COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. – Freshmen shined over the weekend to capture three of four National Collegiate Hockey Conference (NCHC) Players of the Week presented by KJ Branding for the week of Jan. 12-18, 2026. Earning KJ Branding NCHC Week 15 honors are a pair of Huskies, a Fighting Hawk and a RedHawk:

• Forward – Cole Reschny, North Dakota, Fr.
• Defenseman – Max Smolinski, St. Cloud State, Sr.
• Goaltender – Yan Shostak, St. Cloud State, Fr.
• Rookie – David Deputy, Miami, F

Reschny picked up his second NCHC Forward of the Week nod this season, while Deputy collected his third Rookie of the Week award. This is Smolinski’s first career NCHC weekly honor, while it is Shostak’s second NCHC weekly accolade, but first Goaltender of the Week nod after earning Rookie of the Week earlier this season.
 
FORWARD OF THE WEEK 
Cole Reschny, North Dakota
Freshman Forward
Macklin, Sask.
 
Reschny recorded multiple points both nights to help No. 4 North Dakota to a split with No. 9 Denver last weekend. In Friday’s 5-0 shutout, the Calgary Flames first round draft pick handed out a diving, primary assist on UND’s fourth goal, while he sealed the victory by scoring the final tally. A night later, Reschny dished out two more assists, having a hand in both North Dakota goals in a 3-2 defeat. He was also +2 both nights against Denver, while earning Second Star of the Game on Saturday.
 
Reschny finished the weekend with four points, tying for the NCHC lead, including one goal and three assists. He also went 15-14 (51.7 percent) in the faceoff circle against DU, including 11-5 in the series finale. Reschny posted a +4 plus/minus in the series, which led the NCHC on the weekend, while putting six shots on goal. On the season, he now leads North Dakota with 24 points on four goals and a team-high 20 assists, which rank fourth in the NCHC. Reschny now has multiple points in three straight games.
 
DEFENSEMAN OF THE WEEK
Max Smolinski, St. Cloud State
Senior Defenseman
Bloomfield Hills, Mich.
 
Smolinski had a big weekend at both ends of the ice to help St. Cloud State to a split with No. 6 Minnesota Duluth. Offensively, he recorded points in both games, including dishing out a pair of assists in Friday’s 6-0 shutout. Smolinski set up SCSU’s fourth and fifth goals Friday, while helping the Huskies blank the Bulldogs for the first time since 2022 and earn their largest win over UMD since 2011. It was also UMD’s first loss on a Friday this season. On Saturday, Smolinski broke a 2-2 tie in the second period with a go-ahead goal before the Bulldogs rallied to hand SCSU a 5-3 loss.
 
Smolinski tied for the NCHC defenseman lead with three points on the weekend on a goal and two assists. He fired three shots on goal and finished with a +1 plus/minus, while averaging 21:14 time on ice in the two games. He also helped the Huskies penalty kill finish 5-for-6 in the series against UMD. In 24 games this season, Smolinski now has 15 points to lead SCSU blueliners, including four goals and 11 assists.
 
GOALTENDER OF THE WEEK
Yan Shostak, St. Cloud State
Freshman Goaltender
Minsk, Belarus
 
Shostak was stellar in backstopping St. Cloud State to a split with No. 6 Minnesota Duluth over the weekend. On Friday, he made a career-high 42 saves in a 6-0 shutout of the Bulldogs, ending UMD’s perfect 11-0-0 record on Fridays this season. It was Shostak’s second shutout this season, while it was SCSU’s first shutout of the Bulldogs since March 5, 2022. He made 15 saves in each of the final two periods, while the 42 stops were SCSU’s most in a shutout since Oct. 7, 2017. Shostak was named First Star of the Game on Friday. In Saturday’s finale, Shostak made 24 saves on 28 shots in a 5-3 loss.
 
Shostak finished the weekend with an NCHC-high 66 saves on 70 shots faced, with his .943 save percentage second in the NCHC. He posted a 2.01 goals-against average, while going 1-1 against the Bulldogs. Shostak lowered his season GAA to 2.93 while upping his season save percentage to .897 in the series. He now sits at 5-8-0 in 13 starts on the year with two shutouts.
 
ROOKIE OF THE WEEK
David Deputy, Miami
Freshman Forward
Gurnee, Ill.
 
Deputy powered Miami to its first NCHC sweep since February of 2022, helping the RedHawks to a pair of wins over Omaha. In Saturday’s finale, Deputy recorded his first career hat trick in a 6-2 win, becoming the first NCHC freshman this season with a hat trick. He scored Miami’s first and third goals on the power play, both in the first period, then sealed his hat trick with a short-handed goal in the second stanza, which ended up being the game-winner. Deputy earned First Star of the Game Saturday after recording Miami’s first hat trick at home since December of 2022. In Friday’s opener, he was held off the scoresheet, but put three shots on goal in a 3-0 shutout of the Mavericks.
 
Deputy finished the weekend with three goals and three points, the only NCHC player with three goals on the weekend. All three goals came on special teams, including one short-handed and one game-winner. He fired eight shots on goal against Omaha, while posting a +1 plus/minus in the series and blocking a shot. In 19 games this season, Deputy is now tied for the team lead with 10 goals, while he also has five assists for 15 points.
 
OTHER NOMINEES:
 
Forward of the Week
David Deputy, Miami
Verner Miettinen, St. Cloud State
Jayson Shaugabay, Minnesota Duluth

Defenseman of the Week
Sam Laurila, North Dakota
Michael Quinn, Miami

Goaltender of the Week
Matteo Drobac, Miami
Jan Špunar, North Dakota
 
Rookie of the Week
Kristian Epperson, Denver, F
Sam Laurila, North Dakota, D