Season 8 of Bulldog Insider begins with episode 1 premiering Thursday, Sept. 18, 2025. In the premiere episode, co-hosts Matt Wellens and Zach Schneider are joined by KDAL's Bruce Ciskie to talk about their thoughts heading into the 2025-26' UMD men and women's hockey season.

You'll be able to catch new episodes almost every Thursday throughout the UMD hockey 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 duluthnewstribune.com and more episodes of Bulldog Insider wherever you listen to podcast.

The 'Insiders' answer your questions about the 2024-25 season and the future of the UMD men's and women's hockey programs in Part II of the two-part Season 7 finale of the Bulldog Insider Podcast.

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 duluthnewstribune.com and more episodes of Bulldog Insider wherever you listen to podcasts.

Former Husky Joe Molenaar is just what UMD was looking for with 11 freshmen on the roster this season. The Bulldogs are exactly what Molenaar was looking for at this point in hockey career and life.

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 duluthnewstribune.com and more episodes of Bulldog Insider wherever you listen to podcasts.

0:00 Intro

0:49 Transferring to a young team

4:28 Leadership role at UMD

7:06 Coach Scott Sandelin vs Brett Larson

10:52 Journey to UMD

15:08 NCAA 5th year rule

19:51 Listener questions

24:25 Quick hits

35:47 Outro

Back from Olympic qualifying and back in the U.S., News Tribune hockey reporter Matt Wellens caught up with senior goaltender Emma Soderberg about being a part of the team that helped Sweden clinch a spot in the 2022 Winter Olympics in Beijing.

While not officially making the Team Sweden’s Olympic roster yet, Soderberg talks about how it’s been a dream of hers to make an Olympic team. She also talks about how the UMD coaching staff played a role in getting her to be an Olympic-caliber athlete.

My9’s Zach Schneider and KDAL’s Bruce Ciskie also join this week’s episode to discuss the great week Bulldog hockey alumni are having both qualifying for the Olympics and making NHL debuts. The trio also hands out some more first month awards to the women’s team now that they are returning to action this weekend, traveling to Bemidji State following a three-week layoff.

The Bulldog Insider is co-hosted by Duluth News Tribune sports reporter Matt Wellens and My9 television voice of Bulldog hockey Zach Schneider. Episodes are edited by Duluth News Tribune digital producers Samantha Erkkila and Dan Williamson. You can find more Bulldog hockey coverage at duluthnewstribune.com.

In Minnesota Duluth’s first NCHC series, junior goaltender Ryan Fanti recorded a career-high 35 saves and came away with his first college shutout in Saturday's 3-0 win at Western Michigan.

In this week's episode of the Bulldog Insider podcast, News Tribune hockey reporter Matt Wellens, caught up with Fanti to talk about what it’s like to finally have a shutout in the books and what it means to have his Thunder Bay family and friends in the stands this weekend at Amsoil Arena now that the Canadian border is open.

My9’s Zach Schneider and KDAL’s Bruce Ciskie also join this week’s episode for a deeper dive into Bulldog goalies and because women’s Olympic qualifying is underway, some more questionable predictions are made.

The Bulldog Insider is co-hosted by Duluth News Tribune sports reporter Matt Wellens and My9 television voice of Bulldog hockey Zach Schneider. Episodes are edited and produced by Duluth News Tribune digital producers Samantha Erkkila and Dan Williamson. You can find more Bulldog hockey coverage at duluthnewstribune.com.

 

With a bye weekend, UMD senior forward Tanner Laderoute and his teammates embraced the Halloween holiday. It is back to business for the Bulldogs this weekend as they'll travel to Western Michigan to begin NCHC play with games Friday and Saturday. For the UMD women's team, their next games aren't until November 19 and 20 at Bemidji State.

In this week's episode of the Bulldog Insider podcast, News Tribune hockey reporter Matt Wellens, My9 television voice of Bulldog hockey Zach Schneider and KDAL radio voice of Bulldog hockey Bruce Ciskie name their "first month award" winners.

The Bulldog Insider is co-hosted by Duluth News Tribune sports reporter Matt Wellens and My9 television voice of Bulldog hockey Zach Schneider. Episodes are edited and produced by Duluth News Tribune digital producers Samantha Erkkila and Dan Williamson. You can find more Bulldog hockey coverage at duluthnewstribune.com.

