By Jon Brooks 

The Omaha Mavericks Hockey team has added 14 new players for the 2024-25 season (filling a lot of holes left after the team’s 23-13-4 campaign last season). There will be 28 players on the roster this season for UNO, meaning half have never worn the crimson and black before. 

Below is a list of the new Mavericks on the roster this season. Information was culled together from various sources like Elite Prospects, HockeyDB.com, junior and collegiate team websites, YouTube, and Google. 

DEFENSEMEN

Aiden Gallacher (D) 



Year: Grad Student (transfer from Northern Michigan)

Height/Weight: 6’ 1”, 206 lbs 

Age: 24 

Gallacher has tallied 6 goals and 13 assists during his collegiate career — which includes two seasons at Michigan State and two seasons at NMU. He played forward for Detroit Little Caesars when he was in midgets. During his stint at Youngstown in the USHL in the 2018-19 season, he played with former UNO Hockey player Joey Abate. 

He led the nation with 104 blocked shots in the 2022-23 season with NMU. He was ranked 7th in the 2023-24 season with 78.

Gallacher is a Rochester Hills, MI, native who has talked in interviews about growing up going to the Great Lakes Invitational with his dad — and how much that experience meant to him during his formative years.  

My Take: He is a smart player, willing to block shots and do the little things necessary to be successful. He reminds me of a recruit we would have pursued in the old CCHA days. The Mavs should benefit from his maturity on the blue line.

Gallacher first-season interview with Michigan State: 

Dylan Gratton (D)  



Year: Junior (transfer from Penn State)

Height/Weight: 6’ 0”, 186 lbs 

Age: 21 

Gratton had 5 goals and 19 assists in two seasons with the Nittany Lions.  He was +15 in the 22-23 season and +1 last season for the team. 

The Potsdam, PA, native played with current Mav Jacob Guevin and former Mav Cam Berg at Muskegon during the 2019-20 season. He played with Griffin Ludtke at Sioux City in the 2021-22 season. 

My Take: He is a good puck handler working it around in the offensive zone. He also appears to be a player with a solid hockey I.Q. I also watched video of him when he was with Sioux City in juniors, and he seemed like a very mature player at that stage of his career. Like Gallacher, he is a player who should provide veteran experience on the blue line.  

Gratton interview with the Sioux City Journal: 

Isaiah Norlin (D)  

Year: Freshman

Height/Weight: 6’ 5”, 199 lbs 

Age: 21 

Norlin played the past 3 seasons for West Kelowna in the BCHL (where he had 12 goals and 36 assists in the 2023-24 campaign). 

The Rink Live reporter Sydney Wolf covered the two-way defenseman’s transition to the junior ranks in a 2022 article. The Farmington, MN, native played for Gentry Academy in high school in Minnesota. The team went a perfect 19-0 in the 2020-21 season, winning the Class A state championship. 

Norlin’s brother Bennett (who also played for West Kelowna) played collegiate hockey for Coach Frank Serratore (a finalist for the UNO head coaching position in 1996) at the Air Force Academy and is currently stationed at Offutt Air Force Base in Bellevue, NE. (So he’ll get to watch Isaiah play at Baxter Arena this season!)

Norlin was previously committed to Clarkson before changing his commitment to the Mavericks. 

My Take: Norlin is a big, tall D-man who has a tremendous amount of potential at both ends of the ice. It seems like his hockey intelligence is top notch. His size and hard-working attitude should prove to be beneficial for Omaha during the grind of NCHC play this season. 

Joe Gramer (D) 



Year: Freshman

Height/Weight: 6’ 0”, 196 lbs  

Age: 19

Note: Gramer is pronounced GRAM-MER 

Gramer is one of the “younger” recruits coming in to Omaha this season. The Moorhead, MN native previously played for Morehead High (5 goals and 36 assists in two seasons). 

Gramer played the past two seasons with the Des Moines Buccaneers (along with 7 games in the 2021-22 season, after his high school season concluded). He had 2 goals and 14 assists during his tenure with the Bucs.

Don’t let those USHL stats fool you. Des Moines wasn’t a particularly strong team in the USHL the past three seasons (finishing sub-.500 in each of those campaigns). 

Gramer played with the US Under-18 Men’s Select Team at the 2022 Glinka Gretzky Cup (where he had 1 goal and 1 assist in four games). 

His brother Luke plays at Northern Michigan and will be a sophomore for the Wildcats this season.  

