Center Jack Kernan connects itself to Und – Grand Forks Herald

The most urgent need for Grand Forks und is that this season is needed outside of season to tackle the depth of the middle.

It went a big step in that direction on Friday.

Center Jack Kernan, the most important scorer of the DES MOINES BUCCANEERS in the United States Hockey League, gave a verbal commitment to DN for next season.

Kernan was previously dedicated to the state of Minnesota, but recently reopened his recruitment and was chased by Big Ten and National Collegiate Hockey Conference teams.

His decision amounted to und and Wisconsin.

“North Dakota is a leading organization,” said Kernan. “It has been such a big program for so many years. The facilities and coaching staff are great. The players were really good for me when I was above it to see it myself. It felt like the right fit.”

Kernan, a 6-foot-2, 196-pound center from Maple Grove, Minn., Finished fifth in the USHL with 29 goals this season. He had 53 points in 62 games.

“In my years of this, I don't know if there is a more respected child, a child I believe more in than Kerny,” said the coach Matt Curley of des Moines. “He is a hockey player, a 200-foot centerman, great between the dots, can play in all situations, an alpha in the room, an animal in the weight room, a leader on and next to the ice.

“Dane (Jackson) had spoken a lot about the old one, it is Sioux mentality and try to return to that mentality and what Sioux Hockey means and the players they had and get. I think Jack embodies that to a T. I think the world of him.”

Kernan was particularly effective on the Power Play this season. The right-handed shooting played in the left circle, where he used his One-Timer to score 14 Power-Play goals, on the second most in the competition.

He accounted for 16% of the objectives of des Moines this season, the third highest share in the competition behind Green Bay Gamblers Forwards Will Zellers and Aidan Park.

Zellers and Kernan become first -year classmates at Und.

“Personally, this year I had a lot of growth in my game and things that I want to transfer to North Dakota,” he said. “As a team, we did not reach our goal to make the play -offs and compete for a Clark Cup. But all in all it was one of the best seasons I have ever had. The coaching staff and players made it fun to come to the ice rink every day. It was a great season in that sense. I had a great line sizes that bite me.”

Kernan won 53 percent of his faceoffs.

“He is a competitive child, very demanding of himself and the people around him,” said Curley. “In it he maximizes his assets. He is a driver. That maximizes his skills as he improves the people around him.”

This was the second year of Kernan in the USHL. Before that he played at Maple Grove High School.

Kernan initially focused on the state of Minnesota in 2023.

“I decided it would be best if I started to look around to see what other options there would be,” said Kernan. “It was a very difficult decision, but I had a good phone call with the coaching staff at Mankato. They understood it and we decided to separate.”

Kernan visited this week.

He arrived on Wednesday and left on Thursday.

“It was great,” said Kernan. “It started by meeting the staff, then a great tour through the Ralph. It was amazing in a certain sense. The facilities are incredible. I had to dine with the coaching staff.

“Then I had to hang out with some of the boys and be with them. I felt invited. They were very inviting and friendly. It was a great way to meet some of them and in a sense to feel part of the team. We packed it, I spoke with the staff and came to the decision that this is the fit.”

Und has large holes to fill in the middle. Cameron Berg, Jake Schmaltz, Carter Wilkie and Louis Jamernik V have graduated. Sacha Boisvert transferred to Boston University.

Und will soon return gift Littler in the middle.

Now it has two incoming forward recruits that played center in the USHL this season in Kernan and David Klee.

“I think it will be a seamless transition for him relatively speaking,” said Curley. “I say that and believe that because of, the person he is in the first place. He always looks at himself as an underdog. He will not take a day off to prepare for that challenge.

“And two, on the ice, I believe that his game is translalable to that level or to be honest, he has the size. He can skate. He has a great brain. He is doing everything well. He may not be an elite, elite in a certain area, but he has a well -completed game and I think those types of players translate.”

Jordan McAlpine / The Rink Live