Despite not seeing any USHL action last spring, Zellers previously scored in his USHL debut – April 11, 2023 – and came into this season averaging a goal-per-game with the Green Bay Gamblers.

While it’s a pace that seems unsustainable over a full season, Zellers is flirting with exactly that through 36 games.

“I didn’t really know what to expect with it being my first full year here, but I came in with an open mind and just wanted to produce for my team and help us win hockey games,” Zellers said. “So it’s gone pretty well, individually and as a team, and I’m having a ton of fun so far.”

Pretty well is an understatement for Zellers, as the North Dakota commit leads the USHL with 32 goals and his 52 points rank third.

Zellers – a third-round pick (2024) of the Colorado Avalanche – hasn’t gone more than two consecutive games without a point and has 16 multi-point efforts. He’s also coming off a six-point (3-3-6) week and leads the league with six game-winning tallies.

After missing Green Bay’s first four games in September, he returned on Oct. 4, scoring three goals over his first two games. He’s continued producing from there.

“In the beginning it was pretty tough and it’s a big jump from the U18 level to the USHL, and obviously I was still coming back from my injury too,” Zellers said. “You get a lot less time and space with the puck and in the corner, and the guys are faster, stronger and more mature. So you have to adjust to that and be at your best every shift. But I think I’ve been able to adjust pretty well.”

It’s no secret the fast start helped Zellers’ confidence and it’s continued to grow. He’s been a factor every night for the Gamblers, even going back to his debut.

Green Bay’s staff has always liked his offensive instincts and competitiveness – which led them to select him in the 2022 USHL Phase I Draft.

He’s flashed both of those traits this season and as each game goes by, he only makes that pick look better.

“You look at his numbers and what he’s doing from an offensive standpoint, and honestly, it’s incredible,” said Green Bay head coach Pat McCadden. “Coming into this season he was no-contact in training camp and he missed the first four games as he was still coming back from his injury, and we didn’t know what to expect right away. But he scored three goals in the first two games and he’s never looked back. He’s just an unbelievably talented player.”

Will Zellers had 160 points (76-84-160) over 91 U18 games at Shattuck-St. Mary’s, and that production has followed him to the USHL this season. “I think I’m at my best when I’m using my skating and speed to drive the play and be on top of the defense,” he said. “I like to shoot the puck and I’d consider myself a shot-first guy, so my game really feeds off that and I try to be the first person on the puck and have the puck on my stick.” (Photo courtesy of Green Bay Gamblers)

Taking Steps
Zellers will be the first to admit his game is far from a finished product, and he’s especially prioritized his play away from the puck – which he still wants to improve before making the jump to college.

McCadden and assistant coach Mason Baptista both praised Zellers for his growth this season, citing his work ethic and coachability. He’s a natural goal scorer and thrives in the offensive zone, but he’s also taken pride in his play defensively.

“I think the most impressive part of Will’s game is how competitive he is,” McCadden said. “He wants to score so bad and he’s always willing to work for it, and at times he just wills the puck into the net. And I think that bleeds into his overall game.

“We’ve seen him play more of an effective, hard defensive game and he stays on pucks, and he’s improved in all three zones. So I think that’s helped him create more offense as well.”

Both coaches want to see him continue killing plays defensively and use his skating to his advantage, especially as a winger.

At the same time, Zellers’ game has plenty to like. Whether that’s his ability to read goalies, go to the net, win 1-on-1 battles, or choose the right play with the puck on his stick – which Baptista added sets Zellers apart.

“You look at his body of work from where he started this season to now, and it’s impressive. But it’s also not surprising when you see him work every day,” Baptista said. “He had the injury and didn’t get to start on time like everyone else, and you figured it would take some time. But he was able to get past it and move forward right away, and he’s really found his game.

“I think we’ve seen him consistently create chances and opportunities, and he’s learning how to adapt his game too. Regardless of the coverage he’s getting from other teams, he’s continued to produce, and that’s really a sign of a special player.”

Will Zellers and Aidan Park were teammates at Shattuck-St. Mary’s and developed plenty of chemistry, which has followed them to Green Bay. “I think Will’s game has skyrocketed over the last few years and he’s improved a ton, and he’s having an unbelievable year,” Park said. “He’s super competitive and a really good hockey player, but he’s also a really supportive friend and is always there for you, and he’s someone that’s just fun to be around.” (Photo courtesy of Green Bay Gamblers)

Bright Future Ahead
Zellers immediate focus is on this season. He wants to help Green Bay hoist the Clark Cup and develop his game, both on and off the ice.

However, he’s certainly looking forward to his future in Grand Forks. His parents, Kim and Kurt, grew up in North Dakota and went to UND, and Zellers attended a number of games at Ralph Engelstad Arena as a kid.

