BSU Men’s Hockey Returning to the Ice for 2024-25 Season

Bemidji State men’s hockey comes into this year as the reigning MacNaughton Cup champions, finishing with the best record in the CCHA during the regular season. But the Beavs fell just one game short in the conference playoffs, losing to Michigan Tech in the Mason Cup Finals and missing out on the automatic bid to the NCAA Tournament.

But it’s a new year and a new team for the Beavers, who welcome 10 new faces to the roster – seven of them freshmen and three transfers. There are some holes to fill after the departure of leading scorer Lleyton Roed on offense and the graduation of fifth-year senior captain Kyle Looft on defense.

However, 17 of the 22 skaters on last year’s final game roster return this season, including CCHA Goaltender of the Year Mattias Sholl and this year’s captain, graduate forward Jackson Jutting, who spoke along with head coach Tom Serratore at a presser about the potential of this year’s squad.

“It’s been a lot of offseason thinking about that last loss in the Mason Cup Final, so definitely excited to get back after it and start the season off this week,” said Jutting. “I think we’re a hardworking team that has depth and gets scoring from all four lines, a good D core backed up by a really good goalie in [Sholl].”

“It is nice having some experience when we’re spending less time probably on systems or probably be spending less time on special teams, just because we have a lot of experienced players playing in those areas, and right now it’s just about muscle memory, getting them prepared,” explained Serratore. “All those details and habits, again, it doesn’t matter what year it is, I don’t care if it was 20 years ago, 10 years ago today. It’s the same mentality, it’s the same identity. Have a heart in your chest, have guts in your belly and play hard. But hockey is hockey and have an attack mindset, and it doesn’t take ’em too long to figure out who we are and what we’re about.”

BSU begins their season this Saturday, October 5th with a non-conference showdown against in-state rival Minnesota Duluth. The Beavers have lost their last three meetings with the Bulldogs and are winless against them in their last seven, dating back to 2017. Puck drop is at 5 p.m.