Mike Gabinet's first recruiting class at UNO features five forwards, two defensemen and one goaltender.
Gabinet Signs First Recruiting Class
Jul 3, 2018 | Hockey
OMAHA, Neb. – Omaha hockey head coach Mike Gabinet announced the signing of eight student-athletes to National Letters of Intent today. They all will join the Mavericks for the 2018-19 season.
"We worked very hard to identify players who would be able to contribute to our program," said Gabinet. "We believe we have recruited a freshman class that will further help us strengthen our culture as a program and be successful in the NCHC."
This is Gabinet's first signing class. It includes six Americans, one Canadian and one Slovakian. Five are forwards, two are defensemen and one is a goalie. The following is an alphabetical list by position of the eight signees.
FORWARDS
Kevin Conley
Height: 5-11 Weight: 195
Hometown: Wausau, Wis.
Previous Team (League): Sioux Falls (USHL)
Conley finished fourth in team scoring for Sioux Falls (USHL) in 2017-18, scoring 19 goals and 17 assists for 36 points in 59 games. He played the previous season with Denver (NCHC), scoring three goals and four assists for seven points in 28 games. Prior to that, he spent more than two seasons with Youngstown (USHL), scoring 16 goals and adding seven assists for 23 points in 104 career games. He also amassed 330 penalty minutes in 163 career USHL games. He will enter UNO as a sophomore.
Travis Kothenbeutel
Height: 5-9 Weight: 165
Hometown: Sauk Rapids, Minn.
Previous Team (League): Austin (NAHL)
Kothenbeutel led Austin of the North American Hockey League in scoring with 24 goals and 43 assists for 67 points in 56 games. In 166 career games with the Bruins, Kothenbeutel scored 56 goals and 90 assists for 146 points and has also accumulated 68 penalty minutes. He also had 10 points in 16 career playoff games for Austin.
Chayse Primeau
Height: 6-3 Weight: 184
Hometown: Margate City, N.J.
Previous Team (League): Dubuque (USHL)
Primeau finished third in scoring during the 2017-18 season for Dubuque (USHL), scoring 21 goals and 20 assists for 41 points in 56 games. The native of Voorhees, N.J. also appeared in 52 games with Lincoln (USHL) between 2015-17 where he had five goals and 12 points. He is the son of Keith Primeau who played in 909 NHL games with Detroit, Hartford, Carolina and Philadelphia.
Taylor Ward
Height: 6-2 Weight: 197
Hometown: Kelowna, British Columbia
Previous Team (League): Penticton (BCHL)
Ward was third in scoring for Penticton (BCHL) with 21 goals and 23 assists for 44 points in 46 games. He ranked second on the team in goals. In 162 career games with the Vees, he had 36 goals and 41 assists for 77 points to go along with 97 penalty minutes. He also had five goals and five assists for 10 points in 33 career playoff games. He was a member of the Vees' BCHL Playoff Championship in 2016-17. Ward is the son of Dixon Ward who played 537 NHL games with Vancouver, Los Angeles, Toronto, Buffalo, Boston and the New York Rangers.
Tyler Weiss
Height: 5-11 Weight: 180
Hometown: Raleigh, N.C.
Previous Team (League): USNTDP
Weiss played in 58 games for the U.S. National Team Development Program in 2017-18, scoring 12 goals and earning 19 assists for 31 points while picking up 92 penalty minutes. He also appeared in 22 games for the USNTDP Junior Team in the USHL, scoring three goals and eight assists for 11 points along with 21 penalty minutes. Weiss also competed for Team USA at the Under-18 World Championship, notching two goals and two assists in seven games to help the U.S. to a silver medal. He was drafted by the Colorado Avalanche in the fourth round, 109th overall, in the 2018 NHL Entry Draft.
DEFENSE
John Schuldt
Height: 6-4 Weight: 212
Hometown: Minnetonka, Minn.
Previous Team (League): Fargo (USHL)
Schuldt played in 58 games with Fargo (USHL) in 2017-18, scoring two goals and 10 assists for 12 points and also earning 72 penalty minutes. He added two goals and an assist in 14 playoff games, helping the Force to the USHL's Clark Cup Championship. Prior to his season with Fargo, Schuldt played two seasons with Langley of the British Columbia Hockey League, earning 15 goals and 30 assists for 45 points in 97 games. He also had 107 penalty minutes. Schuldt is the younger brother of St. Cloud State defenseman Jimmy Schuldt.
Jason Smallidge
Height: 6-2 Weight: 184
Hometown: Eagan, Minn.
Previous Team (League): Youngstown (USHL)
Smallidge split playing time between Central Illinois and Youngstown of the USHL in 2017-18. He had a goal and an assist in 23 games with Central Illinois before notching four assists for Youngstown in 22 games. He added two goals in 11 playoff games for Youngstown. In 102 career USHL games, he had two goals and 15 assists for 17 points while earning 88 penalty minutes.
GOALTENDER
Matej Tomek
Height: 6-4 Weight: 194
Hometown: Bratislava, Slovakia
Previous Team (League): Waterloo (USHL)
Tomek appeared in 30 games for Waterloo (USHL) in 2017-18, posting a record of 15-8-5-2 with a 2.39 goals-against average and a .907 save percentage. He spent the previous two seasons with North Dakota (NCHC). Prior to joining UND, he appeared in 33 games for Topeka (NAHL), putting up a record of 24-7-2 with a 1.83 goals-against and a .928 save percentage. He was drafted by Philadelphia in the third round, 90th overall, in the 2015 NHL Entry Draft. He will enter UNO as a junior.
