Of the nine defensemen listed on Miami’s 2026-27 roster, five will be first-year RedHawks.
MU is also adding goalie Yegor Yegorov — a Calgary Flames draftee — to challenge for playing time between the pipes.
Part III of our three-part series on Miami’s incoming 2026-27 class breaks down the incoming defensemen and goalies, with history, scouting and comments from RedHawks general manager David Nies.
Part I and Part II are available here:
JACK HAMILTON
POSITION: Defenseman.
HEIGHT: 6-5.
WEIGHT: 215.
SHOOTS: Left.
DOB: 2/17/2006.
HOMETOWN: Powell, Ohio.
2025-26 TEAM: Youngstown (USHL).
GP: 49. G: 1. A: 8. Pts. 9. : +/–: 13. PIM: 29.
HISTORY: A Columbus-born shut-down D-man, Hamilton is a Culver Academy and Ohio Jr. Blue Jackets product. A second-generation RedHawk (his mother is an MU alum), Hamilton advanced to the USHL in 2024-25, where he played for — say it with us — Tri-City. In 37 games there that season, he scored a goal and assisted on another. He joined Youngstown last year and went 1-8-9 in 49 games as the Phantoms captured the Anderson Cup, awarded to the USHL’s regular season champion.
SCOUTING REPORT: At 6-feet and five inches, Hamilton will be the tallest RedHawks defenseman since the Andrew Sinard-Brayden Crowder duo patrolled the Miami blue line from 2018 to 2022. Nies praised Hamilton’s ability to separate attackers’ bodies from puck, a needed skill for teams competing in the NCHC. He skates extremely well for someone his size.
WHERE HE FITS IN AT MIAMI: Miami has brought in three defensive defensemen — although he’s the lone left-handed shot of the trio — which will make for excellent competition during game weeks. Hamilton is 215 pounds and was one of the first to get with strength coach Gord Parnell this summer as he tries to force his way into the lineup.
NIES COMMENT: Jack’s got all the talent in the world. His ability, his size, his skating, you just don’t see that with a lot of guys, and the fluidity that he plays with. I don’t think he’s even come close to scratching the surface of what he can be and what he will be.
DAVID HELLEDY
POSITION: Defenseman.
HEIGHT: 6-1.
WEIGHT: 190.
SHOOTS: Left.
DOB: 5/4/2003.
HOMETOWN: Milwaukee, Wis.
2025-26 TEAM: Bentley (NCAA).
GP: 40. G: 6. A: 14. Pts. 20. : +/–: 15. PIM: 26.
HISTORY: Helledy has taken major strides the past four seasons. After playing two years of high school hockey in Milwaukee, he finished his pre-collegiate career at a New Hampshire prep school. Helledy played with Maine of the NAHL and recorded 21 points in 2022-23, and more than doubled that output with an 11-36-47 line the following season, tops on the team in all three categories. After joining Bentley in 2024-25 and picking up just two assists in 25 games, Helledy scored six goals and assisted on 14 more — a team best among defensemen — as a sophomore. He was on fire to end last season: He racked up 14 points in his last 17 games and finished 2025-26 on a five-game point streak, going 3-5-8 including a goal against Michigan in the NCAA Tournament.
SCOUTING REPORT: Helledy’s game took off the second half of last season, so he enters this season with his stock at an all-time high. He led Bentley in plus-minus for a defenseman (15) as well as penalty minutes, albeit just 26 in 40 games. So that backs his scouting report that he’s a two-way defensemen who isn’t afraid to venture into corners. Helledy is also used to large workloads: He led Bentley in average time on ice of 21:35, and isn’t afraid to put the puck on net, averaging nearly two SOG. Three of his six goals last season were game winners.
WHERE HE FITS IN AT MIAMI: If he could score in Bentley’s most important games at the end of the season, Helledy should be able to find the net in Oxford. His end-of-season run and TOI average are encouraging, as Miami did seem to fade a bit at the end of 2025-26. The RedHawks’ power play was a dumpster fire last season, so Helledy may earn some man-advantage opportunities, but Vladislav Lukashevich and Timmy Runtso are also challenging to quarterback power plays.
