MARQUETTE, Mich. - The Northern Michigan hockey has announced the addition of three transfers and eight freshmen to the team ahead of the 2023-24 season.
Transfers
Jeppe Urup
A 6'2" right-shot defenseman from Odense, Denmark, Mogensen joins the Wildcats from Sacred Heart University, where he registered 15 points in 54 games played over four years.
Jack Perbix
A 6'1" right-shot forward from Elk River, Minnesota, Perbix joins the Wildcats after playing all 29 games for the Western Michigan University Broncos in the 2022/23 season, where he tallied 19 points on six goals and 13 assists. Prior to Western Michigan, Perbix played three seasons at Minnesota, where he suited up for 103 games for the Golden Gophers. Perbix is a 2018 4th-round draft pick of the Anaheim Ducks.
Mitch Deelstra
A 6'0" left-shot forward from Wallace, Ontario, Deelstra joins the Wildcats as a transfer from Ferris State University. Deelstra comes into his fourth year of collegiate hockey off the back of career highs in goals (7) and points (13) in the 2022/23 season for the Bulldogs. In his collegiate career, Deelstra has 36 points in 87 games.
Freshmen
Viking Gustafsson Nyberg
A 6'6" left-shot defenseman from Sweden, Gustafsson joins the Wildcats from Leksands IF of the J20 Nationell, the highest-level junior ice hockey league in Sweden. In 42 games as an alternate captain last season, Gustafsson recorded six goals and 17 assists with a +24 rating. In two total seasons with Leksands, Gustafsson has recorded seven goals and 30 assists in 82 games.
Travis Hensrud
A 5'11" right-shot forward from Thunder Bay, Ontario, Hensrud joins the Wildcats after a successful season with the Steinbach Pistons of the Manitoba Junior Hockey League (MJHL). Heinsrud is coming off a career year, tallying 72 points (35 goals, 37 assists) in 55 games, finishing third across the MJHL in total points and goals. Over three seasons with the Pistons, Hensrud recorded 111 points in 109 games.
Matvei Kabanov
A 5'11" right-shot forward from Togliatti, Russia, Kabanov joins the Wildcats from Amurskie Tigry of the MHL, a major junior ice hockey league in Eurasia. In the 2022/23 season, Kabanov amassed 57 points on 27 goals and 30 assists in 53 games, finishing first on his team in points, goals, and assists. Across the MHL, Kabanov finished fourth in assists and eighth in total points.
Kevin Marx Norén
A 6'1" right-shot winger from Knivsta, Sweden, Norén has played his entire career in the North American Hockey League (NAHL), most recently with the Minnesota Wilderness. In his first game with the Wilderness, Marx Norén scored four goals in a 7-3 victory, setting a single game team record for the Wilderness. He then went on to set new Wilderness marks in single-season goals with 33, and power play tallies with 14. Marx Norén was named to the All-NAHL 2nd Team, and to the All Midwest Division Team. He also represented the Midwest Division in the 2023 Top Prospects Tournament last February. In the 2022/23 season, Norén led the Nahl in goals (34), ppg (14), was second in game winning goals (7), and ninth in total points (60).
Michael Mesic
A 5'11" left-shot center from Plymouth, Michigan, Mesic played one season in the NAHL with the North Iowa Bulls in the 2021/22 season. During the regular season, Mesic led all rookies in goals (18), assists (31), points (49), ppg (3), shg (2), and gwg (2). Mesic also led the Bulls in points, was second in assists and third in goals. Mesic then shifted to the USHL for the 2022/23 season, the top junior ice hockey league sanctioned by USA Hockey, where he put up five goals and 14 assists.
Brendan Poshak
A 5'8" right-shot forward from Green Bay, Wisconsin, Poshak joins the Wildcats after two seasons with the Brooks Bandits in the AJHL, Canada's best Junior A league when it comes to development. In 58 games during the 2022/23 regular season, Poshak put up 24 goals and 26 assists for 50 points. Poshak continued his success in the post season, putting up 14 points and leading his team in assists (11) in 15 games.
Grant Slukynsky
A 6'0" right-shot forward from Warroad, Minnesota, Slukynsky has played his entire junior career in the USHL, his last two seasons with the Sioux City Muskateers and team captain last year. In the 2022/23 season, Slukynsky was second on the Muskateers in goals with 21 and third with 48 points. Slukynsky recorded one goal and two assists for three points in two playoff games, leading his team in points. Before joining the Fargo Force, Slukynsky had 39 goals and 62 assists for 101 points in 31 games for Warroad high school.
Carsen Stokes
A 5'10" netminder from Prior Lake, Minnesota, Stokes joins the Wildcats from the New Mexico Ice Wolves of the NAHL. In the 2022/23 season, stokes posted a 17-13-3 record with a 2.90 GAA and a .908 SV%. Stokes made his junior hockey debut in 2020-21 with the North Iowa Bulls in the NA3HL. Stokes shined in the Fraser Cup Playoffs that season, as he led the Bulls to the Fraser Cup Championship with a 8-1-1 record in the playoffs. Stokes was named the Fraser Cup Championship Most Valuable Player and named to the All-Tournament Team. Stokes was named the NA3HL Rookie of the Year and also named to the 2020-21 All-NA3HL 2nd team that season.
