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GRAND FORKS — The NHL Draft was held this weekend in Montreal, putting a spotlight on players who were selected by NHL teams.
UND will have 12 of them on this season's roster.
But it's not just the drafted players who are catching the eyes of NHL organizations.
Five UND players who are undrafted free agents have accepted invites to participate in NHL development camps this summer.
Forward Riese Gaber, UND's leading scorer last season, will participate with the Boston Bruins. After he's done in Boston, he will meet with the Detroit Red Wings. Gaber, who is entering his junior season, is expected to become one of college hockey's most coveted free agents whenever he decides to leave school.
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Defenseman and alternate captain Ethan Frisch will participate with the Washington Capitals. Frisch, who is entering his senior season, is coming off of a strong junior year. Frisch scored nine goals and tallied 15 points in 36 games, becoming a force on UND's power play.
Forward and captain Mark Senden will participate with his hometown Minnesota Wild. Senden, who will be a fifth-year senior, has had plenty of success in St. Paul already. He captained Wayzata High School to its first-ever boys hockey state title in Xcel Energy Center, home of the Wild.
Forward Louis Jamernik will participate with the Tampa Bay Lightning. Jamernik has played a season and a half at UND and has been an good find for the Fighting Hawks out of Okotoks in the Alberta Junior Hockey League. Jamernik had nine goals and 19 points in 37 games last season.
Defenseman Chris Jandric will participate with the Arizona Coyotes. Jandric, also entering his fifth-year senior season, transferred to UND last summer from Alaska (Fairbanks). Jandric became a mainstay in the top four of UND's blue line last season.
A number of players in recent years have come to UND as undrafted prospects and left with NHL contracts.
Among them are Matt Kiersted (Florida Panthers), Jordan Kawaguchi (Dallas Stars), Adam Scheel (Dallas Stars), Cole Smith (Nashville Predators), Colton Poolman (Calgary Flames), Cam Johnson (New Jersey Devils), Drake Caggiula (Edmonton Oilers) and Troy Stecher (Vancouver Canucks).
Kiersted, Kawaguchi, Caggiula and Stecher were All-Americans at UND. Kawaguchi also was a Hobey Baker Award Hat Trick finalist.
UND players are expected to begin arriving on campus after their NHL development camps to prepare for the upcoming season. The Fighting Hawks open with an exhibition game Oct. 1 against the University of Manitoba. They open the regular season Oct. 7-8 against Holy Cross in Ralph Engelstad Arena.
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