Six forwards and three defensemen will join the Miami hockey team for the 2022-23 season, and unlike last season, all are freshmen.
The RedHawks announced their signing class late this week and posted their 29-man roster on the team website, which consists of two goalies, 10 defensemen and 17 forwards.
The lone fifth-year senior returning is forward Jack Olmstead.
The only non-senior from last season that will not be back is third goalie Kirk Laursen, who transferred to Western Michigan.
Last season MU’s eight-player incoming class consisted of five transfers and three freshmen.
VFTG will delve further into this freshman class later this summer and chat with Miami’s coaching staff, but here is a quick primer on the newest RedHawks.
FORWARDS
F Frank Carogioiello (Chilliwack, BCHL) – Carogioiello tallied just four points in 25 games with USHL Muskegon in 2020-21 then was hurt much of the first half of this season, but he finished with 11 goals and 13 assists in 27 games.
F Max Dukovac (Langley, BCHL) – Dukovac saw his entire 2020-21 season canceled, but he went 17-42-59 with the Rivermen in his first and only season at this level. He surged in the second half and was 6-8-14 in 15 playoff games.
F William Hallen (Dubuque, USHL) – The 2021-22 season was Hallen’s first in North America, and the Swede couldn’t seem to catch a break all year. He battled a non-COVID illness for a month early on, which stunted his development. In 49 games he finished 10-11-21 but scored four times in the last six games. He’s gritty and is solid defensively. Lots of upside here.
F Blake Mesenburg (St. Cloud, NAHL) – Mesenburg might win the Class of 2026’s most-improved player award. He went 10-10-20 with the Norsemen in 2020-21 and surged to 27-35-62 this season. The team captain also netted three goals in 11 playoff games.
F Artur Turansky (Lone Star, NAHL) – The Slovakian-born Turansky did not play in North America in 2020-21 but went 28-38-66 in 60 games this season and added five more points in six playoff games. He turns 21 this summer and has tons of experience in International competition as well as on this continent.
F John Waldron (Waterloo, USHL) – Waldron has played for the Black Hawks since 2018-19, but this year his stock took off. He had played 59 games in this league entering the season and had two goals and 13 assists, but he was 15-30-45 – second-best on the team in points – in 2021-22 and is arguably the best incoming freshman forward.
DEFENSEMEN
D Zane Demsey (Dubuque, USHL) – One of three defensemen coming to Miami from the Fighting Saints, Demsey is a hard-nosed, physical defender. He doesn’t pinch much but is smart about picking his spots and makes good things happen offensively when he does. The 6-feet-1 blueliner has played 103 games in the USHL and recorded a goal and 19 assists this season.
D Michael Feenstra (Dubuque, USHL) – Feenstra was an assistant captain for the Fighting Saints and has been in Dubuque for four-plus seasons. Like Demsey, the left-handed shot is more of a shut-down D-man. Feenstra has outstanding reach and hockey IQ and is also smart about pinching and can contribute offensively if needed.
D Axel Kumlin (Dubuque, USHL) – Kumlin committed late in the regular season, the third Fighting Saints commit and fourth overall joining Miami in 2022-23. Along with Hallen, he will give MU a total of four Swedes. Kumlin can run a power play – an area of need for the RedHawks – and went 5-17-22 in his first season in the U.S.
View From the Glass 