DDC's 2021-22 Season Preview - UND Looks to Reload

Photo credit: INFORUM

As the minutes turned into periods, the periods turned into overtimes, the overtimes turned into hours, the way the 2020-21 season ended for the UND Fighting Hawks hockey team just didn't feel right. 

After a season of unbridled success that saw the Green and White win 22 games, earn their second consecutive Penrose Cup as NCHC regular season champions, win their first NCHC Frozen Faceoff tournament, and dominate in their first NCAA tournament game since 2017, watching that puck slide through netminder Adam Scheel's pads ending the longest tournament game in history in the 6th overtime of the regional final didn't make DDC angry, it made him sad. 

The 2020-21 Hawks were a squad that had it all -- top-end scoring, senior leadership, dynamic, playmaking defensemen, all-world goaltending. You name it, they had it. Looking forward to the new campaign, the faces may be different (and holy smokes, they are different), but a lot of those same traits exist in the 2021-22 incarnation of UND hockey. 

Let's take a look into the future of where DDC thinks this season will playout for UND, the NCHC, and the NCAA. 

It's time, ladies and gents. It's time for the big hits, the crazy passes, the buried one-timer. It's time for the Ralph. It's time for FULL ARENAS. Let's go.

UND Loses a Lot, Returns a Superstar

So. D., Jake Sanderson

Simply put, the Fighting Hawks got a little beat up in the offseason. Senior departures of Jordan Kawaguchi, Colin Adams, Grant Mismash were 1, 2, 7 on the team in scoring last season. Add in massive underclassman losses in defensemen Matt Kierstad and Jacob Bernard-Docker and forwards Shane Pinto and Jasper Weatherby (a late defection after a solid prospect camp with the Sharks), and UND has lost 7 of its 10 top scorers, including all five of their top 5. The cherry on top, Mike Richter finalist goalie Adam Scheel also left for a professional contract. 

Yikes. 

While an offseason like that makes many programs shudder, UND has a long tradition of reloading each season regardless of the previous outcome. Two major factors will play a role in that, in DDC's opinion -- the transfer portal that saw the Hawks grab five players and the return of defenseman Jake Sanderson. If that feels like a lot of pressure to put on one player, don't see it as a bane, see it as a badge of honor. 

The No. 5 overall pick in the 2020 NHL draft had nothing short of an incredible freshman season. His numbers don't necessarily jump off the screen (2 goals, 15 assists -- 17 points), but his +20 sure does. And if anyone watched the second half of the season, especially in the overtime periods in the regional final and doesn't see a pure, unabashed superstar in Sanderson, you better get your eyes checked. The Whitefish, MT native will be the key cog for UND and DDC expects a significant point jump. On a team last season where Sanderson didn't have to produce a lot of points, he still showed that he absolutely can. All reports about him in the offseason indicate that he returns bigger, faster, and stronger and that's great news for Hawks' fans. 

The Rest of The Cupboard Isn't Bare

Sr. F., Mark Senden
was named UND's
2021-22 Captain 

While Sanderson looks to be the straw that stirs UND's drink, the sophomore alternate captain will have a supporting cast that can certainly do it's part. Sophomores Riese Gaber and Tyler Kleven, juniors Brenden Budy, Ethan Frisch, and Judd Caulfield, and seniors Gavin Hain and newly-named captain Mark Senden will be familiar faces for the Green and White attack. Newcomers from the transfer portal in Ashton Calder (Lake Superior State) and Connor Ford (Bowling Green) had tremendous success with their former squads and hope to gel quickly. Finally, replacing netminder Adam Scheel, who left for a pro contract, and Peter Thome, who transferred to St. Thomas for their inaugural season at Division I, in comes transfer Zach Driscoll from Bemidji State. Driscoll had an outstanding career with the Beavers and should not miss a beat for the Fighting Hawks.

Adding in NHL draft picks in freshmen forwards Jackson Kunz (fourth round) and Jake Schmaltz (seventh round) and defenseman Brent Johnson (third round) among a nine-man class, UND will likely need to build some continuity early on in the season, but has plenty of solid pieces to round out the 21-22 roster.

A Look at the NCHC

Losing who they did to graduation and the pro ranks, UND could very well take a small step back as they look to repeat as three-time Penrose Cup champions. Who would be next in line to take their place? DDC thinks this will be a tight race to the finish, once again, but it's St. Cloud State that seems poised to make the best run. Following their disappointing blowout loss to UMass in the National Championship game, the Huskies are locked and loaded for another run. Returning all five of their leading scorers led by sophomore stalwart Veeti Miettinen, SCSU have loads of scoring and talent. Behind the Huskies, Denver, Omaha, Minnesota Duluth, and Western will have their say with the Pioneers bringing in a powerful freshman class to go with solid returners. Here's how DDC thinks the NCHC will land.

1) St. Cloud State
2) North Dakota
3) Denver
4) Omaha
5) Minnesota Duluth
6) Western Michigan
7) Colorado College
8) Miami

A Peek Around the Country

So. D., Owen Power

All offseason it seems like it's been Michigan this, Michigan that... blah, blah, blah 😁. Frankly, the talk is deserved. 2021 No. 1 overall NHL pick Owen Power returns for the Wolverines on a team that features seven... yes... SEVEN first rounders. We'll see if that means domination and if a young and talented team can make a run or if they go by the wayside of previous "super teams". Minnesota should be a solid club, returning nearly everyone from a NCAA tournament team last season, and UMass looks to defend its natty despite heavy losses in the offseason. ASU and Colorado College get new barns, which is great for the game, and St. Thomas makes its jump. Gonna be a wonderful year. Can't wait! Here's DDC's preseason NCAA rankings.

1) St. Cloud State
2) UMass
3) Michigan
4) Minnesota
5) Minnesota State
6) North Dakota
7) Boston College
8) Denver
9) Minnesota Duluth
10) Quinnipiac

There you have it, folks. We're on to another season. Time keeps chuggin' along, doesn't it? So glad it's hockey season!