COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. – Four National Collegiate Hockey Conference (NCHC) players have received preseason national accolades from College Hockey News, which released its Preseason All-CHN Teams on Wednesday. In addition, three NCHC teams are ranked in CHN’s Preseason Top 10 Poll, all in the top six.

North Dakota junior forward Riese Gaber and Denver sophomore forward Carter Mazur both landed on the Preseason All-CHN First Team, while Mazur’s teammate at DU, junior defenseman Mike Benning, earned Second-Team honors. Colorado College freshman goaltender Kaidan Mbereko was the lone NCHC selection on the CHN Preseason All-Rookie Team. Gaber, Mazur and Benning were all NCHC Preseason All-Conference Team selections this season, as well.

NCHC teams make up half of the top six in CHN’s Preseason Top 10, led by defending national champion Denver at No. 2. North Dakota sits at No. 5, while Minnesota Duluth is right behind ranking sixth. DU, UND and UMD were picked to finish 1-2-3 in the NCHC Preseason Media Poll, respectively, as well. The Pioneers are No. 1 nationally in both the USCHO.com and USA Today/USA Hockey Magazine Preseason Polls, released last week, while UND is No. 4 and the Bulldogs are fifth in both.

Gaber (Gilbert Plains, Manitoba) was a First-Team All-NCHC selection last season, finishing in the top 10 in the NCHC in overall scoring with 37 points and in goals with 15. The undrafted free agent will serve as an assistant captain for UND this season, as the Fighting Hawks go for a fourth straight Penrose Cup after sharing the honors with DU last year.

Mazur (Jackson, Mich.) was the NCHC Rookie of the Year a season ago and earned unanimous NCHC All-Rookie Team honors, while helping the Pioneers win the national championship. The Detroit Red Wings draft pick tallied 38 points in 41 games as a freshman, ranking second nationally in rookie scoring, including 14 goals and 24 assists. Like Gaber, Mazur will serve as an alternate captain in 2022-23.

Benning (St. Albert, Alta.) was a Second-Team All-NCHC pick last year as a sophomore, ranking second nationally among blue liners with both 15 goals and 38 points. The Florida Panthers draft pick earned 2022 Frozen Four Most Outstanding Player honors to end last year, while helping DU win its ninth national title.

Mbereko (Aspen, Colo.) was a member of the 2022 U.S. National Junior Team that competed at the IIHF World Junior Championship in August. He posted a 3-1-0 record in net wearing the Stars and Stripes, while compiling a .925 save percentage and a 1.76 goals-against average, both ranking in the top three at the tournament. Last year, the draft-eligible netminder went 18-11-3 for the Lincoln Stars in the USHL with a 3.01 GAA and an .898 save percentage.

College Hockey News selected Minnesota as No. 1 in its Preseason Top 10. Northeastern and Minnesota State are in between the Pioneers and Fighting Hawks at three and four, respectively. The NCHC and Big Ten each placed three teams in the Preseason Top 10, while ECAC Hockey has two and Hockey East and the CCHA have one each.

Denver and North Dakota both open the season with home exhibitions on Saturday, Oct. 1 against UNLV and Manitoba, respectively. Minnesota Duluth hosts Arizona State for two games Saturday and Sunday to open the regular season, while Mbereko and the Tigers face crosstown rival Air Force in an exhibition game on Saturday, Oct. 1, as well. The DU, UND and UMD games can all be seen on NCHC.tv.

Preseason All-CHN First Team
F: Riese Gaber, Jr., North Dakota
F: Carter Mazur, So., Denver
F: Matthew Coronato, So., Harvard
D: Luke Hughes, So., Michigan
D: Brock Faber, Jr., Minnesota
G: Devon Levi, Jr., Northeastern

Preseason All-CHN Second Team
F: Aidan McDonough, Sr., Northeastern
F: Matthew Knies, So., Minnesota
F: Landon Slaggert, Jr., Notre Dame
D: Mike Benning, Jr., Denver
D: Scott Morrow, So., Massachusetts
G: Yaniv Perets, Jr., Quinnipiac

CHN All-Rookie Team
F: Adan Fantilli, Michigan
F: Logan Cooley, Minnesota
F: Cutter Gauthier, Boston College
D: Seamus Casey, Michigan
D: Luke Mittelstadt, Minnesota
G: Kaidan Mbereko, Colorado College