(UND Athletics)
LOS ANGELES (UND Athletics)– Incoming University of North Dakota freshman forward Cole Reschny was selected 18th overall by the Calgary Flames in the first round of the 2025 NHL Draft on Friday night from the Peacock Theater in Los Angeles, Calif.
Reschny becomes the 24th first round draft selection in program history and third over the last two years. It also marks the first time since 2015 and 2016 that UND has had a first round pick in back-to-back drafts.
The Macklin, Saskatchewan, native is coming off a stellar season with the Victoria Royals of the Western Hockey League, finishing ninth in the league with 92 points in just 62 games. His level of play rose even higher in the postseason, where he notched 25 points in only 11 postseason contests to finish second in points per game (2.27).
Reschny also has international experience under his belt, as he represented Canada at the IIHF World Under-18 Tournament this past April. At the event, he scored five goals and tallied eight points to help lead the Canadians to a gold medal.
This marks the second time the Flames have drafted a North Dakota product in the first round, with the previous being the late-George Pelawa with the 16th overall selection in 1986.
Reschny continues a streak of North Dakota representation in the NHL Draft, as the program has had at least one player selected in every draft since 1999 and at least one player drafted in the first three rounds in each draft since 2010.
North Dakota First Round Draftees
John Marks – 1968, Chicago (9th)
James Patrick – 1981, New York Rangers (9th)
George Pelawa – 1986, Calgary (16th)
Jason Herter – 1989, Vancouver (8th)
Landon Wilson – 1993, Toronto (19th)
David Hale – 2000, New Jersey (22nd)
Zach Parise – 2003, New Jersey (17th)
Drew Stafford – 2004, Buffalo (13th)
Travis Zajac – 2004, New Jersey (20th)
Brian Lee – 2005, Ottawa (9th)
T.J. Oshie – 2005, St. Louis (24th)
Joe Finley – 2005, Washington (27th)
Jonathan Toews – 2006, Chicago (3rd)
Derek Forbort – 2010, Los Angeles (15th)
Brock Nelson – 2010, New York Islanders (30th)
Jordan Schmaltz – 2012, St. Louis (25th)
Nick Schmaltz – 2014, Chicago (20th)
Brock Boeser – 2015, Vancouver (23rd)
Tyson Jost – 2016, Los Angeles (10th)
Jacob Bernard-Docker – 2018, Ottawa (26th)
Jake Sanderson – 2020, Ottawa (5th)
Sacha Boisvert – 2024, Chicago (18th)
EJ Emery – 2024, New York Rangers (30th)
Cole Reschny – 2025, Calgary (18th)
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