12 former University of Minnesota Duluth men's hockey players -- the most since the Bulldogs had 12 on rosters in 2022-23 -- will hit the ice this week on National Hockey League rosters. 
 

Those players include forwards Cole Koepke and Riley Tufte with the Boston Bruins, forward Joey Anderson and blueliner Wyatt Kaiser with the Chicago Blackhawks, defenseman Mikey Anderson with the Los Angeles Kings, forward Noah Cates of the Philadelphia Flyers, defensemen Justin Faulk and Scott Perunovich of the St. Louis Blues, Vancouver Canucks defenseman Carson Soucy, and defensemen duo Neal Pionk and Dylon Samberg and forward Alex Iafallo of the Winnipeg Jets.

UMD is tied for fifth this season among all NCAA programs with Bulldogs on opening night rosters, and also ranks ninth all-time in the NCAA for NHL alums (69). The Bulldogs have the second most alumni of any team in the National College Hockey Conference.

 

The Bulldogs are also represented on benches, in several front offices around the league, and even have an NHL linesman among alumni in the NHL. 

Former Bulldog Norm Maciver is the associate general manager of the Chicago Blackhawks, where he is joined by from UMD great and father of current Bulldogs Zam and Max Plante Derek Plante, who is an assistant coach with the Blackhawks. (Also in the Blackhawk organization is pro scout Brigette Laquette, a former UMD women's hockey player.) Derik Johnson is in his first season as an assistant coach with the LA Kings after spending last season as a skill coach. In all, Johnson has been with the organization in some capacity since 2018

Hockey Hall of Fame Inductee and UMD legend Brett Hull returns as ambassador to the St. Louis Blues. Additional Bulldogs include: Jim Johnson (Anaheim Ducks Director of Player Development, second season), Parker Mackay (third season as a Boston Bruins Amateur and College Scout), and  UMD alum Travis Gawryletz returns for his eighth season as an NHL linesman.