My Take: I’ve made no secret that I am a fan of commits who come out of the Minnesota high school hockey ranks and gain valuable playing time in the USHL thereafter. Gramer appears to be a talented defenseman with a lot of potential as a D-man for UNO. He comes from a “hockey family” — his brother and father (who also coached Joe during his development) each played hockey in the Minnesota high school ranks. UNO is an older team that benefits from having younger talent on the roster. 

Youth Hockey Hub interview with Joe Gramer in 2022: 

Marcus Broberg (D)  



Year: Freshman 

Height/Weight: 5’ 11”, 175 lbs 

Age: 20 

In the 2022-23 season, Marcus Broberg played for Omaha and Waterloo in the USHL (due to overseas player limits on rosters — see video below). He also played for the Springfield Jr. Blues in the NAHL. 

That season, he had a total of 3 goals and 7 assists in USHL play, and 2 goals and 12 assists in the NAHL. 

The Obero, Sweden native spent the 2023-24 season with the Salmon Arm Silverbacks in the BCHL where he had 4 goals and 21 assists last season.

Broberg said in a recent podcast interview (see below) that he comes from a family that is athletic and competitive. His brother is Philip Broberg, who played the last 3 seasons with the Edmonton Oilers organization. 

My Take: Broberg follows a number of talented European blue liners who have played for UNO, like Lukas Buchta and Andrej Sustr. He looks to be a positive-energy player who is an offensive defenseman (something the Mavs need this season with the loss of sophomore Joaquim Lemay in the transfer portal last spring). 

Swedish Jr Hockey Podcast’s 53-minute interview with Marcus Broberg: 

FORWARDS

Sam Stange (F) 



Year: Grad Student (transfer from Wisconsin) 

Height/Weight: 6’ 1”, 211 lbs

Age: 23

Note: Stange is pronounced STANG (like Mustang)

Stange, an Eau Claire, WI, native, had 13 goals and 16 assists in four seasons at Wisconsin. He only played seven games with the Badgers last season (partly due to a lower body injury).

During his time playing junior hockey in the USHL, Stange had 2 goals in eight games (2018-19 season). In his only full season in the league (2019-20), Stange had 26 goals and 19 assists. He was also drafted in the 4th round of the NHL Entry Draft (#97 overall) by the Detroit Red Wings in 2020. 

Like former Mavs Scott Parse and Victor Mancini, Stange played baseball in high school (at Eau Claire North). While a student there, he also played hockey with UNO forward Zach Urdahl.   

He feels his shot and his speed are his strengths. 

My Take: Stange’s injury at Wisconsin last season — along with the hiring of Mike Hastings as the team’s head coach — likely left the forward looking for a fresh opportunity. It will be exciting to see Stang reunited with Urdahl — and to see what sort of chemistry the two can generate on the ice.  Stange looks to be a smart hockey player (he majored in neurobiology at Wisconsin). UNO has a history of taking underperforming forwards in the portal (like Jake Pivonka) and improving their production and professional opportunities. 

Sam Stange’s 2020 NHL Draft Press Conference: 

Brady Risk (F) 



Year: Senior (transfer from Alaska | Last year was his 3rd season playing NCAA hockey)

Height/Weight: 5’ 9”, 179 lbs 

Age: 25 

Risk was one of the high-profile transfers last spring. The former Nanook tallied 36 goals and 44 assists in 3 seasons at Alaska (13 goals and 13 assists in the 2023-24 campaign). 

In juniors, he had 79 goals and 85 assists in four seasons with the Drumheller Dragons (AJHL). Risk played with freshman forward Myles Hilman at Drumheller in the 2019-20 season. 

The Medicine Hat, Alberta, native has been an incredibly consistent offensive threat during his career — something that made him a sought-after player in the portal. 

My Take: Losing veteran forwards like Matt Miller, Jack Randl, and Ty Mueller certainly creates an interesting dynamic for the Mavs this season. The hope is that an experienced veteran like Risk can help fill the void offensively this season. As for Risk’s future fortunes, I am sure the forward is hoping a full season against NCHC competition will improve his professional fortunes. He seems like a genuinely nice young man — something UNO fans will appreciate this season. 

