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Alaska Fairbanks enters the year with a Spencer Penrose-finalist coach in Erik Largen and looking to elevate the program once more after a victory in the inaugural United Collegiate Hockey Cup. They’ll do so with one of the largest incoming classes in the NCAA. Nineteen new freshmen joined the Nanooks in the offseason, the majority of them defensemen. Not all of them will get the opportunity to play, so projections are based on where I think they would hypothetically slot in. College Hockey News currently has 20 defensemen listed on the roster, which is far beyond what any team needs, so there will likely be adjustments in the coming weeks. This is where the freshman class stands currently.
Linden Burrett — Defenseman, R, Prince Albert Raiders (WHL)
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Burrett had 70 PIMs in 64 games this year with only 35 points, which speaks to the kind of defender he is. However, 27 assists is a decent offensive output, and Burrett has the defensive skill even if it doesn’t translate. Likely in the second or third pair.
Landon Cottingham — Defenseman, R, Minnesota Wilderness (NAHL)
A Minnesota native, Cottingham stands five-11 on the blue line. He came up through Minnesota high school hockey as a Woodbury native and joined the Minnesota Mallards (also of the NAHL) in 2024 before spending the remainder of the season as well as most of the next year with the Minnesota Wilderness. Cottingham also played six games with the Des Moines Buccaneers of the USHL this season. He’s not a point-getter with just 11 points in 44 games and he also took 78 minutes of penalties. I’d expect him to be in the bottom pair.
Carter Frankiw — Defenseman, L, Chicago Steel (USHL)
Frankiw has one of the more interesting player development paths on the roster. He’s 20 years old and will be 21 in October, and he’s spent the last few years playing in seemingly every league in North America. A two-year stint in the AJHL with the Lloydminster Bobcats was followed by a season in the BCHL with the Surrey Eagles. Frankiw then played a few games in the VIJHL and BCHL in 2024-25, but was injured for most of the season. He jumped straight to the Chicago Steel last year, being named the captain and also playing some on the power play. Still, he had just four points in eighteen games. Frankiw is a hard-nosed player who isn’t afraid to drop the gloves and is responsible defensively. I’m not sure how much he’ll play but my guess is second or third pair.
Seth Fryer — Defenseman, R, Victoria Royals (WHL)
Fryer is one of the higher pedigree players in this class as a four-year player with the Victoria Royals of the WHL. Last year, he scored two goals and had 114 penalty minutes for his hometown Royals. Fryer is the largest of the incoming freshman at six-foot-seven and 209 pounds, and he’ll likely play a role on the penalty kill given his specialty as a defensive defenseman. He will likely figure into the top pair.
Aiden Lawson — Defenseman, L, Anchorage Wolverines (NAHL)
Another Alaska native, Lawson’s father, Eric, attended Alaska Anchorage, and Lawson grew up in Anchorage. He’s lived in Alaska most of his life, but moved to Michigan and Maryland a few years ago for hockey. He returned to Alaska last season to play with the Wolverines, where he earned 3 goals and 17 points in 55 games. A small defenseman at just five-foot-eight, expect Lawson to figure into the bottom pair of the defense.
Rhett Ravndahl — Defenseman, R, Kamloops Blazers (WHL)
Described by one radio host as “one of the best kids to work with,” Rhett Ravndahl spent parts of five seasons in the WHL. Ok, it was four full seasons and one game in 2021-22, but it still counts. “Full” is also a bit debatable – Ravndahl only played about half of the games each season with the Portland Winterhawks, Brandon Wheat Kings and the Blazers. Whether that was due to injury or to lineup decisions was unclear. However, this year he stuck in the lineup for 55 games, earning four goals and 12 assists for a personal career high in points in the WHL. He’s a self-described stay-at-home defenseman who isn’t afraid to mix it up with opponents. He will likely slot into the bottom pair.
Cole Slobodian — Defenseman, L, Portland Winterhawks (WHL)
Slobodian would have played with former Winterhawks teammate Tyson Yaremko had Yaremko not decommitted for the University of Saskatchewan. Slobodian is yet another defensive defensemen in this very young defensive core. The Manitoba native spent the last two years with the Portland Winterhawks, where he earned at least twice as many penalty minutes as points each season. The hard-nosed defenseman should figure into the bottom pair.
