2024-25 Roster glance: The freshmen

Among Miami’s 13-newcomer class are six freshmen, and the majority have a chance to make an immediate impact on the team.

One goalie, one defenseman and four forwards begin their collegiate careers on a RedHawks team that retained just 17 players from 2023-24.

Two members of the incoming freshman class enjoyed extremely successful USHL seasons in 2023-24, and two more were top points producers for their Swedish juniors team.

The other pair were significant contributors in the NAHL, a juniors league that seen a major talent uptick the past few seasons.

VFG looks at the newest RedHawks freshmen on the 2024-25 Miami roster:

(The first half of this piece can be seen here)

ETHAN DAHLMEIR

POSITION: Goalie.

HEIGHT: 6-3.

WEIGHT: 221.

CATCHES: Left.

DOB: 9/7/2003.

HOMETOWN: Lakeville, Minn.

2023-24 TEAM: Des Moines (USHL).

GP: 48. W-L: 21-25. GAA: 2.96. Sv %: .900. SHO: 0.

HISTORY: The Minnesota-born goalie honed his craft in his home state until last season. Dahlmeir played high school hockey for Lakeville South, going 10-0 with a .921 save percentage in 2020-21 and four shutouts as his Cougars advanced to the Class AA state title game, losing 2-1 in overtime. After a decent season as a teammate of Blake Mesenburg with NAHL St. Cloud in 2021-22, he eventually took over the starting role with the Norsemen his second season there, posting a .916 save percentage and a 1.98 goals-against average in the postseason, including two playoff shutouts. In his first and only USHL season with Des Moines in 2023-24, Dahlmeir led the league in games played by goalie (48) and finished with a 2.96 GAA and .900 save percentage.

SCOUTING REPORT: Dahlmeir (pronounced (DAHL-mire) relies on positioning and a textbook approach to netminding. At 6-feet-4, he will hopefully cut down the number of top-shelf goals Miami has allowed too many of in recent seasons. In a small sample size with the Buccaneers, Dahlmeir was one of the top goalies percentagewise in shootouts (.857), which have also been RedHawks kryptonite during their recent demise. As an opposing goalie, he played well against Coach Anthony Noreen’s Tri-City team, and Kearney is not an easy place for visiting netminders.

WHERE HE FITS IN AT MIAMI: Two of Miami’s three goalies from last season have moved on, with only sophomore Bruno Bruveris returning. Bruveris showed promise but was inconsistent last season. Noreen said he looks at Dahlmeir and Bruveris as Nos. 1 and 1A, so we’ll see if he ultimately rides one or the other or rotates them. This should be one of the more interesting position battles to watch.

NOREEN COMMENT: You talk about a thorn in the side. We probably had more head-shaking, scratching nights going against him than any other player in the league this year. Calm demeaner, not overly active, has that really strong net presence. He was a key (defensive) piece to a Des Moines team that didn’t give you much.

JOHN EMMONS

POSITION: Forward.

HEIGHT: 6-0.

WEIGHT: 185.

SHOOTS: Left.

DOB: 1/5/2004.

YEAR: Freshman.

HOMETOWN: Washington, Mich.

2023-24 TEAM: Minot (NAHL).

GP: 57. G: 9. A: 17. Pts. 26. PIM: 56. + / –-: +3.

HISTORY: Emmons thrived in his four seasons in the Oakland (Mich.) Grizzlies program, averaging nearly a point a game in 2019-20 and 2020-21. He played five games in the USHL with Cedar Rapids two seasons ago and is 16-38-54 in 107 games with Minot – including a pair of playoff goals this spring – since joining the team in 2022, and he captained the Minotauros last season. He was named all-Michigan as a lacrosse player in high school.  

SCOUTING REPORT: Emmons, who has been committed to Miami for multiple seasons, is another player coming from a winning program (Minot tied for the most regular season wins in the 32-team NAHL with 44) who can also play two ways. His Minot team was loaded, which may be why he wasn’t used on the power play last season.

WHERE HE FITS IN AT MIAMI: Averaging a half point a game in the NAHL, and with all of the other incoming transfers and Miami carrying 18 forwards, Emmons may not play a ton right away. But he has decent size, leadership and winning experience and clean slate at Miami, so he’ll have a chance to prove he belongs in the lineup.

NOREEN COMMENT: He has a winning pedigree and plays in every situation. He cares, he’s a competitor, he’s a good teammate, he’s a leader.

TEODOR FORSSANDER

POSITION: Forward.

HEIGHT: 5-8.

WEIGHT: 155.

SHOOTS: Left.

DOB: 4/25/2004.

HOMETOWN: Gothenburg, Sweden.

2023-24 TEAM: Frolunda (Sweden U-20).

GP: 43. G: 12. A: 29. Pts. 41. PIM: 20. + / –: +5.

HISTORY: Forssander (his first name is pronounced TEE-oh-door) has produced offensively since he started in the Swedish juniors system at age 13, when he scored 14 goals in 16 games. Forssander has dressed for Frolunda since 2019 and has scored 81 goals at his respective levels. With the Under-20 team in 2023-24, the assistant captain led his team with 41 points, including 12 goals.  

SCOUTING REPORT: Another smaller forward, Forssander has turned into an epic passer, averaging two-thirds of an assist a game the past two seasons. He’s another player who has stepped up in the postseason, tallying 14 points in 13 games the past three campaigns, including a 4-5-9 line in seven playoff contests this spring. He was known as a solid defender in Sweden as well. Assistant coach Zack Cisek personally scouted him in Europe.

