Darren Zary
Saskatoon StarPhoenix
Landon Kosior is a Dog once again.
The star defenceman — who earlier this summer committed to play for the NCAA Division 1 University of Nebraska-Omaha Mavericks — is back with the University of Saskatchewan Huskies men’s hockey team, which began training camp this week at Merlis Belsher Place.
“He’s here, ready to go, which is great,” says Huskies head coach Brandin Cote.
While Kosior is back in, fellow defenceman Hudson Thornton is out.
The blue-chip blueline recruit, who has American Hockey League and ECHL experience, is now heading south.
The former pro is taking advantage of ever-changing NCAA eligibility rules and a new hockey landscape, with the prospect of NCAA student-athletes cashing in on so-called NIL (Name-Likeness-Image) compensation money.
“I think Bemidji is where he’s been courted to. I don’t how that’s happened, but that’s what’s going on,” said Cote, who has since brought in two additional blueline recruits.
The Huskies have welcomed former Saskatoon Blades captain and defenceman Ben Saunderson, who de-committed from the NCAA’s Quinnipiac University,
Plus there’s Saskatoon product and former WHL assistant captain Karter Prosofsky, who spent last season playing professionally in Italy.
It’s all part of the topsy-turvy college hockey world, one in which the reigning Canada West-champion Huskies continue to stick-handle their way through as one of the pre-season favourites in conference and U Sports ranks.
The return of Kosior and the addition of Saunderson and Prosofsky, plus fellow recruits Eric Johnston and Nicholas Andrusiak, gives the Huskies a plethora of depth on the blueline. Both Ty Prefontaine and Gunner Kinniburgh have decided to return for their fifth and final year of U Sports eligibility, along with fourth-year Huskie Rhett Rhinehart.
They’re joined by youngsters Logan Bairos, Mac Gross and Cole Jordan.
Up front, the team graduated captain Justin Ball and Vincent Loschiavo, while Trevor Wong left for the NCAA. On the back end, Parker Gavlas left to play pro. Goalie Roddy Ross has also gone pro, and backup Ethan Chadwick decided to move on.
Other newcomers include forwards Conner Roulette, a former 100-point player in the WHL who played minor pro last season, and Zac Somers, a NCAA de-commit from the Melfort Mustangs, along with netminders Bryce Thomson (a former ECHL and AHL pro) and James Venne, another NCAA de-commit.
Returnees up front include Chantz Petruic, Dawson Holt, Josh Pillar, Carter Stebbings, Raphael Pelletier, Liam Keeler, Keaton Sorensen, Ethan Regnier, Ben Tkachuk, Chase Bertholet, Ashton Ferster, Jarrett Penner, Cade Hayes and Braxton Buckberger.
Petruic, Holt and Penner are entering their final year of eligibility, while Keeler and Regnier are playing their fourth.
“This is sort of where you’re at numbers-wise, so there may be a red-shirt or two in there,” Cote says. “We’ve got to sort it out. We’ve got our group at training camp, and we’ve always fostered that internal competitiveness to earn opportunity. That’s the message going forward here right now.”
The team practises daily this week, with a Green and White scrimmage Friday, and continues Monday to Thursday next week.
There are nine skates in total before the team departs for a four-game exhibition trip to Europe on Aug. 29.
“It’s going to be a great experience for everybody to go there and do that. An opportunity for guys to get in and play against some good teams,” Cote says. “It’s going to be where people fit in the scheme of things, and that typically sorts itself out as you go through the pre-season into the early part of the year.”
The Huskies will arrive in Budapest on August 30, practice that evening and play their first game on Aug. 31.
“Who knows, the way the last couple of weeks have gone, there may be another update or two as we go,” said Cote.
“For right now, we’ve settled in to what we’ve got and we’re quite happy with the group.”
