Made 24 starts, winning 15 of them … Posted a 2.62 GAA and .908 save percentage with the Hammers … Was dominant for Leksands IF U-20 squad during the 2018-20 seasons … Went 18-11-0 in his first season with a 2.06 GAA and .925 save percentage … Followed it up with a 23-8-0 record, 1.93 GAA and .919 save percentage the following year.
Brent Johnson | D | Frisco, Texas | Sioux Falls (USHL)
Earned All-USHL Second Team honors last season with Sioux Falls after posting 32 points in 47 games from the blue line … Led all Stampede defensemen in points (32), goals (11) and assists (21) … Broke the team goal-scoring rookie record for a defenseman with his point total … Scored 34 points in 47 games with Little Caesars 16-U AAA during the 2019-20 season … Currently ranked No. 38 by NHL Central Scouting among North American skaters for the upcoming NHL Entry Draft … Will be the first Texan to play hockey at UND.
Kaleb Johnson | G | Grand Forks, N.D. | Minnesota (NAHL)
One of the top prep goalies in the region … Posted a staggering 37-1-2 record for Grand Forks Central over his high school career to help the Knights capture back-to-back state titles … Spent the last three seasons with the Minnesota Wilderness (NAHL) … Appeared in 77 games for the Wilderness … Finished with a 32-37-5 record … Had a personal-best 2.78 GAA, 13 wins, .910 save percentage and three shutouts during the 2019-20 season … Helped the Wilderness reach the postseason in 2020-21.
Jackson Kunz | F | Grand Forks, N.D. | Green Bay (USHL)
Finished as nearly a point-per-game player with Green Bay in 2020-21 … Scored 43 points in 50 games with the Gamblers … Played on a line with fellow freshman Jake Schmaltz … Led the team with 23 goals … His 43 points were fourth on the team … Finished second behind Schmaltz with a +29 rating … Helped the Gamblers reach the Clark Cup Playoffs … Spent the 2018-20 seasons at Shattuck St. Mary’s, finishing with 113 points in 78 contests … Hit the 40-goal mark in 2019-20 … Became the highest-drafted Greater Grand Forks player in 17 years, going in the fourth round to Vancouver in the 2020 NHL Entry Draft.
Nick Portz | F | St. Cloud, Minn. | Muskegon (USHL)
First St. Cloud native to play for the Fighting Hawks since Austin Poganski … Split the 2020-21 season between Tri-City and Muskegon … Named an assistant captain for the Storm before being traded to Muskegon … Appeared in 58 games for Tri-City, scoring 20 goals and notching 48 points … Put up 27 points in 32 games with the Lumberjacks last season … His 10 goals placed his ninth on the team despite playing in 20-less games than his teammates … Helped the Lumberjacks reach the Clark Cup Playoffs.
Jake Schmaltz | F | McFarland, Wis. | Green Bay (USHL)
Teammates and linemates with Jackson Kunz in Green Bay … Earned All-USHL Third Team honors in 2020-21 … Named an assistant captain for the Gamblers last year … Second on the team with 53 points … Also second with 34 points … Notched a team-high +30 rating … Scored 19 goals … Had 32 points in 47 games with Green Bay in 2019-20 … Cousin of former UND players Nick and Jordan Schmaltz … Selected by the Boston Bruins in the seventh round of the 2019 NHL Entry Draft.
North Dakota is set to announce its non-conference schedule in the coming week.
(UND Athletics)
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