Get to know the 2023-24 UND hockey players' numbers

Jun. 12—GRAND FORKS — There will be more new players (14) than returners (12) on the UND hockey team this season.

It may take some time to get used to which players are wearing which numbers.

So, why not start learning them now?

The Fighting Hawks players have received their number assignments for the 2023-24 season.

UND's four new forwards are Omaha transfer Cameron Berg (No. 14), freshman Jayden Perron (No. 18), freshman Michael Emerson (No. 24) and Lindenwood transfer Hunter Johannes (No. 28).

All eight of UND's defensemen are new.

Minnesota State-Mankato transfer Bennett Zmolek will wear No. 2, freshman Jake Livanavage No. 4, Sacred Heart transfer Logan Britt No. 6, Alaska transfer Garrett Pyke No. 7, freshman Tanner Komzak No. 10, freshman Nate Benoit No. 15, Michigan transfer Keaton Pehrson No. 20 and freshman Abram Wiebe No. 25.

The new goalies are Miami transfer Ludvig Persson (No. 32) and freshman Hobie Hedquist (No. 30).

All 12 returners are keeping their numbers from last season.

A few of the new players should be easy to get to know.

The last player to wear No. 7 was Alaska transfer defenseman Chris Jandric. It will again be an Alaska transfer defenseman in Pyke, who also wore No. 7 with the Nanooks.

The last player to wear No. 32 was a Swedish goaltender, Jakob Hellsten. It will again be a Swedish goaltender in Persson.

Here are a few other notes:

* Komzak will be the first defenseman to wear No. 10 since John Spolar in 1954-55. Only two defensemen have ever worn No. 10.

* The No. 2 has often been worn by big, tough defenders going back to Bill Steenson in the 1950s. That tradition has been passed through the decades with Craig Ludwig wearing it in the 1980s, Dave Hakstol in the 1990s, Matt Greene in the 2000s and Andrew MacWilliam in the 2010s. It now belongs to Bennett Zmolek, who fits the same mold.

* Michael Emerson is the first forward to wear No. 24 since captain Chris Porter from 2003-07. They play a similar game, too — speedy wingers with physicality.

* Half of the newcomers will wear the same number they did last year: Britt, Pyke, Benoit, Perron, Pehrson, Hedquist and Persson.

* No. 14 has been unused the last two seasons. Berg will be the first player to wear it since Jasper Weatherby in 2020-21.

* This season's unused numbers will be: 3, 16 and 19. This is the second-straight year that 16 will be unused. Ashton Calder was the last to wear it in 2021-22.

UND equipment manager Dan Johansson sends a list of open numbers to all newcomers. They respond by ranking their top choices in order.

From there, the equipment staff attempts to get each player as close to their top-preferred number as possible.

Many of UND's players will begin arriving on campus next month for summer school and voluntary workouts.

The Fighting Hawks open the 2023-24 season with an exhibition against the University of Manitoba on Oct. 7. They open the regular season in the Ice Breaker Tournament on Oct. 13-14 against Army and Wisconsin in Ralph Engelstad Arena.

Newcomers in bold

1 — Kaleb Johnson, goalie

2 — Bennett Zmolek, defenseman

4 — Jake Livanavage, defenseman

5 — Dane Montgomery, forward

6 — Logan Britt, defenseman

7 — Garrett Pyke, defenseman

8 — Jake Schmaltz, forward

9 — Jackson Blake, forward

10 — Tanner Komzak, defenseman

11 — Griffin Ness, forward

13 — Carson Albrecht, forward

14 — Cameron Berg, forward

15 — Nate Benoit, defenseman

17 — Riese Gaber, forward

18 — Jayden Perron, forward

20 — Keaton Pehrson, defenseman

21 — Ben Strinden, forward

22 — Owen McLaughlin, forward

24 — Michael Emerson, forward

25 — Abram Wiebe, defenseman

26 — Dylan James, forward

27 — Louis Jamernik V, forward

28 — Hunter Johannes, forward

29 — Jackson Kunz, forward

30 — Hobie Hedquist, goaltender

32 — Ludvig Persson, goaltender