2020–21 Alaska Nanooks men's ice hockey season

2020–21 Alaska Nanooks
men's ice hockey season
ConferenceWCHA
Home iceCarlson Center
Rankings
USCHONR
USA TodayNR
Record
Coaches and captains
Head coachErik Largen
Assistant coachesJoe Howe
Lenny Hoffman
Josh Erickson
Eric Yancey
Alaska Nanooks men's ice hockey seasons
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The 2020–21 Alaska Nanooks men's ice hockey season would have been the 72nd season of play for the program, the 37th at the Division I level and the 8th in the WCHA conference. The Nanooks represented the University of Alaska Fairbanks.

Season[edit]

Due to health concerns as a result of the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, Alaska notified the WCHA on December 11, shortly before it was scheduled to begin its season, that the university had decided to suspend its program for the season.[1] The NCAA had previously announced that all winter sports athletes would retain whatever eligibility they possessed through at least the following year.[2] Less than a week after Alaska's announcement, the NCAA approved a change in its transfer regulations that would allow players to transfer and play immediately rather than having to sit out a season, as the rules previously required.[3] Because of this, players who would have been members of Alaska for the 2021 season had a pathway to leave the program and immediately play for another university.

Departures[edit]

Player Position Nationality Cause
Brennan Blaszczak Forward  United States Signed Professional Contract (Pensacola Ice Flyers)
Tyler Cline Forward  United States Graduation
Logan Coomes Forward  United States Graduation (signed with Marseille)
James LaDouce Defenseman  United States Graduation
Emil Gransøe Goaltender  Denmark Retired
Kylar Hope Forward  Canada Graduation
Steven Jandric Forward  Canada Transfer (Denver)
Colton Leiter Forward/Defenseman  Canada Graduation (signed with Visby/Roma HK)
Kyle Marino Forward  Canada Graduation
Anton Martinsson Goaltender  Sweden Graduate Transfer (Providence)
Max Newton Forward  Canada Transfer (Merrimack)
Tristan Thompson Defenseman  Canada Graduation (signed with Marseille)
Troy Van Tetering Forward  Canada Graduation
Jack Weiss Defenseman  United States Graduation
Justin Young Forward  Canada Transfer (American International)

Recruiting[edit]

Player Position Nationality Age Notes
Daniel Allin Goaltender  Canada 20 Edmonton, AB
Roberts Bļugers Forward  Latvia 22 Riga, LAT; transfer from Lake Superior State
Jakob Breault Forward  Canada 20 Acton Vale, PQ
Antonio Di Paolo Defenseman  Canada 21 La Ronge, SK
Harrison Israels Forward  Canada 21 Mississauga, ON
Matt Koethe Forward  United States 21 Minnetonka, MN
Riley Murphy Forward  United States 20 Rockford, MI
Brayden Nicholetts Forward  Canada 21 Spruce Grove, AB
Brady Risk Forward  Canada 21 Spruce Grove, AB
Anton Rubtsov Forward  Russia 21 St. Petersburg, RUS
Austin Ryman Forward  United States 19 Fairbanks, AK

† played junior hockey or equivalent during 2020–21 season.

Roster[edit]

As of January 31, 2021.[4]

