GRAND FORKS, N.D. – University of North Dakota senior forward Connor Gaarder will continue his hockey career in Norway, having signed a one-year contract with Frisk Asker of GET-ligaen, the country's top professional hockey league.
Gaarder, an undrafted free agent, enjoyed the best season of his collegiate career in 2014-15, appearing in all 42 games and collecting career highs in points (20), goals (10), assists (10), game-winning goals (5) and plus/minus (plus-11).
The Edina, Minn., native also earned his second straight selection to the Academic All-National Collegiate Hockey Conference (NCHC) Team.
In 151 collegiate games at North Dakota, Gaarder amassed 27 goals and 31 assists for 58 career points to go along with a plus-24 rating.
He helped lead UND to a NCAA Tournament appearance in each of his four seasons – including Frozen Four berths as a junior and senior – and a Penrose Cup in 2014-15 as National Collegiate Hockey Conference (NCHC) regular-season champion.
Gaarder is the sixth member of UND's 2014-15 squad to have signed a professional contract since the end of the collegiate season. Senior forward Mark MacMillan (Montreal), junior goalie Zane McIntyre (Boston), and junior defenseman Jordan Schmaltz (St. Louis) have signed entry-level, NHL contracts, while seniors Stephane Pattyn (Charlotte) and Andrew Panzarella (St. John's) signed AHL amateur tryout agreements immediately following the season.
| Gaarder's Career Statistics at UND: |
|
|
|
|
|
|
| Year |
GP |
G |
A |
PTS |
PIM |
PPG |
SHG |
GWG |
+/- |
| 2011-12 |
33 |
4 |
6 |
10 |
5/10 |
2 |
0 |
0 |
+4 |
| 2012-13 |
34 |
4 |
7 |
11 |
6/12 |
1 |
0 |
1 |
+2 |
| 2013-14 |
42 |
9 |
8 |
17 |
15/41 |
2 |
0 |
2 |
+7 |
| 2014-15 |
42 |
10 |
10 |
20 |
17/34 |
2 |
0 |
5 |
+11 |
| Totals |
151 |
27 |
31 |
58 |
43/97 |
7 |
0 |
8 |
+24 |