Junior EH feature on Brady Risk from 2020: 

Alexi Van Houtte-Cachero (F/C) 



Year: Freshman

Height/Weight: 5’ 8”, 187 lbs

Age: 21 

Note: Van Houtte-Cachero is pronounced VAN-HOOT CUH-SHARE-O

Van Houtte-Cachero started junior hockey tenure (2020-21 season) with the Danbury Jr. Hat Tricks in the NAHL, where he had 3 goals and 3 assists in 39 games. 

The next season, the Montreal, Quebec native played with the West Kelowna Warriors in the BCHL (with UNO freshman Isaiah Norlin) and had 21 goals and 33 assists during his tenure with the Warriors (one full season, plus 15 games the following season). He finished the 2022-23 BCHL campaign with the Powell River Kings, tallying 7 goals and 13 assists in 21 games.

He started 2023-24 season with Powell River (racking up 10 goals and 4 assists in 15 games) and finished the season in the USHL with Sioux City, scoring 2 goals and tallying 3 assists in 31 games. 

My Take: Alexi seems to be a “good attitude” type of player (which is a big plus for Coach Gabinet). He seems like a guy who will bring positivity to the locker room. Don’t underestimate his ability to generate points for Omaha. Like Risk, he is a smaller forward, but hard work and “doing the little things right” could make a big difference this season. 

Powell River Kings 2023 Training Camp Interview with Alexi Van-Houtte Cachero: 

Myles Hilman (F) 



Year: Freshman

Height/Weight: 5’ 9”, 187 lbs 

Age: 20 

Hilman started his junior career with the Drumheller Dragons (AJHL) from 2019 through 2022. He tallied 37 goals and 45 assists in three seasons with the Dragons. 

The Blackfalds, Alberta, native spent the past two seasons with the Waterloo Blackhawks in the USHL. He had 43 goals and 29 assists in two seasons with Waterloo (USHL). 

Hilman wore a “letter” four out of five seasons in juniors (and was the captain of his team in three of those season). It is apparent that his leadership prowess is one of his strengths. 

He also played with newly-minted Mavs Brady Risk and Marcus Broberg during his time in juniors. 

My Take: Oddly enough, we bumped into Hilman and UNO Associate Head Coach Dave Noel-Bernier in Sept. 2023 at Aksarben Village while we were having dinner. He seemed like an affable fellow. UNO lost a number of its leaders last season. Hilman is only a freshman, but I’m hoping his leadership abilities come into play early for the Mavericks. He is also known for being a hard worker (he was voted Waterloo’s “Hardest Worker” during the 2022-23 season). 

Hilman gets a goal off a faceoff pass against Madison during the 2023-24 season: 

Garrett Pinoniemi (F/C) 



Year: Junior (transfer from Minnesota) 

Height/Weight: 6’ 0”, 174 lbs 

Age: 23 

Note: Pinoniemi is pronounced PEE-NO-NEE-MEE 

Pinoniemi had 3 goals and 3 assists in two seasons with Minnesota. He had 24 goals and 51 assists in three seasons with Sioux Falls (USHL). 

The Robbinsdale, MN, native played with UNO portal pick up Sam Stange in juniors. He also played with former Mav Ray Fust. 

Going into juniors, he considered himself a play-making center who took care of both ends of the ice — a “creative” in the offensive zone (see video below). He participated in NHL Development Camp with the Vegas Golden Knights in 2019. 

My Take: There is untapped potential with Pinoniemi going into the 2024-25 season. He looks to be a smart player and I hope he has a breakthrough season with the Mavs. With half the roster being new, there are certainly opportunities for him to find a spot in the lineup and make a difference this season. I’m intrigued with what he will bring to the team. 

Harrison Israels (F/C)   



Year: Senior (transfer from Alaska | Last year was his 3rd season playing NCAA hockey) 

Height/Weight: 6’ 0”, 206 lbs 

Age: 25

Harrison Israels had 33 goals and 20 assists in three seasons with Alaska. He finished the 2023-24 campaign with 20 goals and 6 assists. He was the Nanooks’ captain in the 2022-23 and 2023-24 seasons. 

The Mississauga, Ontario, native played with fellow UNO portal pick up Brady Risk at Alaska.

When Israels was playing junior hockey with the Oakville Blades in the OJHL, he was named the OJHL Most Valuable Player (2019-20 season). That year, he had 29 goals and recorded 57 assists. 

