Jul. 3—GRAND FORKS — UND will have 11 NHL Draft picks on its roster for the 2023-24 season.
But they’re not the only ones drawing interest from NHL teams.
Five undrafted Fighting Hawks players have accepted invites to participate in NHL development camps this summer.
Fifth-year senior defenseman Garrett Pyke and rookie blue liner Tanner Komzak are currently in Las Vegas working out with the defending Stanley Cup champion Vegas Golden Knights.
Goaltender Ludvig Persson is attending development camp with the Tampa Bay Lightning. Forward Louis Jamernik V will attend development camp with the Winnipeg Jets.
Forward Riese Gaber, who is expected to be one of college hockey’s most coveted free agents next spring, will attend camp with the Florida Panthers.
This is the second-straight year Gaber and Jamernik have attended camps.
Last summer, Gaber went to camp with the Boston Bruins and Jamernik with the Lightning.
Most of UND’s drafted players also are expected to attend development camps with their organizations. UND’s 11 drafted players are Jake Schmaltz (Boston), Jackson Blake (Carolina), Michael Emerson (Carolina), Jayden Perron (Carolina), Cameron Berg (N.Y. Islanders), Nate Benoit (Minnesota), Ben Strinden (Nashville), Owen McLaughlin (Philadelphia), Abram Wiebe (Vegas), Dylan James (Detroit) and Jackson Kunz (Vancouver).
A couple of UND’s undrafted players who attended NHL development camps in the past have opted not to attend one this summer.
UND fifth-year senior defenseman Keaton Pehrson skated with the San Jose Sharks in 2021 and the Philadelphia Flyers in 2022, but passed this year in order to get settled in Grand Forks.
UND incoming freshman defenseman Jake Livanavage participated in development camp with his hometown Arizona Coyotes last summer, but also opted against doing a camp this summer.
Most Fighting Hawks players are expected to return to Grand Forks next weekend and begin voluntary training for the 2023-24 while attending summer school.
UND opens the 2023-24 season with an exhibition against the University of Manitoba on Oct. 7.
The Fighting Hawks open the regular season in the Ice Breaker Tournament on Oct. 13-14 in Ralph Engelstad Arena. They’ll play Army on Oct. 13 and Wisconsin on Oct. 14.
