COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. – The KJ Branding National Collegiate Hockey Conference (NCHC) Players of the Week for the week of Oct. 5-11, 2026 all helped their team earn a sweep over the weekend. Garnering KJ Branding NCHC Week 2 honors are three Western Michigan Broncos and a North Dakota Fighting Hawk:

• Forward – Will Zellers, North Dakota, So.
• Defenseman – Joona Väisänen, Western Michigan, Jr.
• Goaltender – Quentin Miller, Western Michigan, So.
• Rookie – Adam Benák, Western Michigan, forward

Zellers snagged his first career NCHC Forward of the Week nod and second career NCHC weekly honor, picking up Rookie of the Week once last year. Väisänen landed his third career NCHC Defenseman of the Week award but first since his freshman season. Miller gloved his fourth career NCHC Goalie of the Week honor after winning it three times at Denver last year, while this is Benák’s first NCHC weekly award.
 
FORWARD OF THE WEEK
Will Zellers, North Dakota
Sophomore Forward
Maple Grove, Minn.
 
Zellers opened the regular season with a bang, racking up six points in No. 4 North Dakota’s sweep of Bemidji State to lead all NCHC skaters on the weekend. The Boston Bruins prospect tallied three points in both victories and had a hand in six of UND’s seven goals in the series. In Friday’s opener, Zellers handed out a career-high three assists, setting up all three NoDak goals in a 3-2 road win. The next night, he scored the first two goals of the game on the power play in the first period, then added an assist on UND’s third goal in an eventual 4-3 victory.
 
Zellers finished the sweep with two goals and four assists, becoming the first UND player to open the season with six points since Brock Boeser in 2016 against Canisius. He also fired nine shots on goal in the two games against the Beavers and posted a +3 plus/minus. Zellers’ six points on the season tie for second in the NCHC despite only playing two games so far. He joins Zach Parise in 2002 as the only North Dakota players with at least three points in back-to-back games to begin the season.
 
DEFENSEMAN OF THE WEEK
Joona Väisänen, Western Michigan
Junior Defenseman
Kirkkonummi, Finland
 
After missing most of last season with an injury, Väisänen announced his return in a big way, helping the No. 6 Broncos sweep in-state rival Ferris State to open the regular season. The Pittsburgh Penguins draft pick racked up four points from the blue line, including a career-high-tying three points in Thursday’s season-opening win. Väisänen scored a power play goal on Thursday before dishing out two assists in a 6-0 shutout of the Bulldogs in Kalamazoo. A night later in Big Rapids, he struck again, scoring WMU’s third goal in a 5-1 victory over FSU.
 
Väisänen completed the sweep with two goals and two assists, leading all NCHC blueliners on the weekend with four points and the lone blueliner to tally two goals. He anchored a WMU penalty kill unit that finished 10-for-11 against Ferris State, including 8-for-8 in Thursday’s opener. Väisänen fired six shots on goal, blocked a shot and posted a +2 plus/minus in the series, as well.
 
GOALTENDER OF THE WEEK
Quentin Miller, Western Michigan
Sophomore Goaltender
Montreal, Quebec
 
Miller was rock solid in his official Western Michigan debut, backstopping the Broncos to a season-opening sweep of Ferris State while allowing only one goal all weekend and none even strength. In Thursday’s regular-season opener, the Montreal Canadiens draft pick was perfect, recording a 26-save shutout for his fourth career clean sheet. The Denver transfer made 10 of his 26 saves short-handed on Thursday as WMU went 8-for-8 on the penalty kill. The next night on the road, Miller stopped 21 of 22 shots faced in a 5-1 win, surrendering only a power play goal.
 
Miller finished the series 2-0-0 with a 0.50 goals-against average and a .979 save percentage to pace all NCHC goalies on the weekend in all categories. He totaled 47 saves in the sweep on 48 shots faced. His 0.50 GAA and .979 save percentage both rank second in the NCHC so far this season.
 
ROOKIE OF THE WEEK
Adam Benák, Western Michigan
Freshman Forward
Plzen, Czechia
 
Benák was strong in his first weekend of NCAA action, helping Western Michigan to a sweep of in-state rival Ferris State. The Minnesota Wild draft pick erupted in his second collegiate game, dishing out four assists in Friday’s 5-1 victory over the Bulldogs in Big Rapids. He set up each of WMU’s first three goals, including the primary assist on the game-winner, and its final goal. It's the first four-assist game by a Bronco since Dylan Wendt had four against Ferris State back on Oct. 12, 2023. Benák is also the only freshman in the NCAA with a four-point game so far this season.
 
In his first career NCAA game last Thursday, Benák fired three shots on goal and was +1 in a 6-0 shutout over FSU. He was +3 on Friday and finished the series +4 with five shots on goal. The center was also strong in the faceoff dot, winning 10 of 13 faceoffs against Ferris State on the weekend. Benák’s four assists and four points both tie for second among NCHC rookies early this season.
 
OTHER NOMINEES:
 
Forward of the Week
Jack Beck, Arizona State
Quinn Rudrud, St. Thomas
Gavyn Thoreson, St. Cloud State
William Whitelaw, Western Michigan
 
Defenseman of the Week
Chase Cheslock, St. Thomas
Sam Laurila, North Dakota
Jonas Woo, Arizona State
 
Goaltender of the Week
Ajay White, St. Thomas
 
Rookie of the Week
David Rozsíval, St. Thomas, forward
Jonas Woo, Arizona State, defenseman