Gage Leonard — Forward, L, Fairbanks Ice Dogs (NAHL)
Leonard is a big player at six feet and 201 pounds, and is also 20 years old. The Anchorage native spent the last two years playing in Fairbanks with the Ice Dogs of the NAHL, averaging about half a point per game and earning 85 penalty minutes last year. He’s likely a middle-pair defenseman, but his status as a local player means that Alaska may well be able to retain him, something they traditionally struggle to do.
Simon Binkley — Left Winger, L, Moncton Wildcats (QMJHL)
Binkley and Gage Leonard are reunited as teammates once more. The two played on Team Alaska at the 14U and 15U level. The Anchorage native returns home after playing in Pittsburgh with the Penguins Elite 16U and 18U teams, the Vernon Vipers and finally, the Moncton Wildcats. Last year was the first full season Binkley spent with Moncton, though he was a part of their Gilles-Courteau Trophy-winning 2024-25 team. He did well, scoring 18 goals and notching 25 assists for 43 points in 60 games. Slot him somewhere in the middle six.
Davids Livsics — Center, L, Vernon Vipers (BCHL)
A Latvian native, Livsics has played all over, including winning a championship in Estonia with HK Kurbads in 2023. Since the 2024-25 season, however, he’s been in North America, playing in the BCHL with first the Langley Rivermen and then last year with the Vernon Vipers. He also played for Latvia at both the U18 and U20 level. Livsics produced 27 points in 52 games with the Vipers and figures to be in the Nanooks’ bottom six.
Pavel Mckenzie — Left Winger, L, Moose Jaw Warriors (WHL)
Two-way forward Pavel Mckenzie comes from the Moose Jaw Warriors, where he just went a point-per-game in his third season, including 49 assists — a big increase from his half a point per game stat his first year with the team. Mckenzie is a Saskatoon native and is a strong off-puck worker. He may very well end up in the top six.
Brogan McNeil — Right Winger, R, Sherbrooke Phoenix (QMJHL)
McNeil is a 19-year old six-foot-three forward who just completed two years in the QMJHL with the Shawinigan Cataractes and the Sherbrooke Phoenix. McNeil isn’t a high-producer, having scored just 13 points in 30 games. It is likely he will not play much this year, and if he does, it will likely be in a bottom six role.
Kyle Powers — Center, L, Baie-Comeau Drakkar (QMJHL)
Powers may be moving the furthest of his teammates over the summer, coming all the way from Baie-Comeau in Quebec. HIs previous spot, the Charlottetown Islanders on Prince Edward Island, was even farther. Still, a 74-hour drive or 13-hour flight seems to not be a deterrent for Powers. The 21-year-old was traded just a few games into last season and scored 34 points with the Drakkar. He’s consistently averaged about half a point per game for years in the QMJHL. Project him in the bottom six.
Teddy Richardson — Forward, R, Bismarck Bobcats (NAHL)
Richardson played for three teams last season between the NAHL’s Wisconsin Windigo, the BCHL’s Cowichan Valley Capitals and the Bismarck Bobcats. He produced everywhere he went, earning 28 points with the Bobcats in 18 games. The St. Louis native stands six-foot-two and 196 pounds and should figure into the bottom six.
Evan Smith — Forward, R, Prince Albert Raiders (WHL)
Another higher-profile recruit, Smith spent the past four years in the WHL — two years with the Red Deer Rebels and two with the Prince Albert Raiders, where he played with Linden Burrett. A BC native, Smith’s offensive profile wasn’t proficient until this year, scoring just six goals over the previous three years for a combined 16 points. This year, however, he broke out, hitting double digits in goals with 11 and scoring 35 points, more than quintupling his previous most successful season. Smith shoots right and should fit into the bottom six.
Tai Ushio — Forward, R, Prince George Spruce Kings (BCHL)
Ushio is very familiar with the Alaskan environment as he spent two years in Anchorage with the Anchorage Wolverines from 2023-2025. Last year with the Prince George Spruce Kings of the BCHL, Ushio racked up 66 points in 47 games and a staggering 79 penalty minutes. He’s averaged about point-per-game everywhere he’s played despite being undersized at five-foot-nine and should provide a nice scoring boost to the Nanooks lineup. (Fun fact: Ushio is a Japanese citizen who plays for the Japanese national team.)