UMD hockey teams went 4-0 last weekend as the men's team swept Minnesota in a home-and-home series and the women's team swept St. Thomas in St. Paul. A rare quiet weekend awaits as no Bulldogs hockey teams will be in action.

Maura Crowell has plenty to keep her busy beyond preparing for the next opponent. The Bulldog Insider Podcast catches up with UMD women's head coach, who became a parent during the summer to a daughter named Blake.  Coach Crowell talks about becoming a mother, but also discusses the season so far as well as the Olympic qualifying that will take place Nov. 11-14 in Europe.  

The Bulldog Insider is co-hosted by Duluth News Tribune sports reporter Matt Wellens and My9 television voice of Bulldog hockey Zach Schneider. Episodes are edited and produced by Duluth News Tribune digital producers Samantha Erkkila and Dan Williamson. You can find more Bulldog hockey coverage at duluthnewstribune.com.

After a busy weekend at Amsoil Arena with six college hockey games including the Ice Breaker Tournament, there will just be one UMD game in Duluth this weekend. But it's a game with a lot of interest and anticipation!

The UMD men's team has a home-and-home series with the Minnesota Gophers. The Bulldogs play at Mariucci Arena in Minneapolis on Friday and turn around and host the Gophers at Amsoil Arena on Saturday. The UMD women's team will travel to St. Paul to play St. Thomas on Saturday and Sunday.

To preview the series with Minnesota, the Bulldog Insider Podcast catches up with senior captain forward and captain Noah Cates. 

The Bulldog Insider is co-hosted by Duluth News Tribune sports reporter Matt Wellens and My9 television voice of Bulldog hockey Zach Schneider. Episodes are edited and produced by Duluth News Tribune digital producers Samantha Erkkila and Dan Williamson. You can find more Bulldog hockey coverage at duluthnewstribune.com.

It's a busy week at Amsoil Arena with the Minnesota Wild visiting on Tuesday, followed by six college hockey games in three days, including a triple header to start things off on Friday.

The home of the Bulldogs is hosting a WCHA series with Wisconsin, as well as the 2021 Ice Breaker Tournament, which will include Michigan, Minnesota State and Providence.

To preview the Ice Breaker, the Bulldog Insider Podcast catches up with Bulldogs forwards Jesse Jacques and Blake Biondi down at Amsoil Arena. The Hermantown natives are no strangers to big games and big weekends at Amsoil.

The Bulldog Insider is co-hosted by Duluth News Tribune sports reporter Matt Wellens and My9 television voice of Bulldog hockey Zach Schneider. Episodes are edited and produced by Duluth News Tribune digital producers Samantha Erkkila and Dan Williamson. You can find more Bulldog hockey coverage at duluthnewstribune.com.

 

It is opening week for the UMD men's hockey team as the Bulldogs visit Bemidji State Friday and host the Beavers on Saturday. The women's team will have their first home series of the season with the Minnesota Gophers visiting AMSOIL Arena Friday and Saturday.

In this week's episode of the Bulldog Insider podcast, News Tribune hockey reporter Matt Wellens and My9's Kelly Hinseth discuss the men's exhibition victory over Wisconsin from Sunday in Chippewa Falls as well as the women's season-opening split at Minnesota State-Mankato. They also interview men's head coach Scott Sandelin and make their own season predictions.

The Bulldog Insider is co-hosted by Duluth News Tribune sports reporter Matt Wellens, My9 television voice of Bulldog hockey Zach Schneider and CBS3 Sports' Kelly Hinseth. Episodes are edited and produced by Duluth News Tribune digital producers Samantha Erkkila and Dan Williamson. You can find more Bulldog hockey coverage at duluthnewstribune.com.”

Depending on when you listen to this, the UMD women’s hockey team is about 36 hours away from the official start of their season.

The Bulldogs open with a WCHA road trip to Minnesota State on Friday at 6:01 p.m. and Saturday at 3:01 p.m. in Mankato.

