Potential 2026 top-5 pick Carson Carels (3rd-ranked North American skater) has committed to play the 2026-27 season at the University of North Dakota. He will join fellow draft prospect Keaton Verhoeff (4-ranked North American skater) on the blue line for the Fighting Hawks. Carels maintained his #3 rating in Central Scouting’s final rankings, and leapfrogged Verhoeff when he slipped from #2 to #4. OHL d-man Chase Reid of the Soo Greyhounds (the new #2) is the highest-ranked d-man in the draft.
This is an absolutely huge get for UND, as they add Carels to arguably the finest D-corps in college hockey. In addition to joining Verhoeff, Carels likely will be paired with former first-rounder EJ Emery (NYR), the 5th-rated prospect in the Rangers’ organization per Central Scouting. He will be tasked with helping to replace Jake Livanavage (PIT), who turned professional after being named an All-American in 2025-26. Livanavage is the most recent UND d-man to suit up in the NHL after his college career was over. Perhaps most notably is former UND d-man Jake Sanderson , who currently stars for Ottawa, and was a gold-medal winner on this season’s US Olympic squad.
While their d-men are exceptional, that is not the only thing the Fighting Hawks do well. 2025 first-rounder Cole Reschny (CGY) will return to UND following a point-per-game effort in his freshman season, to go along with his bronze medal-winning performance for Team Canada at the World Junior Championship.