Jonathan Toews and Other NHL Players Associated with the University of North Dakota

The University of North Dakota men's hockey team has won the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) seven times. They have appeared in the tournament 24 times. They have also won:

• 7 Frozen Four Division I Championships
• 14 Western Collegiate Hockey Association (WCHA) regular season Championship
• 9 WCHA Tournament Championships

The University of North Dakota has just over 13,000 students enrolled and is located in Grand Forks, North Dakota in the northeastern part of the state. Because of UND's success playing hockey, they are known across the nation and are also known for great players such as those who currently play for the National Hockey League (NHL).

Jonathan Toews (pronounced Tays) was born in 1988 in Winnipeg, Manitoba. He is currently the team captain for the Chicago Blackhawks. At 22, he is the youngest team captain in the NHL. The Blackhawks won the 2010 Stanley Cup against the Philadelphia Flyers. Toews was named MVP of the championship series.

Toews played for two seasons at the University of North Dakota in Grand Forks. As a member of the Fighting Sioux, he helped them reach the NCAA Frozen Four in 2006 and 2007. Instead of finishing school at UND, he joined the Chicago Blackhawks in 2007. Toews also played for gold-medal winners, Team Canada in the 2010 Winter Olympics.

Zach Parise was born in 1984 in Minneapolis, Minnesota. He currently plays for the New Jersey Devils, of which he is an alternate captain. This year, the Devils won the Atlantic Division for the Eastern Conference.

Parise played for the University of North Dakota for two seasons before turning pro in his sophomore year. He then played for the Albany River Rats in the AHL (American Hockey League). He began playing with the New Jersey Devils in the 2005-2006 season.

Parise was an alternate captain for the silver-medal winning Team USA in the 2010 Winter Olympics.

Travis Zajac was born in 1985 in Winnipeg, Manitoba. He currently plays for the New Jersey Devils.

Zajac was selected by the Devils in 2004 but he could not play due to the lockout that prevented the 2004-2005 season. Zajac played for the University of North Dakota from 2004-2006. He played for the Albany River Rats in the AHL. He made his NHL debut with the New Jersey Devils in their 2006-2007 season.

Landon Wilson was born in 1975 in St. Louis Missouri. He currently plays for the Dallas Stars.

Wilson played for the University of North Dakota from 1993-1995. He was drafted by the Toronto Maple Leafs in 1993 and made his NHL debut with the Colorado Avalanche in the 1995-1996 season, which is when they won the Stanley Cup.

Wilson has also played for the Boston Bruins, Phoenix Coyotes and the Pittsburgh Penguins.

Timothy "T.J." Oshie was born in 1986 in Mount Vernon, Washington. He currently plays for the St. Louis Blues.

Oshie played for the University of North Dakota for three seasons, from 2005-2008. He made the decision to for-go his senior year at UND after being drafted by the St. Louis Blues in 2008.

Jason Blake was born in 1973 in Moorhead, Minnesota. He currently plays for the Anaheim Ducks.

Blake played with the University of North Dakota for three seasons from 1996-1999 and starred on the Fighting Sioux's championship team during their 1996-1997 season.

Blake has also played for the Los Angeles Kings, New York Islanders and the Toronto Maple Leafs. While with the Leafs, he was diagnosed with a highly treatable form of cancer but continued to play the rest of the season.

Drew Stafford was born in 1985 in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. He currently plays for the Buffalo Sabres.

Stafford played three seasons with the University of North Dakota from 2003-2006. In 2004 he was drafted by the Sabres. Instead of attending UND during his senior year, he played for the Rochester Americans in the AHL. He began playing in the NHL with the Sabres in 2007.

Matt Greene was born in 1983 in Grand Ledge, Michigan. He currently plays with the Los Angeles Kings and serves as an alternate captain.

Greene played for three seasons with the University of North Dakota from 2002-2005. He was team captain of the Fighting Sioux in 2005 when they played for the NCAA championship against the University of Denver Pioneers. (They lost 4-1).

Greene was encouraged to for-go his senior year at UND and after playing with the Iowa Stars in the AHL, he played for the Edmonton Oilers who made it to the Stanley Cup finals in 2006. He was traded to the Los Angeles Kings in 2008.

Ryan Johnson was born in 1976 in Thunder Bay, Ontario. He currently plays for the Vancouver Canucks.

Johnson played for two seasons at UND from 1994-1996. In the 1999-2000 season, he earned a spot with the Florida Panthers but was then traded to the Tampa Bay Lightning. Besides these two NHL teams, he has also played with the St. Blues.

David Hale was born in 1981 in Colorado Springs, Colorado. He currently plays with the Tampa Bay Lightning.

Hale played for the University of North Dakota for three seasons, from 2000-2003. He was drafted in 2000 by the New Jersey Devils for whom he played in 2003-2004. Besides playing for various teams in the AHL, he also played NHL hockey with the Calgary Flames and the Phoenix Coyotes.

Mike Commodore was born in 1979 in Fort Saskatchewan, Alberta. He currently plays for the Columbus Blue Jackets.

Commodore played for UND for three seasons from 1997-2000. He was drafted in 1999 by the New Jersey Devils. He was a member of the Stanley Cup championship team, the Carolina Hurricanes in 2005-2006. He played with the Blue Jackets when they appeared in their first ever Stanley Cup playoffs against the Detroit Red Wings.

He has also played NHL hockey with the Calgary Flames and the Ottawa Senators.

Brian Lee was born in 1987 in Moorhead, Minnesota. He currently plays with the Ottawa Senators.

In 2005, Lee was chosen as Mr. Hockey in 2005 as the number one high school hockey player in the state of Minnesota. Lee played for the University of North Dakota for two seasons, from 2005-2007.

He was drafted by the Ottawa Senators and has also played for their AHL team, the Binghamton Senators.