In this week’s episode of the Bulldog Insider podcast, News Tribune hockey reporter Matt Wellens and My9’s Kelly Hinseth get a season preview from senior forwards Gabbie Hughes and Naomi Rogge, as well as make their own season predictions.

The Bulldog Insider is co-hosted by Duluth News Tribune sports reporter Matt Wellens, My9 television voice of Bulldog hockey Zach Schneider and CBS3 Sports' Kelly Hinseth. Episodes are edited and produced by Duluth News Tribune digital producers Samantha Erkkila and Dan Williamson. You can find more Bulldog hockey coverage at duluthnewstribune.com.

In a perfect world, neither of this week's guests would be here with us, but the NCAA has granted them a fifth season of college hockey because of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Fifth-year seniors Louie Roehl and Anna Klein share what made them decide to come back this season and what it's like being much older than the freshmen class. We also take a walk down memory lane with a trivia game.

The Bulldog Insider is co-hosted by Duluth News Tribune sports reporter Matt Wellens and My9 television voice of Bulldog hockey Zach Schneider and CBS3 Sports' Kelly Hinseth. Episodes are edited and produced by Duluth News Tribune digital producers Samantha Erkkila and Dan Williamson. You can find more Bulldog hockey coverage at duluthnewstribune.com.

Duluth News Tribune sports reporter Matt Wellens moderates a discussion with Mick Hatten, Jess Myers and Brad Schlossman (Grand Forks Herald) of The Rink Live, Jordan McAlpine of The Gateway and Joe Paisley of Ice Time Hockey Southwest after the 2021 National Collegiate Hockey Conference Media Day at the Xcel Energy Center in St. Paul. They discuss impact players, sleepers and all things NCHC.

The Bulldog Insider is co-hosted by Duluth News Tribune sports reporter Matt Wellens and My9 television voice of Bulldog hockey Zach Schneider. Episodes are edited and produced by Duluth News Tribune digital producers Samantha Erkkila and Dan Williamson. You can find more Bulldog hockey coverage at duluthnewstribune.com.

Minnesota Duluth freshmen defensemen Adam Kleber and Ty Hanson may still be teenagers, but they both know what it’s like to live and play hockey away from home.

Kleber left Chaska High School following his sophomore year of 2021-22 and moved to Nebraska to play the Lincoln Stars of the United States Hockey League.

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 duluthnewstribune.com and more episodes of Bulldog Insider wherever you listen to podcasts.

A bonus edition of the Bulldog Insider Podcast with Mick Hatten of The Rink Live and the Husky Hockey Insider Podcast where in response to an Ask Wellens Anything question, we broke down our all-time All-NCHC teams, plus the best Bulldogs and Huskies to play in the NCHC since the league began in 2013.

Hosted by News Tribune college hockey reporter Matt Wellens, new episodes of Bulldog Insider will sporadically appear in your feed during the offseason. You can listen to Season 1, 2 and 3 of Bulldog Insider at duluthnewstribune.com, on Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, Spotify or wherever you get your podcasts.

Email your feedback to mwellens@duluthnews.com.

He’s a Stanley Cup champion, an NCAA national champion and a Hobey Baker Memorial Award finalist, Cloquet native Derek Plante closes out Season 3 of the podcast for us this week.

Plante coached five seasons at UMD from 2010 to 2015, before going to work with the Blackhawks as a player development coach. The 2020-21 season was his first back at UMD. 

He shares what it was like to be back behind the bench for his alma mater and working with college athletes again. He also shares the challenges of recruiting during a pandemic, even with a team that’s had a lot of recent Frozen Four success.

The Bulldog Insider is co-hosted by Duluth News Tribune sports reporter Matt Wellens and My9 television voice of Bulldog hockey Zach Schneider. Episodes are edited and produced by Duluth News Tribune multimedia producer Samantha Erkkila.

All episodes are being recorded remotely due to the COVID-19 pandemic. 

You can find more Bulldog hockey coverage at duluthnewstribune.com. 

Fourth-line freshman wingers Luke Mylymok and Blake Biondi share what it was like to send Minnesota Duluth to the 2021 Frozen Four in Pittsburgh.

Like a good fish story, Mylymok walks us through his game-winning goal against North Dakota in the NCAA regional finals in Fargo on March 27.

