Hunter Johannes to play final year of college hockey at UND
Apr. 10—GRAND FORKS — Hunter Johannes first got on skates as a toddler in Spooner, Wis.
His parents suited him up in a UND uniform before he hit the ice.
There's a long family history with the school. His grandparents, Stan and Mary Jean, both attended UND. His uncle, Scott, did, too.
"When you're young, you don't know anything other than, 'This is dad's team. This is grandpa's team,'" Johannes said. "It was always my dream school."
This year, Johannes will get to live out that dream.
The 6-foot-3 power forward's final stop along his winding college hockey path will be at UND. He will have one year of college eligibility remaining.
"Since I was a kid, that's the spot I wanted to be," Johannes said. "I didn't get the opportunity right away, but it all came back around. There was a plan and this was meant to be. Now is just the right time. I believe that."
Johannes moved from Spooner to Eden Prairie, Minn., as a high school freshman for his Bantam AA season. He lived with the hockey-playing Mittelstadt family. Johannes was good friends with Casey, who is now on the Buffalo Sabres.
Johannes played two seasons of junior hockey before going to college. He spent three years at American International and last season at Lindenwood.
Johannes was in-and-out of the lineup with the Yellow Jackets, playing in seven games as a freshman, eight as a sophomore and 14 as a junior.
But his breakout season came with the Lions in 2022-23. He tallied 13 goals and 29 points in 28 games playing for former UND defenseman Rick Zombo.
Last season, Johannes scored goals at Mariucci Arena against Minnesota, at Yost Ice Arena against Michigan, at Magness Arena against Denver and at Ralph Engelstad Arena against UND.
After the season Johannes entered the transfer portal, hoping he would get a call from UND.
"I felt like I had a pretty good year this year," Johannes said. "I was thinking if there's a chance this could happen, I'll always regret if I don't try. It's a little risky doing it. But what made it more comfortable is that I've been in the portal before. I have an understanding of how it works."
Johannes fits the Fighting Hawks' needs.
UND forwards Gavin Hain and Mark Senden ran out of eligibility at the end of this season, while power forward Judd Caulfield signed with the Anaheim Ducks. All three provided physicality for the Fighting Hawks.
Johannes can fill that role.
At 6-foot-3, 209 pounds, he'll be one of UND's bigger forwards. He finished last season with 87 penalty minutes due to five majors and four game misconducts.
"The biggest goal for me is to win a national championship," Johannes said. "When I was at Lindenwood, we didn't have a chance to go to the playoffs. Now, I get another chance to do it again."
Johannes played against UND at both of his previous college hockey stops.
In 2021, he was on the American International team that lost to UND in the first round of the NCAA tournament in Fargo's Scheels Arena.
Last season, he came to Ralph Engelstad Arena with Lindenwood and lost a pair of close games.
"Even playing in The Ralph last year was a dream come true," he said. "My family was there. They were rooting for me, but they were also rooting for UND. Now, being able to have them come to my games and root for me and their school, it's amazing. This is for them, too."
UND likely has just one forward slot left to fill.
The Fighting Hawks are bringing back 11 forwards — Jackson Blake, Riese Gaber, Dylan James, Owen McLaughlin, Louis Jamernik V, Jake Schmaltz, Ben Strinden, Griffin Ness, Jackson Kunz, Dane Montgomery and Carson Albrecht.
They'll bring in at least two freshmen — Jayden Perron and Michael Emerson of the United States Hockey League's Chicago Steel.
They've also landed two transfers in Johannes and Omaha's Cameron Berg,
who grew up in West Fargo
as a childhood UND fan.
"Having the opportunity to play at a place where I've grown up dreaming of playing," Johannes said, "I'm going to have fun with it."
