MINOT, N.D. – Minot State men's hockey coach Wyatt Waselenchuk continues to bolster the Beaver roster with star recruits this offseason.

The latest addition to the Minot State roster is an NCAA Division I commitment and former junior Rookie of the Year, winger Grady Hoffman, who joins the Beavers as a freshman on the ice and in the classroom for the fall of 2026.

Hoffman recently committed to new NCAA Division I program, Tennessee State, which is scheduled to begin play in the 2026-27 season, but this past week Hoffman changed his collegiate plans and opted to hit the ice at Minot State.

"When Grady and I connected, it was kind of one of those phone calls that almost seemed too good to be true," Coach Waselenchuk said. "He's been committed to a new start-up NCAA D-I program that's in a state of uncertainty, and, obviously, with our MJHL connection and the relationship that his advisor (Hayden Yaremko) and I have, we were able to keep a close eye on him.

"When he gave us the call that he's in this week, we just could not have been more excited."

Hoffman joins the Beavers after spending the past three seasons with the Steinbach Pistons of the Manitoba Junior Hockey League (MJHL).

"Thank you to my family, friends, and coaches who have helped me get to this point!" Hoffman said. "I am incredibly grateful for the support that I have received throughout my career, and I am looking forward to getting to work this fall. I am very excited to head to Minot State and join my new teammates!"

In three seasons with the Steinbach Pistons, Hoffman scored 65 regular-season goals and had 62 assists. In 32 playoff games during those three seasons, he added 6 goals and 10 assists for the Pistons, who advanced to the Turnbull Cup Finals in 2024, and the semifinals this past season.

Hoffman was named the MJHL's Rookie of the Year following the 2023-24 season, and served as an assistant captain for the Pistons in 2024-25.

The 6-foot, 185-pound winger from Yorkton, Saskatchewan, started the 2025-26 season playing 4 games with the Salmon Arm Silverbacks of the British Columbia Hockey League, scoring a goal and adding an assist, before returning to Steinbach to finish out the year.

"Grady's a former Rookie of the Year in Steinbach. He's played for one of the most successful organizations in all of junior hockey for the last three seasons and comes to us with an incredible resume," Waselenchuk said. "Getting a player of this caliber, and the type of recruiting class we are putting together, just goes to show what kind of reputation that our players, staff, and supporters have created here for our program.

"Grady shoots the puck like a pro and has incredible vision on the ice. He's a fantastic skater and is the epitome of a two-way hockey player: He does it all. He's a tremendously well-spoken, mature young man, and once again, we are just so eager and excited to see him in a Beaver uniform in the fall.

"We'd like to welcome Grady and his family to the Magic City!"

Hoffman joins a 2026 recruiting class that includes defensemen Ryley Cyca, Anthony McIntosh, and Ty Plaisier, forwards Trentyn Crane, Colton Getzlaff, and Cooper Kasprick, and goalie Jase Wareham.

"We needed to obviously address our lack of goal-scoring come tournament time," the Beavers head coach added. "Flat out, we have not had enough guys on board in St. Louis in March. Enough was enough, and as our recruiting class grows, I know it is going to push every single guy in that room that we have returning to up their game day after day."