GRAND FORKS, N.D. – University of North head men’s hockey coach Dave Hakstol announced today that eight incoming freshmen will join the program for the 2013-14 season.
North Dakota’s incoming class includes: defensemen Gage Ausmus, Paul LaDue, Keaton Thompson, and Troy Stecher; forwards Luke Johnson, Wade Murphy, and Adam Tambellini, and; goaltender Matt Hrynkiw.
Additional incoming freshmen may still be announced at a later date, according to Hakstol.
2013-14 Incoming Freshmen (Alphabetical):
Name: Gage Ausmus Ht: 6-1 Wt: 204 Pos: D Hometown: East Grand Forks, Minn. Previous Team: U.S. NTDP
Draft eligible in 2013 and is ranked 148th among North American skaters by Central Scouting ... Spent the past two seasons with the United States National Team Development Program (NTDP) where he was a teammate of fellow incoming freshman defenseman Keaton Thompson … Played in in 66 games with the U.S. Under-18 Team in 2012-13 and registered two goals and 12 assists … Tied for second on the team with a +22 rating … Helped Team USA win a silver medal at the World Under-18 Championship … Spent the 2011-12 season with the U.S. Under-17 Team and collected two goals and four assists in 54 games … Named to Media All-Tournament Team at the 2012 World Under-17 Hockey Challenge in Windsor, Ontario, where the U.S. placed second … Helped lead the 2011 U.S. National Under-17 Team to a Four Nations Tournament title in Balishikha, Russia … Played at East Grand Forks (Minn.) High School in 2010-11 prior to joining the NTDP and scored three goals and 11 assists in 15 games.
Name: Matt Hrynkiw Ht: 5-11 Wt: 179 Pos: G Hometown: Saskatoon, Sask. Previous Team: Humboldt (SJHL)
Spent the past three seasons with the Humboldt Broncos of the Saskatchewan Junior Hockey League (SJHL) … Named Canada’s 2012-13 national Junior A goaltender of the year and SJHL Goaltender of the Year after going 27-11-2 and leading the league in goals against average (1.83), save percentage (.939) and shutouts (six) … Went 10-6 with a 2.11 GAA and .932 SV% during the SJHL playoffs … Earned SJHL Goaltender of the Month honors four out of six months … Named Humboldt’s Team MVP, Hardest Worker, Best Team Player, Most Dedicated Player, and 3-Star Award winner … Helped Humboldt to an SJHL championship in 2011-12 after leading the league in GAA (2.28) and shutouts (four) … Last name is pronounced huh-RINK-you.
Name: Luke Johnson Ht: 5-11 Wt: 165 Pos: F Hometown: Grand Forks, N.D. Previous Team: Lincoln (USHL)
Draft eligible in 2013 and is ranked 96th among North American skaters by Central Scouting ... Spent the past two seasons with the Lincoln Stars of the United States Hockey League (USHL), where he was a teammate of fellow incoming freshman and Grand Forks native Paul LaDue, who is also is cousin … Recorded 46 points (19g, 27a) and a team-leading nine power-play goals in 57 games in 2012-13 … Collected 55 points (20g, 35a) in 55 games in 2011-12 … Participated in the USHL/NHL Top Prospects Game in each of his two years with Lincoln … Helped lead Team USA to a gold medal at the 2012 World Junior A Challenge, collecting four assists in four games … Played at Grand Forks (N.D.) Central High School as a freshman (2009-10) and sophomore (2010-11), winning a state title as a sophomore and earning all-state honors as a sophomore … Father, Steve, played at UND from 1984-88, was a member of UND’s 1987 NCAA championship team, and was a first-team All-American and Hobey Baker Award finalist in 1987-88 … Uncle, Chad Johnson, was his head coach in Lincoln and played at UND from 1990-93.
Name: Paul LaDue Ht: 6-2 Wt: 185 Pos: D Hometown: Grand Forks, N.D. Previous Team: Lincoln (USHL)
Selected in the sixth round (191st overall) by the Los Angeles Kings in the 2012 NHL Entry Draft … Spent the past two seasons with the Lincoln Stars of the USHL where he was a teammate of fellow incoming freshman and Grand Forks native Luke Johnson, who is also his cousin … Set the franchise scoring record for defensemen with 83 points (21g, 62a) and was a +63 in 118 career games with Lincoln … Was named the USHL Defenseman of the Year in 2012-13 after leading the league’s defensemen in points (49) and assists (37) in 62 games … Collected 34 points (9g, 22a) in 56 games with Lincoln in 2011-12 and led USHL defensemen with a +36 rating … Spent the 2010-11 season with the Alexandria Blizzard of the North American Hockey League (NAHL) and was named to the NAHL All-Rookie Second Team after recording three goals and 19 assists in 56 games … Played prep hockey at Grand Forks (N.D.) Central High School in 2009-10 and had 10 goals and 25 assists in 27 games.