He and Biondi share how they prepare mentally and physically for those high-pressure situations and what it’s like being the young guys on a team that’s full of Frozen Four experience.

The Bulldog Insider is co-hosted by Duluth News Tribune sports reporter Matt Wellens and My9 television voice of Bulldog hockey Zach Schneider. Episodes are edited and produced by Duluth News Tribune multimedia producer Samantha Erkkila.

All episodes are being recorded remotely due to the COVID-19 pandemic. 

You can find more Bulldog hockey coverage at duluthnewstribune.com. 

 

The Bulldogs men’s hockey program is making its fourth-straight Frozen Four appearance, but for goalies Zach Stejskal and Ryan Fanti this will be their first.

The two goaltenders teamed up to defeat North Dakota in the five-overtime regional final last Saturday into Sunday. They take us through that record-setting game, the good, the bad, the mental, the physical, and all the in between.

The Bulldog Insider is co-hosted by Duluth News Tribune sports reporter Matt Wellens and My9 television voice of Bulldog hockey Zach Schneider. Episodes are edited and produced by Duluth News Tribune multimedia producer Samantha Erkkila.

All episodes are being recorded remotely due to the COVID-19 pandemic. 

You can find more Bulldog hockey coverage at duluthnewstribune.com. 

The Minnesota Duluth men's hockey team is back in the NCAA tournament for a sixth consecutive time in 2020-21. The Bulldogs take on Michigan in the NCAA regional semifinals at 3 p.m. Friday in Fargo, North Dakota. The winner advances to play either North Dakota or American International in the regional championship on Saturday night.   There isn't a group of players in all of college hockey with more NCAA tournament experience and success than the Bulldogs' senior class, which in its first two seasons at UMD helped the program win back-to-back national championships. After COVID-19 canceled last year's NCAA tournament, the Bulldogs are finally getting their shot at completing a historic three-peat.   Joining the podcast this week to preview this year's tournament are defensemen Matt Anderson and Louie Roehl, along with winger Kobe Roth.  

 

One made 30 saves while the other scored the game-winner, unassisted, in overtime.

Junior goaltender Emma Soderberg and senior defenseman Ashton Bell walk us through Monday’s 1-0 OT quarterfinal win over Colgate in the NCAA women’s hockey tournament in Erie, Pennsylvania.

The teammates also talk about what it’s like to be in the Bulldogs' first Frozen Four in over a decade. 

The Bulldog Insider is co-hosted by Duluth News Tribune sports reporter Matt Wellens and My9 television voice of Bulldog hockey Zach Schneider. Episodes are edited and produced by Duluth News Tribune multimedia producer Samantha Erkkila.

All episodes are being recorded remotely due to the COVID-19 pandemic. 

You can find more Bulldog hockey coverage at duluthnewstribune.com. 

In his first two seasons, senior wing Koby Bender battled for ice time and a spot in the lineup. Now he’s a critical member of the team and scoring goals on a line with Kobe Roth and Jackson Cates.

Bender takes us through his college hockey journey and lessons he’s learned through buying his time and earning his spot on the rink. 

And because he’s from Cloquet we hear what he thinks the best item is on the Gordy’s Hi-Hat menu. 

The Bulldog Insider is co-hosted by Duluth News Tribune sports reporter Matt Wellens and My9 television voice of Bulldog hockey Zach Schneider. Episodes are edited and produced by Duluth News Tribune multimedia producer Samantha Erkkila.

All episodes are being recorded remotely due to the COVID-19 pandemic. 

You can find more Bulldog hockey coverage at duluthnewstribune.com.

This week we take a walk down memory lane with five of the six members of the UMD women’s hockey 2020-21 senior class, which is coming off its final weekend of play this season at Amsoil Arena — a four-point weekend against Wisconsin that left the team two points shy of the WCHA title.

We’re talking favorite memories, best on and off ice moments, plans for next year, favorite Duluth spots and much more.

The Bulldog Insider is co-hosted by Duluth News Tribune sports reporter Matt Wellens and My9 television voice of Bulldog hockey Zach Schneider. Episodes are edited and produced by Duluth News Tribune multimedia producer Samantha Erkkila.

