Force Ready for 2025-26 Season with Several Local Players on the Roster

THREE PLAYERS FROM MOOHREAD AND TWO FROM FARGO SET TO MAKE IMPACT ON FORCE THIS SEASON.

FARGO (KVRR) – After winning the Clark Cup final two seasons ago, the Fargo Force are coming off a first round exit last season. Entering this season, Fargo is looking to get back on top and are doing it with a ton of local talent.

Even with Fargo’s first round exit last season, the expectation and standard every season remains the same.

“It is just a winning culture,” said Brooks Cullen. “That’s kind of what we’re taught right when we get here.”

The Force will hold their home opener this weekend and look to continue that winning tradition that has been built.

This season, the Force have a few players from Fargo and Moorhead: Brooks Cullen, Zac Zimmerman and Garrett Lindberg are the Moorhead trio. From playing together as kids, they now take the ice together in junior hockey.

“Us three are obviously really tight, and then we’ve got a couple Fargo guys like Bryce Mattern and Zaide Penner,” said Cullen. “So, it’s really cool. We’ve grown up playing with and against these guys, and we know each other really really well because we’ve all trained and skated together in the summers and played against each other in the winters. It’s obviously pretty special that we’re all on the same team, and we’re all so close, so it’s pretty cool.”

One of the top returners for Fargo from last season is Eero Butella. He says team’s goal this season is the same as it always is.

“I think this year just take it day by day, game by game,” said Butella. “You can’t jump to conclusions, but obviously our goal is to win the Clark Cup, and we’re going to do whatever we can to do that. But just keep building every game, and hopefully we’ll have that result.”

The Force are two games into the season thus far, winning both in Pittsburgh to start the year. Head Coach Brett Skinner shares his thoughts on this year’s group.

“Definitely a good group of kids, great work ethic,” said Skinner. “Had a good preseason here getting up and running, but now the regular season games start. We came away with a couple wins in Pittsburgh, but really hard-fought games. Glad we came out on the winning side, but a long way to go here.”

Entering his third season as the Force head coach, Skinner spoke on the culture that is being in built within the Force organization.

“When you come in here, you know the standard that we want…you know that we have an expectation. With that being said, the kids kind of form their own identity. They pick the way that this team is going to play. I think what we’ve tried to cultivate is a day-to-day environment where if you have the right mindset and mentality, you’re going to have success here and you’re going to get better.”

The Force have their home opener Saturday, October 4 vs. the Sioux City Musketeers.