NIES COMMENT: The experience that he’s had, playing in the NCAA Tournament, (is invaluable). He’ll be good for our young D too — he’s kind of seen it — to help (with) the leadership of our super-young D-corps.
CAL HUSTON
POSITION: Defenseman.
HEIGHT: 6-1.
WEIGHT: 190.
SHOOTS: Right.
DOB: 8/8/2005.
HOMETOWN: Youngstown, Ohio.
2025-26 TEAM: Youngstown (USHL).
GP: 53. G: 2. A: 15. Pts. 17. : +/–: 12. PIM: 45.
HISTORY: Growing up in the Pittsburgh Penguins Elite juniors program, Huston — like Helledy — had to pay his dues in the NAHL. Playing for Maryland in 2023-24, he picked up 21 assists without scoring a goal in 50 games, and added five more helpers in the playoffs. From there, he earned his way to USHL Youngstown (his hometown — he was the first-ever Youngstown-born player to lace up the skates with the Phantoms), where he dressed for 114 games over the past two campaigns. Huston went 1-8-9 in 2024-25 and nearly doubled his offensive output last season, scoring twice, notching 15 assists and finishing plus-12, the second-highest plus-minus among Youngstown starting defensemen.
SCOUTING REPORT: Because coach Anthony Noreen coached in Youngstown, he has known Huston since he was four years old. Huston isn’t huge but defends physically. And he’s good with his stick, can move the puck out of his own zone and get pucks through at the blue line.
WHERE HE FITS IN AT MIAMI: On paper his stats are similar to the other incoming shutdown D-men, but he plays bigger than his 190-pound frame and with a lot of length, so he should vie for a starting job right away.
NIES COMMENT: Big-time leader for that Youngstown team. Just consistent. Every game I went to, you knew what you were going to get. He always was engaged, he’s got a physical presence, he’s a hard-working kid, he’s competitive. I just think he’s rock-solid: That’s how I’d describe Cal.
TIMMY RUNTSO
POSITION: Defenseman.
HEIGHT: 6-2.
WEIGHT: 190.
SHOOTS: Right.
DOB: 7/6/2007.
HOMETOWN: Marina del Rey, Calif.
2025-26 TEAM: Victoria (WHL).
GP: 68. G: 11. A: 33. Pts. 44. : +/–: -13. PIM: 28.
HISTORY: A Belarussian-U.S. dual citizen whose father is a former hockey player-turned-movie stuntman, Runtso grew up playing in the Los Angeles Junior Kings’ program, going 15-23-38 in 57 games at the Midget Major level. He spent a season with NAHL St. Cloud, where he racked up eight goals and 19 assists in 53 games in 2024-25. Runtso was passed up in the NHL draft that year, but he went to WHL Victoria last season and blew up, going 11-33-44 on a weak Royals team. That earned him a second-round selection by the Montreal Canadiens in June.
SCOUTING REPORT: Runtso has a keen sense of when to activate offensively, either along walls or through the middle, and his heavy, accurate outside wrister is deadly. He’s an outstanding playmaker (Nies called him an artist on the back end), making him an optimal power play quarterback. Runtso is also the ultimate two-way D-man, with his active stick being his best defensive attribute. At 190 pounds, he will need to add muscle to excel in the NCHC, but his future at the Division I level and beyond is extremely bright.
WHERE HE FITS IN AT MIAMI: Miami’s power play was sixth-last in the NCAA last season at 12.1 percent, and Runtso is the frontrunner to take over the quarterback position on the man-advantage. He’s also durable, and with his two-way play, he should play a lot of minutes right away. Runtso has the potential to be one of the best defensemen to dress for Miami in some time.
NIES COMMENT: He runs a really good power play, he’s got really good deception. Obviously big-time pro ability. Every step that he’s gone to, he’s adjusted very quickly, which I think is the product of a good player.
BRANKO VUKAS
POSITION: Defenseman.
HEIGHT: 6-4.
