Recruit Update

• North Dakota received its latest verbal commitment from Sioux City (USHL) forward Trevor Olson. Olson is a Duluth, Minnesota native who is expected to arrive on campus in the fall of 2014. For more information, check out his recruit profile. Olson and the Musketeers (including fellow UND recruit Ryan Mantha) will be closing out their USHL regular season with a weekend set against Charlie Pelnik (featured in this video profile) and the Fargo Force. This is a good opportunity to check out three future Sioux if you can make it out to Scheels Arena either Friday or Saturday night.
• Keaton Thompson and the NTDP Under-18 team will be seeking to win the fifth consecutive Under-18 World Championship for USA Hockey, a streak that began with the 2009 event held in Fargo-Moorhead. The tournament begins next week in Sochi, Russia, and Thompson will play a key role for Team USA.
• Recruit Adam Tambellini and the Surrey Eagles begin the BCHL Finals tonight against the Penticton Vees, whose roster includes UND commits Wade Murphy and Troy Stecher. The winner of the best of seven series will hoist the Fred Page Cup as BCHL champions and advance in the RBC Cup playoffs to take on the Alberta Junior Hockey League champions. Tambellini, who earlier in the playoffs squared off against his older brother Jeff's former team, is the leading goal scorer in the BCHL playoffs and he is third in total points with 13 (9G, 4A) in 11 games.  Murphy is averaging a point per game in the postseason with nine points (3G, 6A) in nine games while Stecher has recorded four assists in nine contests.
• Nick Schmaltz will finish the regular season as the highest scoring 1996-born player in the USHL. He has recorded 50 points (17G, 33A) in 62 games for the Green Bay Gamblers and has ten more points than Youngstown forward Kyle Connor. Schmaltz and the Gamblers have already clinched a playoff spot but they will be looking to earn home ice this weekend as regular season play wraps up.
• With two games left to play, Paul LaDue holds a five point edge as the USHL's top point producing defenseman. LaDue has recorded 47 points (12G, 35A) in 60 games for Lincoln.
• Rhett Gardner recently earned the Moose Jaw Generals' Team MVP and Top Forward awards. He also made his USHL debut with the Green Bay Gamblers, but he is unsure as to whether he will play with the Gamblers next season or remain with the Generals.
• Christian Evers was recently named to the All-NAPHL Under-16 First Team. He averaged more than a point per game from the blueline in NAPHL play this season, producing 29 points (10G, 19A) in 23 games. Evers, who is expected to play for the USA Hockey NTDP for the next two years, was selected by the London Knights in the fifth round of the OHL Priority Selection last weekend. He was considered to be a second round talent heading into the draft, but he dropped to the last pick of the fifth round due to his commitment to UND and expected commitment to the NTDP.  
• Thompson and Tambellini both made NHL Central Scouting's Top 10 lists of 2013 NHL Draft-eligible players for their respective divisions.

Recruit Profile: Trevor Olson

Photo-USHL.com

Current Team:  Sioux City Musketeers (USHL)
Potential Arrival at UND:  2014
Position:  Forward
Birthday:  November 22nd, 1993
Hometown:  Duluth, MN
Height:  6'2"
Weight:  188
Shoots:  Right


Profiles & Press Clippings:

• USHL 2013-14 Profile/Stat Page
• Elite Prospects Profile/Stat Page
• Brad Schlossman UND Hockey Blog: Trevor Olson Commits To UND (Apr 2013)
• USHL: Musketeers Forward Commits to University of North Dakota (Apr 2013)
• Sioux City Journal: Olson Helps Muskies Race Past Omaha (Mar 2013)

2013-14:

• He will return to Sioux City (USHL), where he will serve as team captain.

2012-13:

• Began the season with the USHL's Green Bay Gamblers, where he recorded 16 points (7G, 9A) in 31 games. A mid-season trade sent him to Sioux City, where he produced 34 points (10G, 24A) in 32 games while serving as an alternate captain with the Musketeers. Despite spending just half the season with Sioux City, his +17 rating led the team, his 24 assists were second most among Musketeers and his 34 points tied for third most.

2011-12:

• He played in seven games for the Green Bay Gamblers, recording zero points.
• Playing in an injury shortened senior season for Duluth East (MN-HS), he recorded 35 points (11G, 24A) in 20 games in helping the Greyhounds to a 5th place finish at the Minnesota State HS AA Hockey Tournament.
• In the fall of 2011 he participated in the Upper Midwest High School Elite League, leading Team North in both goals (13) and points (25) in 24 games played.

2010-11:

• As a junior at Duluth East, he led the 'Hounds in scoring with 69 points (28G, 41A) in 30 games, helping them to a runner-up finish at the 2011 Minnesota State HS AA Hockey Tournament. In the state championship game he scored both Greyhound goals in a 3-2 triple OT loss to Eden Prairie.

2009-10:

• As a high school sophomore, he produced 15 points (7G, 8A) in 29 games for Duluth East, which finished 5th at the Minnesota State HS AA Hockey Tournament.

Signings, Awards, Etc.

Signings:

• Danny Kristo signed a two-year Entry Level Contract with the Montreal Canadiens Wednesday. He has reported to Hamilton, the Canadiens' AHL affiliate, and he is expected to be in action tonight when the Bulldogs take on San Antonio. He is excited to take on this new challenge.
• Captain Andrew MacWilliam signed a two-year ELC with the Toronto Maple Leafs Wednesday and he will report to the Toronto Marlies, their AHL affiliate.
• Former Sioux captain Chris Porter signed a two-year, one way contract with St. Louis yesterday. It is the first one way deal for Porter, who celebrated the signing by picking up a pair of assists in the Blues' 4-3 shootout win over Chicago last night.
• North Dakota junior defenseman Derek Forbort is expected to forsake his senior year of eligibility and sign with the Los Angeles Kings, who will be making a push to get their former first round pick into the fold.
• Dillon Simpson tweeted his intentions of returning to North Dakota for his senior season.

Awards:

• Danny Kristo was named the College Hockey News Player of the Year this week. He was also named to the All-CHN First Team, while linemate Corban Knight made the All-CHN Second Team.
• The Ontario Reign's Mario Lamoureux led all ECHL rookies with 65 points (25G, 40A) this season and was named to the ECHL All-Roookie Team. Lamoureux, who was a very impressive +30 on the season, also finished second in the ECHL Rookie of the Year voting.
• Michael Forney of the Colorado Eagles finished the ECHL season with 79 points (35G, 44A) in 71 games, and for his efforts he was named to the All-ECHL First Team. Forney's 79 points were second most in the league while his 35 goals were the fourth most.
• Aaron Dell of the Allen Americans led the CHL in GAA (2.30) and finished second with a save percentage of .916, numbers good enough to earn him CHL Most Outstanding Goaltender honors for the 2012-13 season. He was also named to the All-CHL Team and the CHL All-Rookie Team.

Etc:

• Former Sioux great Tony Hrkac came in at number five among the Top 35 All-Time Milwaukee Admirals (AHL).
• Zach Parise recently took part in a Q&A with ESPN.
• Evan Trupp's Alaskan homecoming was a good move for the ECHL's Alaska Aces.
• Matt Greene is recovering nicely from back surgery and could return to the LA King lineup in time for the postseason.