No. S/P/C Player Class Pos Height Weight DoB Hometown Previous team NHL rights
1 Alberta Daniel Allin Freshman G 6' 2" (1.88 m) 185 lb (84 kg) 2000-02-11 Edmonton, Alberta Drumheller (AJHL)
4 Latvia Kristaps Jākobsons Sophomore D 6' 0" (1.83 m) 202 lb (92 kg) 1996-12-25 Tukums, Latvia Zemgale (LHL)
5 Latvia Markuss Komuls Sophomore D 5' 10" (1.78 m) 187 lb (85 kg) 1998-01-04 Talsi, Latvia Kenai River (NAHL)
6 Sweden Didrik Henbrandt Sophomore F 5' 10" (1.78 m) 169 lb (77 kg) 1998-04-10 Linköping, Sweden Minot (NAHL)
7 Ontario Garrett Pyke Sophomore D 6' 1" (1.85 m) 190 lb (86 kg) 1999-08-01 Toronto, Ontario Oakville (OJHL)
8 Illinois Jordan Muzzillo Junior D 6' 0" (1.83 m) 185 lb (84 kg) 1997-03-24 Capron, Illinois Springfield (NAHL)
10 Latvia Ēriks Žohovs Sophomore F 6' 0" (1.83 m) 196 lb (89 kg) 1997-11-26 Riga, Latvia Zemgale (LHL)
11 Alberta Brady Risk Freshman F 5' 9" (1.75 m) 175 lb (79 kg) 1999-03-16 Medicine Hat, Alebrta Drumheller (AJHL)
12 Michigan Caleb Hite Junior F 5' 11" (1.8 m) 185 lb (84 kg) 1997-02-11 Grand Blanc, Michigan Fairbanks (NAHL)
13 Sweden Filip Fornåå Svensson Sophomore F 6' 4" (1.93 m) 205 lb (93 kg) 1999-01-05 Linköping, Sweden Linköpings J20 (J20 SuperElit)
14 Russia Anton Rubtsov Freshman F 5' 10" (1.78 m) 165 lb (75 kg) 1999-03-06 Saint Petersburg, Russia Shreveport (NAHL)
15 Saskatchewan Antonio DiPaolo Freshman F 5' 11" (1.8 m) 190 lb (86 kg) 1999-01-14 Saskatoon, Saskatchewan Aberdeen (NAHL)
16 British Columbia Chase Dubois Sophomore F 5' 9" (1.75 m) 160 lb (73 kg) 1998-03-12 Williams Lake, British Columbia West Kelowna (BCHL)
17 Ontario Colin Doyle Junior F 5' 10" (1.78 m) 185 lb (84 kg) 1998-05-12 Campbellford, Ontario Wellington (OJHL)
18 Michigan Riley Murphy Freshman F 6' 0" (1.83 m) 192 lb (87 kg) 1999-10-29 Rockford, Michigan Aberdeen (NAHL)
23 Latvia Roberts Kaļķis Sophomore D 6' 1" (1.85 m) 210 lb (95 kg) 1998-12-22 Riga, Latvia Rīga (MHL)
24 Ontario Harrison Israels Freshman F 6' 1" (1.85 m) 200 lb (91 kg) 1999-09-01 Mississauga, Ontario Oakville (OJHL)
25 Finland Antti Virtanen Junior F 6' 0" (1.83 m) 185 lb (84 kg) 1998-03-14 Kittilä, Finland Sioux Falls (USHL)
27 Latvia Roberts Bļugers Sophomore F 6' 3" (1.91 m) 185 lb (84 kg) 1998-08-03 Riga, Latvia Lake Superior State (WCHA)
28 Alberta Brayden Nicholetts Freshman F 5' 11" (1.8 m) 180 lb (82 kg) 1999-08-27 Spruce Grove, Alberta Spruce Grove (AJHL)
29 British Columbia Chris Jandric Junior D 5' 11" (1.8 m) 179 lb (81 kg) 1998-10-03 Prince George, British Columbia Vernon (BCHL)
30 Latvia Gustavs Dāvis Grigals Junior G 6' 2" (1.88 m) 189 lb (86 kg) 1998-07-22 Riga, Latvia Shreveport (NAHL)
31 Alaska Austin Ryman Freshman G 5' 10" (1.78 m) 185 lb (84 kg) 2000-11-20 Fairbanks, Alaska Fairbanks Ice Dogs (NAHL)
37 Quebec Jakob Breault Freshman F 5' 11" (1.8 m) 180 lb (82 kg) 1999-10-04 Acton Vale, Quebec Aberdeen (NAHL)
40 Minnesota Matt Koethe Freshman F 5' 10" (1.78 m) 185 lb (84 kg) 1999-09-28 Minnetonka, Minnesota Fairbanks (NAHL)

Standings[edit]

Conference record Overall record
GP W L T OTW OTL 3/SW PTS GF GA GP W L T GF GA
#4 Minnesota State 14 13 1 0 1 1 0 39 56 15 27 22 5 1 100 46
#14 Lake Superior State * 14 9 5 0 2 2 0 27 39 34 29 19 7 3 86 63
#18 Bowling Green 14 8 5 1 0 2 0 27 46 34 31 20 10 1 108 67
#10 Bemidji State 14 8 5 1 3 2 0 24 42 34 29 16 10 3 82 70
Michigan Tech 14 7 7 0 1 0 0 20 38 35 30 17 12 1 78 63
Northern Michigan 14 6 7 1 2 2 1 20 40 47 29 11 17 1 79 103
Alabama–Huntsville 14 3 11 0 1 0 0 8 18 49 22 3 18 1 31 80
Ferris State 14 0 13 1 0 1 1 3 28 59 25 1 23 1 55 103
Alaska 0 - - - - - - - - - 0 - - - - -
Alaska Anchorage 0 - - - - - - - - - 0 - - - - -
Championship: March 20, 2021
† indicates conference regular season champion
* indicates conference tournament champion
Rankings: USCHO.com Top 20 Poll

Schedule and Results[edit]

Season Cancelled

References[edit]

  1. ^ "Alaska opts out of 2020-21 hockey season, citing health concerns". USCHO.com. December 11, 2020. Retrieved January 31, 2021.
  2. ^ "NCAA approves blanket waiver for 2020 fall sports athletes to retain year of eligibility". CBS Sports. August 21, 2020. Retrieved January 25, 2021.
  3. ^ "DI Council grants waiver to allow transfer student-athletes to compete immediately". NCAA. December 16, 2020. Retrieved January 25, 2021.
  4. ^ "2020–21 Men's Ice Hockey Roster". University of Alaska Fairbanks Athletics. Retrieved July 3, 2017.