All episodes are being recorded remotely due to the COVID-19 pandemic. 

You can find more Bulldog hockey coverage at duluthnewstribune.com. 

The UMD women’s hockey program wore its most recent special edition jersey last Saturday against Minnesota State and will do so again Friday against Wisconsin at Amsoil Arena in Round 1 of the WCHA Regular Season Championship. 

It’s a throwback inspired by what the men’s team wore in the early 1950s. 

Joining us to talk about jerseys of Bulldogs past, is UMD women’s hockey associate head coach Laura Bellamy and director of hockey operations Nick Bryant. Laura’s grandfather played for the Bulldogs in the 50s and sported the No. 4 jersey. 

The game-worn jerseys and socks are being auctioned off at umdbulldogs.com/auctions.

The Bulldog Insider is co-hosted by Duluth News Tribune sports reporter Matt Wellens and My9 television voice of Bulldog hockey Zach Schneider. Episodes are edited and produced by Duluth News Tribune multimedia producer Samantha Erkkila.

All episodes are being recorded remotely due to the COVID-19 pandemic. 

You can find more Bulldog hockey coverage at duluthnewstribune.com. 

Senior wing, assistant captain and leading scorer of the Bulldogs’ men’s hockey team Nick Swaney joins the podcast this week.  

Swaney takes us back to his middle school and high school days when he had big dreams and goals to play the sport he loves at the college and pro levels. Now he is living out those dreams, being a two-time national champion and being drafted by the Minnesota Wild, and says he is grateful for every opportunity.

The Bulldog Insider is co-hosted by Duluth News Tribune sports reporter Matt Wellens and My9 television voice of Bulldog hockey Zach Schneider. Episodes are edited and produced by Duluth News Tribune multimedia producer Samantha Erkkila.

All episodes are being recorded remotely due to the COVID-19 pandemic. 

You can find more Bulldog hockey coverage at duluthnewstribune.com. 

Goaltender Tindra Holm and forward Olivia Mobley entered the transfer portal seeking a school that would push them as hockey players. The culture of the Bulldogs women's hockey program won them over.

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 duluthnewstribune.com and more episodes of Bulldog Insider wherever you listen to podcasts.

0:00 Intro

1:23 Tindra Holm's Journey to UMD

9:24 Olivia Mobley's Journey to UMD

23:52 Favorite College Hockey Rinks

26:58 Coaching Transition

31:43 UMD Compared to Other Programs

37:01 Thoughts on the Transfer Portal

45:43 Close

UMD women’s hockey juniors McKenzie Hewett and Gabbie Hughes joined us via Zoom this week shortly after getting news that this weekend’s series with Minnesota State had been called off. The Mavericks have pushed pause for seven days because of positive COVID-19 test results. This is the third time this year the team has gotten this news on game week and the juniors say it doesn’t get any easier to hear.

But it’s not all pandemic talk, we get to lighter subjects as well, including the return of a fun game of Canada vs. the U.S.

The Bulldog Insider is co-hosted by Duluth News Tribune sports reporter Matt Wellens and My9 television voice of Bulldog hockey Zach Schneider. Episodes are edited and produced by Duluth News Tribune multimedia producer Samantha Erkkila.

All episodes are being recorded remotely due to the COVID-19 pandemic. 

You can find more Bulldog hockey coverage at duluthnewstribune.com.

This week on the podcast we’re joined via Zoom by a pair of freshmen from the UMD women’s hockey team, which just got done dismantling St. Cloud State 4-1 and 6-0 at Amsoil Arena. 

Clara Van Wieren and Nina Jobst-Smith have the challenge of being freshmen on a college hockey team during a pandemic but to them this is what they know. They haven’t had the opportunity to realize what they are missing and for both of them that makes them “grateful for what they have now.” 

We learn about their cooking skills since they’ve had no meal plan this year, who holds three different passports from three different countries, and who has sailed on Lake Michigan and now Lake Superior. 

The Bulldog Insider is co-hosted by Duluth News Tribune sports reporter Matt Wellens and My9 television voice of Bulldog hockey Zach Schneider. Episodes are edited and produced by Duluth News Tribune multimedia producer Samantha Erkkila.

