The transfer portal opens on Sunday and the “absolute chaos” of the 2025 “preseason” (“there is no offseason, only preseason™”) is here.
Omaha Hockey went 18-17-1 (14-9-1 in the NCHC) in 2024-25. The Mavericks were swept by North Dakota in the NCHC quarterfinals at Baxter Arena on March 14-15, ending the season.
Omaha welcomed 14 new players in the 2024-25 season, including eight freshmen (Joe Gramer, Marcus Broberg, Alexi Van Houtte-Cachero, Myles Hilman, Liam Watkins, Chase LaPinta, Kevin Reidler, and Isaiah Norlin) and six transfer student-athletes (Aiden Gallacher, Sam Stange, Brady Risk, Garrett Pinoniemi, Harrison Israels, and Dylan Gratton).
More change is underway for 2025-26, as eight Omaha players have exhausted their playing eligibility: Gallacher, Stange, Urdahl, Risk, Nolan Krenzen, Jimmy Glynn, Harrison Israels, and Brock Bremer.
That means at least eight new names and faces on the roster for the next season. There will likely be more.
With the changing nature of college athletics — and the NCAA’s decision to lift the ban on Canadian Hockey League (CHL) players, allowing them to play in NCAA Division I hockey starting Aug. 1, 2025 (provided they aren’t compensated “beyond necessary expenses” while in the CHL), change is going to be the new constant.
Players have more opportunities to change their playing situation than in the past. In April 2024, the NCAA eliminated the “year-in-residence” rule, allowing Division I student-athletes to transfer and be immediately eligible to play, regardless of how many times they have transferred, as long as they are academically eligible (“in good standing in accordance with their previous institutions standard; and meet the applicable ‘progress-toward-degree’ requirements at their new institution”).
Student-athletes seeking to transfer must enter the transfer portal during the prescribed “windows,” unless there are certain circumstances, such as the departure of the head coach. This year, the hockey transfer portal window is March 30 to May 13, 2025.
Coach Gabinet said his two main priorities in recruiting are “Making the roster better and maintaining the culture.”
“The new reality of college athletics is there is a lot of movement — and there will be movement every year,” Gabinet said. “Nobody likes it.”
There will be Omaha players whose names are in the transfer portal tomorrow.
Gabinet said this is the new normal for college hockey — it will be more like the pro ranks each year. “The team is made up of 28 free agents at the end of each season” — they are free to move on if they choose to.
But Gabinet said the future is bright. “We have some really good guys coming in.”
He promises several “big pieces are coming back” from last year’s team, and they hope to announce the returning players soon.
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