He grew up idolizing Zach Parise and later Brock Boeser, and his dog is even named after the latter. Zellers quipped he needed two more dogs so he could have his own CBS line, in honor of UND’s Drake Caggiula–Boeser–Nick Schmaltz combination.

Zellers initially committed to Boston University at 16 years old but had a change of heart, and he decided between Minnesota and North Dakota. The final decision was an easy one.

“It was a pretty fulfilling decision,” Zellers said. “Growing up as a kid and going to games at The Ralph, and now being able to play there this coming fall myself, it’s surreal. I know everyone in my family is really looking forward to it.”

Will Zellers’ dream school has always been North Dakota, where he will play next fall. He remembers first putting on skates around age 2 and joked that he learned how to skate before he could walk. He grew up skating on an outdoor rink every winter and has been obsessed with the sport since he was 5. (Photo courtesy of the Zellers Family)

So are those closest to him in Green Bay.

“I think he’s going to go into North Dakota and score right away, and he’s an extremely gifted offensive player,” McCadden said. “I know they’re excited to get him, and they should be, and I think he has the ability to do a lot of the same things he’s done for us this year. So I’m really excited for his college career and he certainly has the talent and ability to play professionally. I’m very excited for the kid’s future.”

Whatever that future holds there’s one thing Zellers plans to continue doing: Working. It’s what’s got him to this point and led to his success this winter.

“When I was little I was never on the Squirt A or AA team or the Peewee AA team, and I was always on the B teams, so I was never one of the top kids in my age group. But I think my path has made where I am today a lot more satisfying and helped my development,” Zellers said. “I’ve had to work a little bit harder and earn everything, and I’ve always been able to go back to those foundations. But that’s something I can take with me forever.”

The post Will The Thrill appeared first on Minnesota Hockey Magazine.

However, another set are hoping to add their names to the list next season in Tanner and Ty Henricks.

Tanner, an 18-year-old defenseman, is currently in his second USHL season with the Lincoln Stars and is a St. Cloud State commit. Ty, a 19-year-old forward, is one of 10 freshmen on Western Michigan’s roster and has played in 12 games this season – scoring once and adding a trio of assists.

While both are focused on their current seasons, they’d be lying if either said the thought of a sibling showdown hasn’t crossed their minds.

“Me and my brother have been dreaming about this since we first touched the ice, and I feel like it’ll be a dream come true,” Tanner said. “We got to play twice last year (in the USHL) and it was great, but we’ve both always wanted to play college hockey and to hopefully play against each other the next few years will be awesome.”

Added Ty, who is the older brother by 13 months: “It’ll be exciting, and I know we’re both looking forward to it. Obviously, you love competing with your brother, and I’ll probably give him a couple tough hits – But in all seriousness, it’s going to be special for our family.”

Ty Henricks made his NCAA debut on Oct. 11 against Ferris State and has played in all 12 of Western Michigan’s games. “I could not be more excited to have Ty Henricks as a Bronco,” said Western Michigan coach Pat Ferschweiler. “Ty has size, hands, hockey sense and is taking steps every day toward becoming a great college player. His coachability and work ethic will allow him to live his dream of playing pro hockey.” (Photo courtesy of Kayla Schuberth / Western Michigan Athletics)

California natives moved to the State of Hockey
It’s a matchup that’s played out countless times in the backyard and on youth hockey rinks, along with numerous summer skates.

As Tanner mentioned, the two played last season in the USHL, too. Tanner and Ty were with Lincoln and Muskegon, respectively, and split their two-game set in late January.

Both look forward to competing again, this time at college hockey’s highest level. But while they’re fierce competitors, the reality is they’re also each other’s biggest supporters.

“I love him to death, and I wouldn’t want anyone else as my brother,” said Ty, who added the two usually talk at least four times a week. “He’s a great player, great person, and I couldn’t be happier to see where he’s at in his career.

“He’s followed what I’ve done for a long time, but he’s also got his own path and works really hard. I know we’re both happy to see each other succeed and be where we are today.”

The two grew up in California, playing roller and ice hockey, before moving to Minnesota in 2016. They played baseball and flag football back home before focusing predominantly on hockey.

The brothers were 10 and 11 at the time of the move and spent roughly six years living in the State of Hockey, and both echoed how thankful they are to their parents for the experience. Tanner is looking forward to returning to the state at SCSU too.

Tanner Henricks played in 59 games during his USHL rookie campaign. “It was a big jump last season, especially with the speed and strength of guys, but I feel like my teammates and coaches really helped me and pushed me to get better,” he said. “They didn’t take it easy on me, and I’m really thankful for that, and I think that’s helped me a lot this season.” (Photo courtesy of Brandon Anderson / Lincoln Stars)

Although their father, Scott, grew up watching hockey in Chicago, Tanner and Ty are the first two members of their family to ever play the game. Ty started skating at age 5 and Tanner followed suit just a few weeks later, as he joked he “got jealous” and wanted to try the sport himself.

