• University of North Dakota lands two top NHL prospects from WHL's Victoria Royals

    The CHL suffered a couple of big losses on Friday.

    The University of North Dakota got verbal commitments from Victoria Royals centre Cole Reschny, 18, and defenceman Keaton Verhoeff, 16, to play starting in the 2025-26 season, Brad Elliott Schlossman of the Grand Forks Herald reported.

    Reschny is considered a first-round prospect for this year's NHL Draft, while Verhoeff is in the conversation to go in the top 10 at next year's draft.

    Reschny follows a similar move earlier this month by Erie Otters forward and 2025 NHL Draft first-round prospect Malcolm Spence, who has committed to the University of Michigan.

    "I did a lot of talking with my family, my parents, my agent and ultimately, going to UND was the best decision," Reschny told the Herald. "I think it will best prepare me for the next level, which is the NHL one day."

    The five-foot-11 Reschny had 26 goals and 66 assists for 92 points in 62 regular-season games and then added 25 points (nine goals, 16 assists) in 11 WHL playoff games for Victoria this year.

    Reschny also had five goals and three assists in five games for gold medal-winning Canada at the world under-18 championship earlier this spring in Texas.

    The native of Macklin, Sask., was ranked 21st in Sam Cosentino's May rankings for the NHL Draft.

    The six-foot-four Verhoeff had 21 goals and 24 assists for 45 points in 63 regular-season games and one goal and nine assists in 11 playoff games. He also was a finalist for the WHL rookie of the year award.

    Verhoeff, from Fort Saskatchewan, Alta., said he discussed staying together with Reschny.

    "We talked a lot about our future," Verhoeff told the Herald. "We were thinking about going in together and that would be the best thing for us. We kind of already have that person we know going in."

    An NCAA rule change late last year makes CHL players eligible to play U.S. college hockey starting in the 2025-26 season. While it was mostly players without junior eligibility or overagers committing in the initial months after the rule change, several key players with eligibility left have announced moves in recent months.

    "When the rules change happened, I started to take a look at things," Reschny told the Herald. "I think everyone is taking a look at things and is open to the best options. I think seeing schools — the big ones like UND — you realize how much rich history there is and how many good players have come out of there and how they develop players with their facilities."

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