Name: Wade Murphy Ht: 6-0 Wt: 180 Pos: F Hometown: Victoria, B.C. Previous Team: Penticton (BCHL)
Draft eligible in 2013 … Led Penticton of the British Columbia Hockey League (BCHL) in points (70) and assists (47) in 2012-13 and earned his second straight BCHL Interior Conference First All-Star Team … Tied for fifth in the BCHL scoring race … Added five goals and six assists in 15 playoff games … Was a teammate of fellow incoming freshman Troy Stecher … Joined Penticton midway through the 2011-12 season and helped lead the Vees to BCHL and Canadian national championships … Collected 14 goals and 15 assists in 22 games with the Vees after scoring 22 goals and 40 assists in 38 games with the Victoria Grizzlies … His 91 total points ranked fourth overall in league’s scoring race … Added nine goals and nine assists in 15 playoff games … Helped lead Canada West to a silver medal at the 2012 World Junior A Challenge, earning all-tournament honors with three goals and three assists in four games.
Name: Troy Stecher Ht: 5-11 Wt: 180 Pos: D Hometown: Richmond, B.C. Previous Team: Penticton (BCHL)
Spent the past three seasons with the Penticton Vees of the BCHL … A teammate of fellow incoming freshman Wade Murphy for the past two years … Was named 2012-13 BCHL Interior Conference Defenseman of the Year after collecting 47 points (8g, 39a) in 52 games … Was also named to the BCHL Interior Conference First All-Star Team … Led the league’s defensemen in assists … Served as team captain in 2012-13 … Won a silver medal with Canada West at the 2012 World Junior A Challenge … Was named to the BCHL Interior Conference Second All-Star Team in 2011-12 after recording 42 points (5g, 37a) in 53 games and leading the Vees to a BCHL championship … Went on to be named RBC Cup Playoffs Top Defenseman after scoring 15 points in 26 games and leading Penticton to a Canadian Junior A national championship … Helped Canada West to a gold medal at the 2011 World Junior A Challenge … Had 20 points (5g, 15a) in 54 games as a rookie with Penticton in 2010-11 … Last name is pronounced STETCH-ur.
Name: Adam Tambellini Ht: 6-4 Wt: 177 Pos: F Hometown: Edmonton, Alberta Previous Team: Surrey (BCHL)
Draft eligible in 2013 and is ranked 42nd among North American skaters by Central Scouting ... Finished the 2012-13 season with the BCHL’s Surrey Eagles, collecting 14 goals and 12 assists in just 16 games … Had begun the year with Vernon and amassed 22 goals and 17 assists in 36 games … His 36 total goals tied him for third in the BCHL … Helped lead Surrey to a BCHL championship and is currently competing in the Royal Bank Cup national Junior A championship … Has 10 goals and eight assists in 17 playoff games … Earned BCHL Coastal Conference Second All-Star Team honors … Spent the entire 2011-12 season with the Vernon Vipers and recorded 27 goals and 29 assists in 55 games … Father, Steve Tambellini, enjoyed a 10-year playing career in the NHL and most recently served as general manager of the Edmonton Oilers from 2008-09 to 2012-13.
Name: Keaton Thompson Ht: 6-0 Wt: 185 Pos: Defense Hometown: Devils Lake, N.D.
Draft eligible in 2013 and is ranked 53rd among North American skaters by Central Scouting ... Spent the past two seasons with the United States National Team Development Program (NTDP), where he was a teammate of fellow incoming freshman defenseman Gage Ausmus … Appeared in 67 games with the U.S. Under-18 Team in 2012-13 and registered four goals and 16 assists with a +18 rating … Helped Team USA win a silver medal at the World Under-18 Championship …Appeared in 54 games with the U.S. Under-17 Team in 2011-12 and scored five goals and 17 assists … Member of the U.S. National Under-17 Team that finished first at the Vlad Dzurilla Under-18 Tournament … Helped lead the 2011 U.S. National Under-17 Team to a Four Nations Tournament title in Balishikha, Russia.
