Bulldog Insider

The memorable run for the University of Minnesota Duluth mens hockey team ended this past Sunday with a 4-3 loss to the No. 1 overall seed, Michigan, in an NCAA regional fina l at MVP Arena in Albany, New York. The Bulldogs (24-15-1) improved their win total by 11 from a year ago to get back to the NCAA Tournament, but they fell one win short of a spot in the NCAA Frozen Four. For the season final...

Minnesota Duluth sophomore forward Max Plante has been hearing 'congratulations' a lot lately, but he isn't always sure what for. Sure, he has been collecting awards and honors left and right the past couple weeks and last week alone, he was named 2026 NCHC Forward of the Year, 2026 NCHC Player of the Year and a top 10 finalist for the Hobey Baker Memorial Award. But, what he and his teammates are...

At 2 p.m. on Sunday, the University of Minnesota Duluth mens hockey team will hear their name called during the 2026 NCAA tournament selection show on ESPNU for the first time since winning their last Frozen Faceoff title in 2022. The Bulldogs are one of 11 teams who are considered to be a 100% lock for the NCAA tournament based on the 20,000 simulations run by College Hockey News. But before Sele...

The second part of a "double dog week" is here for the Bulldog Insider podcast with another episode, this one featuring freshman defenseman Grayden Siepmann of the UMD mens team. The native of Langley, British Columbia, Canada has five goals and seven assists in 33 games this season. Siepmann joins Bulldog Insider co-hosts Matt Wellens and Zach Schneider to discuss his background in hockey, his pa...

The season is not done for Ashley Messier and the UMD womens hockey team! They earned a sixth-consecutive NCAA tournament berth. Messier, a Graduate Student defenseman from Wilcox, Saskatchewan, Canada, joined the Bulldogs after five years at Cornell. If you're wondering about her last name, she is indeed related to NHL legend Mark Messier, who is a cousin of her father Joby, also a former NHL pla...

The NCHC playoffs begin this week and regardless of the outcome of their quarterfinal series, the UMD mens hockey team appears to have secured a spot in the NCAA Tournament. The UMD womens team fell in their best-of-three WCHA quarterfinal series against Minnesota State. But a spot in the NCAA Tournament may still be possible for the women, but they'll need some help from other squads. This week,...

Minnesota Duluth senior defenseman Tova Henderson scored in overtime in back-to-back games as the Bulldogs swept the University of Minnesota at Ridder Arena in Minneapolis last weekend to wrap up the regular season. In this episode, Henderson, a native of Richmond, British Columbia, Canada, talks about that big series win, her decision to come to UMD, what her career has been like, and much more....

They're both defensemen, both in their fourth seasons in Bulldog Country and it has been a memorable ride for both Joey Pierce and Riley Bodnarchuk. Pierce, a Hermantown graduate, didn't have to travel far from home for his college career while Bodnarchuk comes from Okotoks, Alberta, Canada. Bulldog Insider is co-hosted by Matt Wellens and Zach Schneider. Episodes are edited and produced by Duluth...

Derek Plante has worn many hats at UMD. He's played hockey for the Bulldogs, coached the Bulldogs and now when he's not scouting in the NHL, the 1993 Hobey Baker finalist a Bulldog Dad. Bulldog Insider is co-hosted by Matt Wellens and Zach Schneider. Episodes are edited and produced by Duluth News Tribune digital producer Wyatt Buckner. You can find more Bulldog hockey coverage at duluthnewstribun...

Bulldogs defenseman and Detroit Red Wings prospect Brady Cleveland is a two-time transfer, who took a long and winding road to finally reach the college team he wanted to play for as a kid. Bulldog Insider is co-hosted by Matt Wellens and Zach Schneider. Episodes are edited and produced by Duluth News Tribune digital producer Wyatt Buckner. You can find more Bulldog hockey coverage at duluthnewstr...

When Minnesota Duluth associate head coach Adam Krause came calling, wingers Blake Bechen and Harper Bentz answered to join their junior hockey teammates on a growing 2024-25 rookie class at UMD. Bulldog Insider is co-hosted by Matt Wellens and Zach Schneider. Episodes are edited and produced by Duluth News Tribune digital producer Wyatt Buckner. You can find more Bulldog hockey coverage at duluth...

UMD starting goaltender Adam Gajan quietly played his way this season onto Slovakia's 2026 Olympic men's hockey team for the Winter Games in Italy, where he'll be ready for anything come February. Bulldog Insider is co-hosted by Matt Wellens and Zach Schneider. Episodes are edited and produced by Duluth News Tribune digital producer Wyatt Buckner. You can find more Bulldog hockey coverage at dulut...

The final two pieces of the Bulldogs' 2025-26 roster, Hunter Anderson and Luke Bibby, didn't come to Duluth, or meet with the UMD coaches face-to-face before committing to the program last spring. Bulldog Insider is co-hosted by Matt Wellens and Zach Schneider. Episodes are edited and produced by Duluth News Tribune digital producer Wyatt Buckner. You can find more Bulldog hockey coverage at dulut...