WEIGHT: 215.
SHOOTS: Right.
DOB: 11/28/2005.
HOMETOWN: Dyer, Ind.
2025-26 TEAM: Omaha/Muskegon (USHL).
GP: 52. G: 1. A: 12. Pts. 13. : +/–: 5. PIM: 8.
HISTORY: Growing up on the Indiana-Illinois border on the outskirts of the Chicago metro area, Vukas played for the Chicago Fury juniors program through Midget Majors, recording 40 points in 40 games his final season in 2023-24, including nine goals. He hooked on with Oklahoma of the NAHL for the second half of that campaign, adding a pair of goals and 10 assists in 31 contests. He earned his way onto the dysfunctional USHL Omaha program the following season and went 1-5-6 in 54 games. In 2025-26, he returned to the Lancers as their captain but was traded to Muskegon after picking up a lone assist in 10 games and was awarded a letter almost immediately. Vukas dressed 41 times and notched a goal and 11 helpers for the Lumberjacks and tacked on six more assists in 16 playoff games in Muskegon’s Clark Cup final run.
SCOUTING REPORT: Another late bloomer, Vukas brings tons of experience and leadership to Oxford, having played multiple roles in the USHL. At 6-4 and 215 pounds, he is physically imposing and can dish out punishment, but he also has soft hands that allow him to escape dangerous situations and find forwards’ tape with crisp passes. He has a quality stick as well and is extremely coachable.
WHERE HE FITS IN AT MIAMI: Although Vukas will be a freshman this season, he turns 21 in November, so he should be NCAA ready immediately. Miami has brought in five defensemen and competition for lineup slots should be intense, but Vukas should push for a starting job right away.
NIES COMMENT: Bronco, I think has a really high ceiling. I don’t know if people know how good he really is, and I think they will find out pretty soon. He’s got all the ability in the world, and I truthfully think he’s going to play the game for quite a while.
YEGOR YEGOROV
POSITION: Goaltender.
HEIGHT: 6-3.
WEIGHT: 196.
CATCHES: Left.
DOB: 8/30/2005.
HOMETOWN: Moscow, Russia.
2025-26 TEAM: Spartak (MHL).
GP: 38. W-L: 13-23. GAA: 2.97. Sv%: .918. SHO: 1.
HISTORY: Growing up near Moscow, Yegorov never finished a season with a goals-against average above 2.70 in juniors heading into his draft-eligible season in 2023. He was selected in the sixth round by the Calgary Flames and remained in Russia, posting a .915 save percentage with Dynamo in 2023-24. After slipping to .904 the following season, Yegorov rebounded to a .918 clip despite a 2.97 GAA with a defensively-challenged MHL Spartak team as an overager in 2025-26.
SCOUTING REPORT: Yegorov has proven he can handle a heavy workload in every way, from seeing tons of pucks in a game to logging big-time minutes in a given season. Many European-born goalies are known for being active, and while the technical side of his game may need work, his athleticism is one of best attributes. Many Russians move to North America a year or more before going Division I to acclimate to the culture, but Yegorov has never played hockey outside of the Moscow area. However, he was one of the first players on Miami’s campus this summer and is transitioning to school and American life well.
WHERE HE FITS IN AT MIAMI: One of the biggest questions for Miami. Partly because of an eligibility SNAFU, RedHawks then-rookie Matteo Drobac ended up between the pipes for all but 60 minutes of 2025-26 despite entering the season as MU’s expected backup. And Drobac exceled, posting a .913 save percentage including .909 in the gauntlet known as the RedHawks’ NCHC slate. How much playing time Drobac will yield is a complete unknown at this point, although the NHL draftee obviously didn’t come to Oxford to hold the bench door open for his teammates. Regardless of the minutes split, the netminder ice time battle should make Miami stronger overall at the most important position in hockey.
NIES COMMENT: He’s exciting. Super athletic. I love all of our goalies, and I think that’s one position that you need competition at. The guys in Calgary think the world of him, and I think they do a really good job of drafting goalies. He’s going to add to our room, too.
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