GRAND FORKS, N.D. – With the National Hockey League set to begin play tonight, thirteen products of the University of North Dakota men's hockey program have made opening-night NHL rosters and nine more UND alums hold either coaching or executive positions.
Two of the 13 on opening-night rosters were linemates last season on North Dakota's NCAA championship squad: Drake Caggiula (Edmonton) and Nick Schmaltz (Chicago). Schmaltz joins fellow UND alum Jonathan Toews on the Blackhawks, whom Toews has captained to three Stanley Cups in his first nine seasons.
UND's other active NHL players include: forwards Brock Nelson (New York Islanders), T.J. Oshie (Washington), Zach Parise (Minnesota), Drew Stafford (Winnipeg), Chris VandeVelde (Philadelphia), Travis Zajac (New Jersey); defensemen Taylor Chorney (Washington), Derek Forbort (Los Angeles) and Matt Greene (Los Angeles); and goaltender Aaron Dell (San Jose).
Greene, Parise and Zajac each serve as assistant captains for their respective teams.
Additionally, Dave Hakstol returns for his second season as head coach of the Philadelphia Flyers, while Dave Tippett is in his eighth year as head coach of the Arizona Coyotes and his 14th overall as an NHL head coach. Tippett's staff includes video coach Steve Peters, a goaltender at UND from 1987-90.
Other UND alums serving on NHL coaching staffs include Dallas Stars assistant coach James Patrick and St. Louis Blues assistant Rick Wilson.
In the front office, Brad Pascall is the assistant general manager for the Calgary Flames while Brad Bombardir and Ryan Johnson serve as the directors of player personnel for the Minnesota Wild and the Vancouver Canucks, respectively.
A former UND football letterwinner, Mark Chipman, is the chairman of True North Sports & Entertainment, which owns the Winnipeg Jets franchise.
UND's 13 active NHLers are the most of any National Collegiate Hockey Conference program. A total of 86 UND alums have played in the NHL throughout the program's history, 11 of whom have won 16 Stanley Cups either as a player or as a coach.
Wednesday's opening night schedule features Toews, Schmaltz and the Blackhawks hosting St. Louis, Caggiula's Oilers at home to Calgary, and Dell's Sharks hosting Forbort, Greene and the Kings.
