UND recruit Caleb Heil performs in NHL preseason recreation – Grand Forks Herald

Sponsored By
ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT
GRAND FORKS — A UND hockey recruit performed in an NHL preseason recreation on Tuesday evening.
Goaltender Caleb Heil, who performs for the Madison Capitols in america Hockey League, suited up for the Tampa Bay Lightning towards the Nashville Predators in Bridgestone Enviornment.
ADVERTISEMENT
Heil performed the third interval, time beyond regulation and the shootout.
“It clearly was an unbelievable expertise,” Heil advised reporters after the sport. “Simply grateful the coaches put me in there and for the blokes battling in entrance. It was a fantastic expertise. This complete camp right here is one thing I can take into the season.”
It was a memorable outing, too.
Heil stopped all seven pictures he confronted within the third interval and time beyond regulation. Three got here off the stick of Filip Forsberg, an NHL all-star in 2024.
Then, he shut out Nashville’s three shootout makes an attempt.
Nashville’s shooters have been future Hockey Corridor of Famer and two-time Stanley Cup champion Steven Stamkos, Forsberg and Stanley Cup winner Jonathan Marchessault.
“You see who’s coming over the bench,” Heil mentioned. “You see Stamkos come on the market first, then Forsberg and Marchessault. . . it is fairly cool. I have been watching these guys on TV all my life, so you know the way good of gamers they’re. Sort of simply be within the second there.”
ADVERTISEMENT
It’s believed to be the primary time a UND commit has performed in an NHL preseason recreation.
It is a part of faculty hockey’s new panorama.
Final November, the NCAA handed a brand new rule that permits gamers to play towards professionals whereas holding their newbie standing. The identical rule additionally permits Canadian Hockey League gamers to retain their NCAA eligibility.
Heil took benefit of it.
Tampa Bay chosen Heil within the seventh spherical, No. 193 total, within the 2025 NHL Draft. The 6-foot-2 netminder from Victoria, Minn., attended improvement camp in the summertime and coaching camp this fall with the Lightning.
“It is actually cool being round these guys and watching how they go about issues,” Heil mentioned. “It has been nice. The rookie event is a bit totally different than this — a bit smaller environment within the video games. However on the finish of the day, it is the identical factor. You are simply taking part in hockey. I assumed it was a great expertise.”
Heil will now return to Madison for the 2025-26 season and are available to UND subsequent fall.
ADVERTISEMENT
“That is one thing to construct on,” Heil mentioned. “I’ve had a great two weeks right here. I can construct some confidence off of this and convey it into the season, hold bettering issues I have to work on for an enormous 12 months.”
ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT

source