Six former Huskies make NHL rosters, 11 are in the AHL

NHL: Preseason-Detroit Red Wings at Washington Capitals — Washington Capitals defenseman Nick Jensen (3) celebrates with teammates after scoring a goal against the Detroit Red Wings in the second period on Oct. 5, 2022, at Capital One Arena.

By Mick Hatten

October 11, 2022 at 5:27 PM

Six former St. Cloud State standouts have made NHL opening night rosters and half of them are on one team.

Former Huskies Nic Dowd, Nick Jensen and Charlie Lindgren all begin the season with the Washington Capitals. Defenseman Will Borgen (Seattle Kraken), forward Ryan Poehling (Pittsburgh Penguins) and forward Blake Lizotte (L.A. Kings) are three Huskies who are also returning to NHL rosters.

NHL: Preseason-Buffalo Sabres at Washington Capitals — Buffalo Sabres center Dylan Cozens (24) passes the puck past Washington Capitals center Nic Dowd (26) during the second period on Sept. 25, 2022, at Capital One Arena.

Dowd, a 32-year-old center from Huntsville, Ala., is back for his fifth season with the Capitals. Dowd had 10 goals, a career-best 24 points and was a plus-10 in 64 regular season games for Washington last season. In 371 career NHL games, Dowd has 45 goals, 102 points, 178 penalty minutes and is a plus-9.

Jensen, a 32-year-old defenseman from Rogers, Minn., is back for his fifth season with Washington. Last season, Jensen had career bests in goals (5), points (21) and plus/minus (plus-21). He was tied for 18th in the NHL in plus/minus last sason. In 407 career NHL games, Jensen has 13 goals, 91 points, 108 penalty minutes and is a plus-27.

NHL: Preseason-Washington Capitals at Philadelphia Flyers — Philadelphia Flyers center Scott Laughton (21) battles for position against Washington Capitals goaltender Charlie Lindgren (79) on Sept. 28, 2022, at Wells Fargo Center.

Lindgren, a 28-year-old goalie from Lakeville, Minn., is beginning his first season in Washington. Last season, he played most of the season in the AHL with the Springfield Thunderbirds, but he went 5-0 in five starts with the St. Louis Blues and had a 1.22 goals-against average and .958 save pcercentage in the NHL. In 29 career NHL games, Lindgren is 15-12-2 with a 2.74 goals-against average, .913 save percentage and two shutouts.

NHL: Preseason-Seattle Kraken at Calgary Flames — Seattle Kraken defenseman Will Borgen (3) controls the puck against the Calgary Flames during the first period on Oct. 3, 2022, at Scotiabank Saddledome.

Borgen, a 25-year-old defenseman from Moorhead, Minn., is beginning his second season with Seattle. Last season, he played in a career-best 36 games and had career-bests in goals (2), assists (6), points (8), penalty minutes (28) and plus/minus (plus-1). In 50 career NHL games, he has two goals, eight points, 32 penalty minutes and is a minus-8.

NHL: Preseason-Los Angeles Kings at San Jose Sharks — Los Angeles Kings forward Blake Lizotte (46) and forward Carl Grundstrom (91) and defenseman Tobias Bjornfot (7) celebrate after scoring a goal against the San Jose Sharks during the third period on Sept. 25, 2022, at SAP Center at San Jose.

Lizotte, a 24-year-old from Lindstrom, Minn., is beginning his fourth full season with the Kings. Last season, he had career-bests in games (70), goals (10), points (24), penalty minutes (28) and plus/minus (plus-15). In 177 career NHL games, Lizotte has 19 goals, 57 points, 64 penalty minutes and is a plus-12.

NHL: Preseason-Buffalo Sabres at Pittsburgh Penguins — Pittsburgh Penguins center Ryan Poehling (25) and Buffalo Sabres defenseman Lawrence Pilut (20) chase the puck during the third period on Oct. 7, 2022, at PPG Paints Arena. The Penguins won 7-1.

Poehling, a 23-year-old from Lakeville, Minn., is beginning his first season with the Penguins. Last season, he played in a career-best 57 games with the Montreal Canadiens and had nine goals, 17 points, six penalty minutes and was a minus-21. In 85 career NHL games, Poehling has 13 goals, 22 points, 10 penalty minutes and is a minus-22.

There are also 11 former Huskies who are set to begin this season in the American Hockey League, one step below the NHL.

The players include defensemen Jack Ahcan (Providence Bruins), Dennis Cholowski (Bridgeport Islanders), Kevin Gravel (Milwaukee Admirals), Jon Lizotte (Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins), Nick Perbix (Syracuse Crunch), Ethan Prow (Rochester Americans) and Jimmy Schuldt (Coachella Valley Firebirds); forwards Jonny Brodzinski (Hartford Wolf Pack), Mikey Eyssimont (Manitoba Moose) and Sam Hentges (Iowa Wild); and goalie David Hrenak (Ontario Reign).

Hentges, Perbix and Hrenak are each beginning their first full pro seasons after finishing their college careers with the Huskies.

READ MORE ST. CLOUD STATE HUSKIES COVERAGE:

By Mick Hatten

Mick Hatten is a reporter and editor for Forum News Service and helps manage TheRinkLive.com, a website dedicated to hockey. He began working for Forum Communications in November 2018 and has covered St. Cloud State University hockey since 2010. A graduate of St. Cloud State, he has more than 30 years of experience as a journalist and has been a youth hockey coach since 2014. mhatten@forumcomm.com

For more coverage of St. Cloud and the surrounding communities, check out St. Cloud Live.

Six former Huskies make NHL rosters, 11 are in the AHL

Former SCSU standouts Nic Dowd, Nick Jensen, Charlie Lindgren will be teammates with the Washington Capitals.