Their careers have eerily similar paths, too, from Shattuck-St. Mary’s back home to the Anaheim Ducks AAA program and into the USHL. Both are also now NHL Draft picks – Ty going in 2023 (New York Rangers, sixth round) and Tanner following this past summer (Columbus, fourth round).

They’ve been there for each other every step of the way and Ty will once again get to play the role of big brother next fall when it’s Tanner’s turn to make the jump to college.

“I think it’s been a big thing for both of us, because we’ve been able to lean on each other not just as brothers, but also hockey players,” Ty said. “Tanner talks to me all the time and we can ask each other questions when we’re struggling or just want to talk about games and bounce stuff off each other, and I think that’s part of why our relationship is so good.

“We can talk hockey and we can talk life, and at the end of the day, we’re brothers and best friends.”

Leaning on each other
Having someone in your corner with first-hand experience is never a bad thing either – especially leading up to something like the NHL draft.

“He was a big help and we talked a lot throughout the process,” Tanner said. “There’s stuff during the season we talked about, but even after a few (pre-draft) interviews, I asked him a couple of the questions to see if he got asked anything similar or what he’d say. He was just always there if I needed him and really helped me through the process.”

Tanner Henricks has two goals, five assists and is a minus-4 to open his second USHL season. “I thought he played his best hockey of the year last year in the playoffs, but he’s playing with a lot more confidence this year,” said Lincoln coach Rocky Russo. “His gaps have gotten better, he’s trusting his feet more and as a second-year player, it’s hard, because you put more pressure and expectations on yourself. But I think Tanner’s done a good job of handling everything. (Photo courtesy of Sammy Miller / Lincoln Stars)

While they might not have thought much of it over the years, the brothers playing different positions from each other has also been a blessing in disguise.

“It’s nice because with me being a forward and him being a (defenseman), we’ve always been able to go one-on-one and go against each other,” Ty said. “I think that brings out the competitive side of us, but it also helps each other, and I think we’ve been able to work on things and help each other out.”

As the holidays creep closer and both the USHL and NCAA seasons near their break, the two are looking forward to getting back together. Tanner and Ty last saw each other in early September but will get a chance to head home for Christmas.

Sure, some friendly jabs and banter will be thrown back-and-forth. At the end of the day, it’s what comes with being brothers. But the time also gives them a chance to bond and reflect on where they’re at in their budding careers.

No matter what happens the next few years and beyond, the two will forever be linked by the name on the back of their jerseys, and they wouldn’t want it any other way.

“Every time I step on the ice I’m doing it for my family, and I know Ty has the same mindset,” Tanner said. “Our parents especially sacrificed so much and put us in a position to be where we are today, and I know we’ll forever be thankful for that.

“They gave everything for us, so we want to do the same and make everyone in our family proud. And I know both of us have put in a lot of work to get where we are and we’re always rooting for each other.”

The post The Henricks Connection appeared first on Minnesota Hockey Magazine.

“Dan loved to throw the puck behind his back, and I’ll just say I wasn’t a huge fan,” Ward said, with a laugh. “I remember his first year he gave the puck right to the other team a few times, and he’d come back to the bench with this look on his face that he knew I was gonna bark at him a little bit, and I did. But that was part of his maturation process as a player.

“I would tell him to save that move for men’s league in the future and I’m sure he’s still tried it a couple times since, but he got better with time. We still laugh about it today and Daniel Shlaine is one of my favorite kids that’s ever played here.”

However, eliminating those passes was just one part of what’s been a tremendous growing process, both as a hockey player and a person.

Shlaine first moved from Moscow, Russia to Faribault at 13 years old with his parents, Ekaterina and Dmitri, to join his older brother, Artem – who is currently a grad student at Arizona State. Artem, who also attended Shattuck-St. Mary’s, split his first four NCAA seasons between UCONN and Northern Michigan and is a New Jersey Devils draft pick (2020, fifth-round).

As for Daniel, he spent five years at Shattuck and the past two seasons with the U18 Prep Team, scoring 42 goals and racking up 146 points over 110 games. He also registered 44 points (19-25-44) over 57 games with the 16U AAA team in 2021-22.

While there have certainly been adjustments on the ice, living in North America was an adjustment in itself, especially early on.

“I was very fortunate to be at Shattuck because everyone knew what they were doing and everyone was so helpful,” Shlaine said. “I didn’t really know much English my freshman year, and I didn’t really know anybody or have many friends, and the size of the rink was different from the European sheet. So, it was just a lot different. But after probably three or four months I was able to adapt and felt comfortable.

