Sam Laurila highlights Day Two of 2025 NHL Draft

LOS ANGELES (UND ATHLETICS)– Incoming defenseman Sam Laurila was selected with the 138th overall pick in the fifth round by the New York Islanders in the 2025 NHL Draft on Saturday afternoon from the Peacock Theater in Los Angeles, Calif.

Laurila is coming off a big year with the Fargo Force in the USHL, where he finished with 41 points in 57 games and was named a finalist for the league’s top defenseman. The Moorhead, Minn., native was just two points shy of pacing the USHL in points per game by a blueliner while also pacing the entire league in ice time (25:19).

He is set to join a Fighting Hawks defense group that consists of six returners and fellow incoming rookie Keaton Verhoeff.

North Dakota currently has 11 players who are drafted that are set to be on the roster for the 2025-26 campaign, highlighted by a pair of first round selections in EJ Emery (2024, NYR) and Cole Reschny (2025, CGY) as well as projected 2026 first rounder Verhoeff.

DAY 1 RECAP -FRIDAY-

Cole Reschny selected 18th overall by Calgary Flames in 2025 NHL Draft

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)