UMD Freshman Taken in NHL Draft

NSO NEWS RELEASE

Wyatt Kaiser and Blake Biondi have become the latest Bulldogs in the ever expanding list of National Hockey League draft picks. The National Hockey League draft finished up this afternoon virtually.

Kaiser, a 6-0, 173-pound freshman defenseman from Ham Lake, Minn. was taken by the Chicago Blackhawks in the third round (81st overall selection) in the National Hockey League draft.

Kaiser closed out his high school career as a captain of the Andover Huskies (USHS). He played in 25 games in 19-20, scoring 34 points (fourth on the team (nine goals and 25 assists)), with 72 games in his overall high school career with 76 points (21 goals and 55 assists). Wyatt also played for the Dubuque Fighting Saints of the United States Hockey League, playing in 11 games and finishing with three assists.

Biondi, a 6-0, 181-pound freshman forward native of Hermantown, Minn. was taken by the Montreal Canadiens in the fourth round (109th overall selection) in the National Hockey League draft.

Biondi also closed out his high school career this past season as captain of the Hermantown Hawks (USHS). He finished the season with 76 points (second in A Minnesota (37 goals, 39 assists)) en route to a runner-up finish of the Minnesota State High School Hockey Tournament finish. His 37 goals was good for fifth in A Minnesota and his 39 assists were good for seventh in A Minnesota. He finished his high school career playing in 75 games and finishing with 175 points (88 goals and 87 assists). He also played with the Sioux City Musketeers of the USHL for 19 games, scoring twice and dishing three assists.

A total of 115 Bulldogs have been chosen in the NHL Draft  since 1970. That includes seven on the 2019-20 UMD roster  —  Kaiser, Biondi,  junior forward Cole Koepke (6th round; 183rd overall by Tampa in 2018) and sophomore forward Luke Loheit (7th round; 194th overall by Ottawa in 2018), senior defenseman Matt Cairns (3rd round; 84th overall by Edmonton in 2016), senior forward Nick Swaney (7th round; 209th overall by Minnesota in 2017) and junior forward Noah Cates (fifth round; 137th overall by Philadelphia in 2017).