Daily Skate: Carson Albrecht to return for fifth season
Apr. 6—GRAND FORKS — UND is close to finalizing its forward group for the 2023-24 season.
Winger Carson Albrecht has decided to return to UND for his fifth year and work toward a master's degree.
"I love hockey so much, I want to play until I can't play anymore," Albrecht said. "It just came down to school. I'm going to call a spade a spade. I'm probably not going to play in the NHL. That's out of the question. So, for me, it was whether I wanted to get my master's degree or enter the workforce."
Albrecht, who graduated with a degree in criminal justice and forensic science, will continue his schooling while spending another season with the Fighting Hawks.
Albrecht has been a valuable depth winger for the Fighting Hawks the last two seasons.
The 5-foot-10, 188-pounder from Martensville, Sask., did not play as a rookie and only suited up in 13 games as a sophomore. As an upperclassman the last two years, he's played in 55 games, tallying five goals and 12 points.
Albrecht also has provided a physical presence. Last season, he knocked three opponents out of games with clean hits.
Albrecht was not penalized once the entire season.
UND is expecting to have 11 returning forwards — Jackson Blake, Riese Gaber, Dylan James, Owen McLaughlin, Louis Jamernik V, Jake Schmaltz, Ben Strinden, Griffin Ness, Jackson Kunz, Dane Montgomery and Albrecht.
It will bring in at least two freshmen in Chicago Steel forwards Jayden Perron and Michael Emerson.
The Fighting Hawks also are bringing in center Cameron Berg, a transfer from Omaha.
That puts UND's forwards at 14.
In most seasons, the Fighting Hawks keep 15. Last year, they kept 16.
They'll add at least one more forward — likely out of the transfer portal — and potentially a 16th as a depth player.
UND also has started to rebuild its defense by adding blue liner Garrett Pyke from Alaska and goaltender Ludvig Persson from Miami.
"A few weeks ago when everyone was leaving, I don't know what I thought," Albrecht said. "But now with the pieces coming together, I think we have a chance to be a really good team."
Former Grand Forks Central and UND winger Judd Caulfield made his pro debut Wednesday night for the American Hockey League's San Diego Gulls.
The Gulls lost to San Jose 6-3.
Caulfield lined up against another former Central and UND player in the game — center Luke Johnson.
Caulfield, wearing No. 14, played 10:40, registering a minus-1 rating.
During his four seasons at UND, Caulfield played in 133 games, scoring 29 goals and 62 points.
Caulfield was a fifth-round draft pick of the Pittsburgh Penguins. Last week, his rights were traded to the Anaheim Ducks, who signed him to a two-year contract beginning next season. He's finishing this season on an AHL tryout deal.
According to CapFriendly, Caulfield will make $125,000 in signing bonuses over the next two seasons. His AHL salary will be $70,000 per season.
Former UND captain and head coach Dave Hakstol threw out the first pitch at the Seattle Mariners game Wednesday.
Hakstol, now the head coach of the Seattle Kraken, is one win shy of clinching a playoff spot with the second-year team.
Former UND goalie Adam Scheel of the Idaho Steelheads is the ECHL goalie of the week for the third time this season.
Scheel went 2-1 with a 0.67 goals-against average and a .977 save percentage last week against Kansas City.
Scheel ranks second in the ECHL with 26 wins. He's tied for first with a .930 save percentage and he's alone in first with five shutouts.
Idaho is chasing several ECHL records.
With five games to go, Idaho needs three wins to set the ECHL wins record. If it grabs six of the final 10 points available, it also will set a league record for points.
In addition to Scheel, Idaho has three former UND players on the roster in Jordan Kawaguchi, Wade Murphy and Casey Johnson of Grand Forks. It also has Jade Miller of Minto, N.D., and Cody Haiskanen of Fargo on the team.