All episodes are being recorded remotely due to the COVID-19 pandemic. 

You can find more Bulldog hockey coverage at duluthnewstribune.com. 

They grew up playing for Bruce Plante at Hermantown, now the junior forwards play for Bruce’s son, Derek, at UMD. Cole Koepke and Jesse Jacques share their favorite Bruce Plante stories, what it’s been like playing for Derek Plante so far this season and how the father-son duo differ in coaching style. 

Koepke and Jacques also talk about the support and sometimes added pressure that comes from playing for the Hawks and then moving down the hill to play at Amsoil for the Bulldogs.

The Bulldog Insider is co-hosted by Duluth News Tribune sports reporter Matt Wellens and My9 television voice of Bulldog hockey Zach Schneider. Episodes are edited and produced by Duluth News Tribune multimedia producer Samantha Erkkila.

All episodes are being recorded remotely due to the COVID-19 pandemic. 

You can find more Bulldog hockey coverage at duluthnewstribune.com.

He spent three years at Cornell before using the NCAA’s graduate transfer rule to come to UMD.

Senior defenseman Matt Cairns takes us through his journey from Cornell to the Bulldogs, starting with what prompted the move. 

He also shares how the hockey experience here and in the NCHC compares to Cornell and the ECAC.

The Bulldog Insider is co-hosted by Duluth News Tribune sports reporter Matt Wellens and My9 television voice of Bulldog hockey Zach Schneider. Episodes are edited and produced by Duluth News Tribune multimedia producer Samantha Erkkila.

All episodes are being recorded remotely due to the COVID-19 pandemic. 

You can find more Bulldog hockey coverage at duluthnewstribune.com.

Who has better outdoor rinks? Canada or Minnesota? 

Helping us settle this debate is UMD women’s junior defensive duo Maggie Flaherty of Lakeville, Minnesota, and Kailee Skinner of Penticton, British Columbia.

The Bulldogs were at Portman Square in Duluth’s Lakeside neighborhood recently in what has become a tradition for the program to get out and skate on one of the outdoor association rinks. 

Flaherty and Skinner share their outdoor rink experience growing up and what it means to them to be able to skate with young kids in the community. 

Another tradition we discuss is Rookie Idol, of which Skinner has made a name for herself. Famous for her rapping skills, Skinner shares a little something she’s been working on. 

The Bulldog Insider is co-hosted by Duluth News Tribune sports reporter Matt Wellens and My9 television voice of Bulldog hockey Zach Schneider. Episodes are edited and produced by Duluth News Tribune multimedia producer Samantha Erkkila.

All episodes are being recorded remotely due to the COVID-19 pandemic. 

You can find more Bulldog hockey coverage at duluthnewstribune.com.

He grew up a North Dakota fan, his sister is a Minnesota Gopher, but somehow freshman defenseman Wyatt Kaiser found a home in Duluth.

Kaiser, who led Andover to the 2020 state tournament, shares what originally drew him to UMD, why he picked the Bulldogs and his thoughts on being compared to other players like Hobey Baker winner Scott Perunovich.

We also learn the Chicago Blackhawks draft pick is pretty skilled in the kitchen and will occasionally prepare lobster and salmon for his roommates.

The year started with a four OT playoff game for the UMD women’s hockey team and a canceled three-peat attempt by the men due to a pandemic. The year wrapped up with the women’s team playing games at an empty Amsoil Arena and the men opening their season in December in a three-week Pod in Omaha, Nebraska.

A lot of things happened in between and here to help us dissect what a strange year it was for college hockey is the radio voice of the Bulldogs, Bruce Ciskie from KDAL and Zach’s colleague on the My 9 Sports team, Kelly Hinseth, also of CBS 3.

The media crew discusses the wins and losses of 2020 and wagers a few predictions for 2021.

The Bulldog Insider is co-hosted by Duluth News Tribune sports reporter Matt Wellens and My9 television voice of Bulldog hockey Zach Schneider. Episodes are edited and produced by Duluth News Tribune multimedia producer Samantha Erkkila.

All episodes are being recorded remotely due to the COVID-19 pandemic. 

You can find more Bulldog hockey coverage at duluthnewstribune.com.