My Take: Israels and fellow Nanook teammate Risk certainly bolstered a UNO team that lost some key firepower from last season’s squad. Not only is he a talented and experienced player, he also seems like a “positive energy” type of guy. He has great awareness and an eye for the puck. It should be exciting to see how he does in the NCHC this season. 

JVI Sports Network interview with Harrison Israels: 

Liam Watkins (F/C) 



Year: Freshman 

Height/Weight: 6’ 1”, 199 lbs  

Age: 20 

Liam Watkins had 45 goals and 71 assists in three seasons with the Spruce Grove Saints (AJHL). Last season, he had 23 goals and 20 assists with the Des Moines Buccaneers (USHL). 

The Okotoks, AB, native is described on neutralzone.com as a forward who is “an excellent combination of size, strength, skating and puck handling ability, and good awareness.”

Watkins played with fellow UNO freshman Joe Gramer (D) in Des Moines last season. 

He also captained the Team Canada West U19 team in the 2022-23 season, tallying 5 goals and 4 assists in six games. 

My Take: Having watched various video clips of Watkins online, he plays well at the net front. He has great awareness and patience in the offensive zone, waiting for opportunities to open up down low. He also seems like a confident player. I know he’s just a freshman, and there will be an adjustment to NCAA hockey, but I think he could become critical in the lineup as the season wears on (like former Mav Ty Mueller did in his freshman campaign). 

Update: Watkins was seen wearing a boot at the UNO’s team scrimmage on Sept. 22, 2024. Word has it that he’s been injured since the summer. We are hoping it isn’t serious, but stay tuned. 

Average Jock Podcast interview (Dec. 2022) with Liam Watkins: 

Chase LaPinta (F) 



Year: Freshman

Height: 5’ 8”, 174 lbs

Age: 20

LaPinta — a Frisco, TX native — played at Shattuck St. Mary’s in the 2021-22 season. UNO has had a number of successful players come out of Shattuck St. Mary’s throughout the years, including Omaha junior Tyler Rollwagen. 

LaPinta had 34 goals and 22 assists (in 56 games) with the Minot Minotauros (NAHL) in the 2022-23 season. He moved to the USHL in the 2023-24 season, tallying 11 goals and 20 assists with the Dubuque Fighting Saints (in 35 games) and 10 goals and 5 assists with the Sioux Falls Stampede (in 15 games). 

LaPinta played with fellow UNO freshman Kevin Reidler in Dubuque last season. 

According to The Hockey News, LaPinta is “confident with the puck and has a knack for finding open space in the offensive zone to unleash his shot.” 

My Take: LaPinta was previously an Arizona State commit. ASU’s loss is Omaha’s gain. This is a forward who has terrific speed and awareness. He also seems like he’s having a great time on the ice. He represents the future for UNO, and has an opportunity to bring an exciting dynamic to UNO this season. He should be fun to watch. 

Chase LaPinta mic’d up with the Minot Minotauros (2023): 

GOALIE

Kevin Reidler (G) 



Year: Freshman

Height/Weight: 6’ 6”, 206 lbs 

Age: 20 

Note: Reidler is pronounced RAY-DLER 

Kevin Reidler was taken in the 2022 NHL Entry Draft by Ottawa (151st overall in the 5th round).

Reidler is a native of Gavle, Sweden. The 2023-24 season was his first playing junior hockey in North America.

He had a 2.86 GAA and a .902 SV% in 39 games with Dubuque (USHL). He finished the season with a 27-5-2 record in net for the Fighting Saints. Dubuque placed first in the USHL’s Eastern Conference last season. He was the All-USHL Second Team goalie last season. 

What was more intriguing is that Reidler had a 1.69 GAA and a .934 SV% in the USHL playoffs last season (11 games). The team lost in the Clark Cup final to the Fargo Force. 

Reidler played with fellow UNO freshman Chase LaPinta at Dubuque last season. He catches left.

Fun fact: His grandfather was a legendary Swedish hockey player (a center, and a seven-time Swedish league champion).

My Take: UNO Hockey fans have enjoyed the dependable goaltending skills of junior Simon Latkoczy the past two seasons. You would certainly expect Latkoczy to log most of the minutes between the pipes this season. Reidler has an opportunity to get acclimated to the collegiate game and should get some valuable playing time early in the season. If Reidler has success early, it could push Latkoczy this season. Hopefully, Reidler will develop into a dependable option for the coaching staff during the grind of NCHC play this season. 

Locked on Senators Podcast interview with Kevin Reidler (2024): 

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