“I ended up spending my whole five years of high school there and played with some of the best kids in the country, and the coaching staff is unbelievable. It’s easy to say yes when you have the opportunity to go there and they have everything for you to succeed. You just have to take advantage of it.”

Daniel Shlaine started figure skating as a 3-year-old kid in Russia and shifted to hockey a year later, eventually moving to the United States and Minnesota at age 13. “He quickly became a rink rat, and he was at the rink every day skating and working on his game,” said SSM coach Tom Ward. “He spent a lot of time in the weight room, too and just took advantage of all the perks we have here at Shattuck, and it paid off for him.” (Photo courtesy of Sammy Miller / Lincoln Stars)

Those last four words are exactly what Shlaine did.

“He was a kid that came here with his older brother and his family and honestly, he was just an average player,” Ward said. “He was nothing special as a young player, and he was always Arty’s little brother, but he started to break out his 16-year-old year and put the work in.

“He started to understand how he could be the best version of himself and he just continued to grow, and it was really fun to watch him.”

That growth certainly raised some eyebrows last season as Shlaine received plenty of college interest and ultimately committed to Minnesota Duluth in March. He cited the coaching staff, specifically Scott Sandelin, and UMD’s tradition as his biggest reasons for picking the Bulldogs.

A leader on the Stars
Shlaine had conversations with a number of junior teams last season, too, and was selected by the Lincoln Stars in the USHL Phase II Draft (fourth overall) last May.

He’s made an immediate impact with his new club.

“I was excited to get drafted this past summer and get started, obviously new faces and new coaches, but my time (in Lincoln) has been great so far,” Shlaine said. “Everyone has helped me out a lot and I’ve been able to feel really comfortable, and we’re having a pretty good start to the season too. So, hopefully we can keep it going.”

The UMD commit is averaging more than a point per game to open his USHL career and leads the Stars in points (13) and assists (8). His five goals and plus-7 rating are also tied for the team lead, and Shlaine already has four multi-point games.

Lincoln (9-2-0) currently owns the USHL’s best record and has outscored its opponents 43-25 through 11 games. It’s been a collective team effort.

However, Shlaine has been one of Lincoln’s individual standouts, and he’s certainly impressed head coach Rocky Russo and his staff.

“He’s so talented and you can tell he wants to be successful, and he certainly doesn’t look like a first-year player in our league,” Russo said. “He’s a little bit of an older guy as an ’05, but it’s still an extremely hard league, and it goes to show his hockey IQ and work ethic.

“He’s a great skater, he moves laterally so well, he’s good on the dots and he can play both power play and (penalty kill). He’s got a great brain, and he’s not afraid to advance pucks up the ice either, and he just wants to do whatever to help his team win.”

Daniel Shlaine was Lincoln’s first-round pick in the 2024 USHL Phase II Draft. “It’s kind of funny, but I talked to almost every other USHL team except Lincoln leading up to the draft,” Shlaine said. “I remember I was on my phone watching the draft and we were eating at the dining hall (at Shattuck), and when the Stars were on the clock, I put my phone down for a minute and got up. When I came back the guys started congratulating me, and I saw my name on the screen, and it’s worked out really well so far.” (Photo courtesy of Sammy Miller / Lincoln Stars)

It’s a continuation of what Shlaine showed in Faribault.

“He’s always been an intelligent kid, and he’s no different as a hockey player,” Ward said. “He’s a cerebral guy, and he sees what’s going on on the ice. He plays with vision, he understands how to play the team game, he’s a 200-foot player, and I think he’s a very solid defensive player. He’s just a true centerman and he can play in any situation, and you’re seeing that offensive side of his game too.

“I think you’ve seen his confidence grow and as he’s become more of a counted-on player, his personality has grown so much too. He’s a keeper of a kid.”

While Shlaine hopes to continue producing, he’s also aware the 62-game season will include its share of ups and downs – a challenge he’s ready to embrace.

His goals are to round out the little details of his game and be a consistent 200-foot center, along with winning the Clark Cup. Lincoln last did so in 2003.

However, it’s hard to ignore Shlaine’s start to the 2024-25 campaign.

“It’s been a good start, but there’s still a lot of season left and room to grow,” Shlaine said. “The USHL is a fast league and the guys are obviously bigger and stronger, so you know that you’re going against the best every night. So you just know you’ve got to work twice as hard and I’m excited for that challenge.

“But I think that prepares you well for college, and I’m excited to keep learning and developing my game. You don’t want to look too far ahead, but I’m excited to keep working towards and making that jump to college.”

The post Shattuck-St. Mary’s Shlaine Shines appeared first on Minnesota Hockey Magazine.