UND adds defenseman Chris Jandric from the NCAA transfer portal
Apr. 10—UND is losing four of its eight defensemen from this season's National Collegiate Hockey Conference-winning team.
But the Fighting Hawks will be bringing in some experience to fill those spots.
Alaska Fairbanks defenseman Chris Jandric will transfer to UND, where he will play his final two years of college eligibility.
Jandric has been an offensive producer for the Nanooks, who did not play during the 2020-21 season because of the coronavirus pandemic. Jandric, of Prince George, B.C., tallied 15 points as a rookie and 22 points in 35 games as a sophomore.
Jandric went into the NCAA transfer portal this season and received interest from NCHC and Big Ten teams, but committed to UND.
"It's a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to go there," Jandric said. "It was just something I couldn't pass up — the facilities, the history of them being good all the time and making it to the (NCAA) tournament. My top priority is definitely to win it all. I know they've had a lot of success in the past. That's what I was looking at."
Jandric is a 5-foot-11, 173-pound left-handed defenseman, who the Nanooks frequently deployed on the power play. Jandric tallied 13 of his 22 points in 2019-20 on the man advantage. He finished that campaign with 12 points in his last 12 games.
Although the Nanooks didn't play this season, Jandric remained in Fairbanks and worked out there as he attended class.
"I needed to improve in my off-ice and get stronger," Jandric said. "That's what I did this year is work on my off-ice training and trying to get stronger in the gym. I thought I used that to my advantage."
Jandric's brother, Steven, transferred from Fairbanks to Denver before the 2020-21 season. Steven was a big point producer for the Nanooks (33 points in 35 games as a junior), but struggled to have the same offensive success in the NCHC (six points in 20 games).
"He said it's definitely a different conference, definitely a lot better," Jandric said. "That's what I wanted to go toward. I wanted to go to the next step. I thought the next step would be in the NCHC. (Steven) had nothing but great things to say about it."
Jandric is one of two defensive transfers UND will bring in this fall. The other is RPI transfer Brady Ferner of Dakota Dunes, S.D., who is expected to add depth.
The Fighting Hawks will bring back Jake Sanderson, Ethan Frisch, Tyler Kleven and Cooper Moore. They'll also likely bring in two rookies — Luke Bast and one more.
Jandric, 22, will add experience to the unit as UND aims for a third-straight Penrose Cup as NCHC regular-season champions.
"My brother said nothing but great things about the NCHC," Jandric said. "That's what I was leaning toward. I talked to a couple teams. North Dakota was one of them. They had the most interest in me. It was something I couldn't pass up. They have top-notch facilities, and knowing the tradition and everything, I thought that would be the best place to go to improve my game and see how far I can go."
Jandric, who played junior hockey for the Vernon Vipers in the British Columbia Hockey League, plans to come to campus this summer to get acclimated.
"I'm just excited to get up there and everything," he said. "I'm ready to get going."