WHERE HE FITS IN AT MIAMI: Forssander and fellow freshman Swede Casper Nassen are two of Miami’s biggest question marks in 2024-25. Most previous European imports had spent at least one season on this continent transitioning to the North American game, so it’s hard to see how their game translates to Division I until they hit the ice. Even if the adjustment is difficult this season, he should evolve into a productive scorer for Miami sooner than later. But he is very small for the uber-physical NCHC at 5-feet, 8-inches and 155 pounds.

NOREEN COMMENT: He’s a really skilled, high-motor, playmaking forward and a guy right from the time that we got the (coaching) job were really excited about.

DAVID GROSEK

POSITION: Forward.

HEIGHT: 5-11.

WEIGHT: 187.

SHOOTS: Left.

DOB: 6/23/2003.

HOMETOWN: Queens, N.Y.

2023-24 TEAM: Maine (NAHL).

GP: 35. G: 1. A: 1. Pts. 2. PIM: 84. + / –: -6.

HISTORY: Grosek has bounced around the NAHL the past few seasons, making his fourth stop last season with Maine, where he went 1-1-2 in 35 games. He recorded 14 points in 2020-21 with Selects Academy after growing up in the New York Aviators’ system.

SCOUTING REPORT: Gritty is probably the best word to describe Grosek. He’s a grinder who has done his best work in that role at every level. Grosek will likely never be a big scorer but he prides himself on being tough to play against.

WHERE HE FITS IN AT MIAMI: With all of Miami’s high-quality off-season additions, Grosek may find himself buried on the forward depth chart in 2024-25. But Tanyon Bajzer was in the same position entering last season and ended up being a lineup regular and solid contributor. A team can never have enough scrappy players.

NOREEN COMMENT: Just a glue guy. Does it right, competitive, loves the game, loves life, shows up with a smile on his face every day and knows nothing but to work.

CASPER NASSEN

HEIGHT: 6-4.

WEIGHT: 199.

SHOOTS: Right.

DOB: 4/11/2004.

HOMETOWN: Norrtalje, Sweden.

2023-24 TEAM: Frolunda U-20.

GP: 41. G: 16. A: 15. Pts. 31. PIM: 8. + / –: +10.

HISTORY: Nassen has scored at every level. He led his under-16 team with 19 goals in 19 games. In 2022-23 with his U20 squad, he found the net a team-best 23 times. Last season, Nassen scored 16 times to finish second on a Frolunda team that boasts seven NHL draft picks, and he finished fourth in points with 31 (Forssander led the team with 41 points). Nassen also went 3-2-5 in seven playoff games this spring. He was drafted in the seventh round by the Boston Bruins in 2023.

SCOUTING REPORT: The two biggest attention-grabbers with Nassen are his shot and his size. Nassen’s shot is heavy and deadly accurate, and he’s been the best on every team he’s played on at hitting the net. He’s 6-feet-4 and 199 pounds as well, and scouts say he uses his body well, both along the boards and to establish position near the net. He’s not a blazer but he’s a decent skater for his size.

WHERE HE FITS IN AT MIAMI: Matthew Barbolini shared the Miami lead in goals or led the team outright each of the last three seasons, and Nassen could eventually grab that torch and lead the RedHawks for multiple seasons. Like Forssander, Nassen is acclimating to the North American game with zero games of experience on this continent (smaller rinks?), so we’ll see how long it takes him to become a significant contributor. Noreen praised Frolunda for its development of players like Nassen destined for North America.

NOREEN COMMENT: More of a power forward, really good around the net. His ability to finish around the goal mouth and just that netfront presence is obviously – when you come to these buildings in the NCHC – it’s an element that you need. We feel like he’s a kid that has a chance to play for a long time.

MICHAEL QUINN

POSITION: Defenseman.

HEIGHT: 5-11.

WEIGHT: 177.

SHOOTS: Right.

DOB: 3/25/2003.

HOMETOWN: St. Louis, Mo.

2023-24 TEAM: Fargo (USHL).

GP: 62. G: 6. A: 31. Pts. 37. PIM: 30. + / –: +11.

HISTORY: Quinn spent two years at the famous prep school Minnesota-based Shattuck St. Mary’s, where he racked up nine goals and 58 assists before heading to the USHL, where he played for three teams his first campaign in 2021-22. Quinn played 58 games that season between Muskegon, Madison and Sioux Falls, then played the following season for NAHL Minnesota, a step down from the USHL. He racked up 29 points in 43 regular season games with the Wilderness and 10 more in nine playoff games. In 2023-24, Quinn finished 6-31-37 with USHL Fargo – winning an Anderson Cup – and he notched another eight points in the postseason.

SCOUTING REPORT: Quinn was also recruited by the previous administration and has been a point producer everywhere he’s gone. He does everything you hope for in a puck-moving defenseman: He can score, he can certainly pass and can run a power play while also defending, and he can kill penalties. He’s another player coming from a winning program – Fargo won a USHL championship this spring – and he was a key reason for the Force’s success. He came out of the St. Louis juniors system, which produced Chris Wideman.

WHERE HE FITS IN AT MIAMI: A puck-moving right-handed defenseman is exactly what Miami needs. Quinn has huge upside and a chance to earn major minutes right away. He could become a right-handed Derek Daschke.

NOREEN COMMENT: Really good on the power play, surehanded, defends well, can break the puck out, can skate, has a really good two-way game and is beloved by his teammates and coaches.