10 area players to watch in North Dakota boys hockey

Nov. 26—GRAND FORKS — The Grand Forks schools have met for the boys hockey state championship in each of the last two seasons.

Both squads are loaded with talent again this season.

Here are the Herald's 10 North Dakota area players to watch for 2025-26.

Cooper Deziel, GF Central: The all-state forward racked up 25 goals and 51 points for the Knights last season. He's the second-leading returning scorer in the state.

Westin Nielson, GF Central: Nielson, playing his first year of varsity hockey, earned all-state honors. The Knights' goaltender finished with a 2.18 goals-against average and a .905 save percentage.

Ryder Rivard, GF Central: The junior forward scored 13 goals and tallied 33 points in 27 games last season for the Knights. He's also been a standout for Team North Dakota.

Nolan Marto, GF Central: Marto is a newcomer to the high school hockey scene, but the sophomore should be impactful right away. Marto lit up the bantam level, tallying 64 goals and 126 points in 50 games last season.

Brekkin Hultberg, GF Red River: The all-state defenseman tallied eight goals and 24 points for the state-champion Roughriders last season. Hultberg was Red River's top-scoring defenseman last season.

Griffen Haagenson, GF Red River: Haagenson is the top returning scorer for the Roughriders. The forward scored 16 goals and tallied 33 points in 26 games last season.

Caden Ulmer, GF Red River: The Roughriders lost forward Tyson Ulmer to graduation, but his younger brother, Caden, is back for his junior season. Caden scored eight goals and tallied 24 points as a sophomore.

Noah Troftgruben, Grafton-Park River: With James Larson off to Northstar Christian Academy, Troftgruben will take center stage for the Spoilers. The junior forward tallied 20 goals and 38 points as a sophomore last season.

Weston Stromme, Devils Lake: Stromme led Devils Lake in scoring as a sophomore, scoring 15 goals and tallying 37 points in 24 games.

Wyatt Heskin, May-Port: The senior forward averaged more than a goal per game last season for May-Port, tallying 28 goals in 24 games. He factored in on nearly half of May-Port's goals last season (40 of 88).