The Mavericks open their 22nd season in October. Season tickets are now on sale at the Baxter Arena box office, by phone at (402) 554-MAVS and at OMavs.com/tix.
"We worked very hard to identify players who would be able to contribute to our program," said Gabinet. "We believe we have recruited a freshman class that will further help us strengthen our culture as a program and be successful in the NCHC."
This is Gabinet's first signing class. It includes six Americans, one Canadian and one Slovakian. Five are forwards, two are defensemen and one is a goalie. The following is an alphabetical list by position of the eight signees.
FORWARDS
Kevin Conley
Height: 5-11 Weight: 195
Hometown: Wausau, Wis.
Previous Team (League): Sioux Falls (USHL)
Conley finished fourth in team scoring for Sioux Falls (USHL) in 2017-18, scoring 19 goals and 17 assists for 36 points in 59 games. He played the previous season with Denver (NCHC), scoring three goals and four assists for seven points in 28 games. Prior to that, he spent more than two seasons with Youngstown (USHL), scoring 16 goals and adding seven assists for 23 points in 104 career games. He also amassed 330 penalty minutes in 163 career USHL games. He will enter UNO as a sophomore.
Travis Kothenbeutel
Height: 5-9 Weight: 165
Hometown: Sauk Rapids, Minn.
Previous Team (League): Austin (NAHL)
Kothenbeutel led Austin of the North American Hockey League in scoring with 24 goals and 43 assists for 67 points in 56 games. In 166 career games with the Bruins, Kothenbeutel scored 56 goals and 90 assists for 146 points and has also accumulated 68 penalty minutes. He also had 10 points in 16 career playoff games for Austin.
Chayse Primeau
Height: 6-3 Weight: 184
Hometown: Margate City, N.J.
Previous Team (League): Dubuque (USHL)
Primeau finished third in scoring during the 2017-18 season for Dubuque (USHL), scoring 21 goals and 20 assists for 41 points in 56 games. The native of Voorhees, N.J. also appeared in 52 games with Lincoln (USHL) between 2015-17 where he had five goals and 12 points. He is the son of Keith Primeau who played in 909 NHL games with Detroit, Hartford, Carolina and Philadelphia.
Taylor Ward
Height: 6-2 Weight: 197
Hometown: Kelowna, British Columbia
Previous Team (League): Penticton (BCHL)
Ward was third in scoring for Penticton (BCHL) with 21 goals and 23 assists for 44 points in 46 games. He ranked second on the team in goals. In 162 career games with the Vees, he had 36 goals and 41 assists for 77 points to go along with 97 penalty minutes. He also had five goals and five assists for 10 points in 33 career playoff games. He was a member of the Vees' BCHL Playoff Championship in 2016-17. Ward is the son of Dixon Ward who played 537 NHL games with Vancouver, Los Angeles, Toronto, Buffalo, Boston and the New York Rangers.
Tyler Weiss
Height: 5-11 Weight: 180
Hometown: Raleigh, N.C.
Previous Team (League): USNTDP
Weiss played in 58 games for the U.S. National Team Development Program in 2017-18, scoring 12 goals and earning 19 assists for 31 points while picking up 92 penalty minutes. He also appeared in 22 games for the USNTDP Junior Team in the USHL, scoring three goals and eight assists for 11 points along with 21 penalty minutes. Weiss also competed for Team USA at the Under-18 World Championship, notching two goals and two assists in seven games to help the U.S. to a silver medal. He was drafted by the Colorado Avalanche in the fourth round, 109th overall, in the 2018 NHL Entry Draft.
DEFENSE
John Schuldt
Height: 6-4 Weight: 212
Hometown: Minnetonka, Minn.
Previous Team (League): Fargo (USHL)
Schuldt played in 58 games with Fargo (USHL) in 2017-18, scoring two goals and 10 assists for 12 points and also earning 72 penalty minutes. He added two goals and an assist in 14 playoff games, helping the Force to the USHL's Clark Cup Championship. Prior to his season with Fargo, Schuldt played two seasons with Langley of the British Columbia Hockey League, earning 15 goals and 30 assists for 45 points in 97 games. He also had 107 penalty minutes. Schuldt is the younger brother of St. Cloud State defenseman Jimmy Schuldt.
Jason Smallidge
Height: 6-2 Weight: 184
Hometown: Eagan, Minn.
Previous Team (League): Youngstown (USHL)
Smallidge split playing time between Central Illinois and Youngstown of the USHL in 2017-18. He had a goal and an assist in 23 games with Central Illinois before notching four assists for Youngstown in 22 games. He added two goals in 11 playoff games for Youngstown. In 102 career USHL games, he had two goals and 15 assists for 17 points while earning 88 penalty minutes.
GOALTENDER
Matej Tomek
Height: 6-4 Weight: 194
Hometown: Bratislava, Slovakia
Previous Team (League): Waterloo (USHL)
Tomek appeared in 30 games for Waterloo (USHL) in 2017-18, posting a record of 15-8-5-2 with a 2.39 goals-against average and a .907 save percentage. He spent the previous two seasons with North Dakota (NCHC). Prior to joining UND, he appeared in 33 games for Topeka (NAHL), putting up a record of 24-7-2 with a 1.83 goals-against and a .928 save percentage. He was drafted by Philadelphia in the third round, 90th overall, in the 2015 NHL Entry Draft. He will enter UNO as a junior.
The Mavericks open their 22nd season in October. Season tickets are now on sale at the Baxter Arena box office, by phone at (402) 554-MAVS and at OMavs.com/tix.
Players Mentioned
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