KDAL's Bruce Ciskie, Zach Schneider of My 9 Sports and the News Tribune's Matt Wellens answer your questions about the Bulldogs in Ireland, Saturdays and Max Plante's chances of winning the Hobey. Bulldog Insider is co-hosted by Matt Wellens and Zach Schneider. Episodes are edited and produced by Duluth News Tribune digital producer Wyatt Buckner. You can find more Bulldog hockey coverage at dulut...

This special episode includes the bonus segments recorded during the breaks of episodes 2, 5, 7, 10 and 11 with UMD women's hockey players Mary Kate O'Brien, Eve Gascon, Krista Parkkonen, Thea Johansson, Sophie Villanueva, and Kaitlin Kraemer. Bulldog Insider is co-hosted by Matt Wellens and Zach Schneider. Episodes are edited and produced by Duluth News Tribune digital producer Wyatt Buckner. You...

Should athletes who have played in professional leagues be allowed to play in the NCAA? While recording season 8 episode 8 of the Bulldog Insider podcast, Bruce Ciskie, Matt Wellens and Zach Schneider discussed how the NCAA should limit the eligibility of athletes who have played in professional leagues. Bulldog Insider is co-hosted by Matt Wellens and Zach Schneider. Episodes are edited and produ...

After winning gold in 2025 in Ottawa, Hermantown native and UMD wing Max Plante is after another gold medal at the 2026 World Junior Championship in Minnesota with his longtime USA Hockey teammates. Bulldog Insider is co-hosted by Matt Wellens and Zach Schneider. Episodes are edited and produced by Duluth News Tribune digital producer Wyatt Buckner. You can find more Bulldog hockey coverage at dul...

Team USA's big man on the blue line, UMD defenseman Adam Kleber, previews the upcoming 2026 World Junior Championship that is coming to Duluth, Minneapolis and St. Paul in December and January. Bulldog Insider is co-hosted by Matt Wellens and Zach Schneider. Episodes are edited and produced by Duluth News Tribune digital producer Wyatt Buckner. You can find more Bulldog hockey coverage at duluthne...

The No. 5-ranked Minnesota Duluth women's hockey program has one more WCHA series scheduled this weekend at Bemidji State before it begins a three-week holiday break. But not everyone is getting a break from hockey. Bulldogs sophomore center Caitlin Kraemer will continue her double life as a college hockey player and 2026 Olympic hopeful, suiting up for the Canadian National Women's Team in Games...

This special episode includes the bonus segments recorded during the breaks of episodes 3, 4, 6 and 9 with UMD men's hockey head coach Scott Sandelin, and players Callum Arnott, Jayson Shaugabay, Zam Plante and Ty Hanson. The topics: -Scott Sandelin discusses growing up in Hibbing -Arnott and Shaugabay's most unpopular opinions -Zam Plante on what kind of pet he would get -Ty Hanson on favorite ro...

Sophia Villanueva is the first Bulldog — men or women — to call Texas home. However, Texas is just one of the plethora of places the Minnesota Duluth freshman goaltender has called home in her young life. Villanueva's father, Mark, was a maintenance test pilot for Apache helicopters in the U.S. Army and his career took the family to Texas, Korea, Colorado Springs and back to Texas. Meanwhile, Vill...

UMD sophomore defenseman Ty Hanson is one of the top scoring defensemen in the NCAA, and an alternate captain of a No. 3-ranked Bulldogs team that's having a blast to start the 2025-26 season. Bulldog Insider is co-hosted by Matt Wellens and Zach Schneider. Episodes are edited and produced by Duluth News Tribune digital producer Wyatt Buckner. You can find more Bulldog hockey coverage at duluthnew...

You had questions — a lot of them — and the "Insiders" who cover the Minnesota Duluth men's and women's hockey teams have answers. Some of them may actually be good answers. The radio voice of Bulldogs hockey, Bruce Ciskie, joined News Tribune college hockey reporter Matt Wellens and Zach Schneider of My 9 Sports on the Bulldog Insider Podcast this week to break down the start of the 2025-26 seaso...

Finland's Krista Parkkonen and Sweden's Thea Johansson transferred to Minnesota Duluth not only to improve themselves as hockey players, but their national team programs ahead of the 2026 Olympics. Bulldog Insider is co-hosted by Matt Wellens and Zach Schneider. Episodes are edited and produced by Duluth News Tribune digital producer Wyatt Buckner. You can find more Bulldog hockey coverage at dulu...

UMD's Zam Plante joins the Bulldog Insider Podcast to talk hockey, hunting and the competitive nature of his family. The Hermantown native also answers the questions submitted by you and his family. Bulldog Insider is co-hosted by Matt Wellens and Zach Schneider. Episodes are edited and produced by Duluth News Tribune digital producer Wyatt Buckner. You can find more Bulldog hockey coverage at dul...