She’s photographed more than 20 games and taken over 50,000 images since entering the NCHC Pod in Omaha a few weeks ago.

Photographer Tyler Schank, who is back in her hometown shooting for the News Tribune, Grand Forks Herald and The Rink Live, joins us on the podcast this week to share what her experience has been like. She hasn’t been allowed to access certain areas of the arena that she normally would while photographing hockey games but she hasn’t let that stop her from producing new and creative images. 

“Just because of the world we are living in right now and how limited this entire year has been for any photographer and you know how much we feel we are all missing, this feels like such a big deal,” she said. “It’s so nice to be photographing hockey again.”

You can find her images from the NCHC Pod here or on the News Tribune Instagram page. 

The Bulldog Insider is co-hosted by Duluth News Tribune sports reporter Matt Wellens and My9 television voice of Bulldog hockey Zach Schneider. Episodes are edited and produced by Duluth News Tribune multimedia producer Samantha Erkkila.

All episodes are being recorded remotely due to the COVID-19 pandemic. 

You can find more Bulldog hockey coverage at duluthnewstribune.com. 

When all is said and done he will have covered eight teams in 20 games in 16 days. 

From the NCHC Pod in Omaha, college hockey analyst and member of the Midco broadcast team Dave Starman joins us on the podcast this week.

With so many teams and so many games, Starman talks about the effects of “Pod Fog,” how much tea (with honey) he has consumed, the importance of not repeating a tie/shirt combo and what goes into preparing to call games for such a condensed schedule. 

In the rapid-fire round, Starman also shares his opinion on whether or not the conference and the NCAA should consider a pod setup for the postseason.

The Bulldog Insider is co-hosted by Duluth News Tribune sports reporter Matt Wellens and My9 television voice of Bulldog hockey Zach Schneider. Episodes are edited and produced by Duluth News Tribune multimedia producer Samantha Erkkila.

All episodes are being recorded remotely due to the COVID-19 pandemic. 

You can find more Bulldog hockey coverage at duluthnewstribune.com. 

Play in Omaha is well underway and by now we all know who started in goal for the first game of the post-Hunter Shepard era. 

Sophomore Ryan Fanti got the start in the Bulldogs’ first three games of the season at Baxter Arena in the NCHC Omaha Pod. The goaltender from Thunder Bay who had an incredible 17 save second period against Denver, and then made some huge saves on Sunday to secure the win over Miami, joins the podcast to talk about his first collegiate start in net, the internal competition between goalies and what his experience has been like in the pod so far.

The Bulldog Insider is co-hosted by Duluth News Tribune sports reporter Matt Wellens and My9 television voice of Bulldog hockey Zach Schneider. Episodes are edited and produced by Duluth News Tribune multimedia producer Samantha Erkkila.

All episodes are being recorded remotely due to the COVID-19 pandemic. 

You can find more Bulldog hockey coverage at duluthnewstribune.com.

This week on the Bulldog Insider Podcast, we're rewinding the tape and reliving our favorite moments from the first half of Season 7 and the 2024-25 season.

Some of the top moments from the first half include the banter between roommates Cal Arnott, Jayson Shaugabay and the Plante brothers, Zam and Max. Future police officer Gabby Krause shared the perfect crime and Adam Gajan talked about his World Junior Championship experience prior to coming to UMD.

This week’s episode also features Caitlin Kraemer, Laura Schuler, Dominic James, Joey Pierce and Aaron Pionk.

The Bulldog Insider Podcast is hosted by News Tribune college hockey reporter Matt Wellens and the voice of Bulldogs hockey on My 9 Sports, Zach Schneider. You can find the Bulldog Insider Podcast at DuluthNewsTribune.com/BulldogInsider, and on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, YouTube, or wherever you get your podcasts. New episodes drop almost every Thursday throughout the UMD men's and women's hockey seasons.

0:00 Intro 

0:49 The Plante Brothers

6:47 Cal Arnott & Jason Shaugabay

14:04 Gabby Krause

18:51 Caitlin Kraemer

25:10 Laura Schuler

32:18 Joey Pierce & Aaron Pionk

36:50 Dominic James

42:07 Adam Gajan

46:41 Outro

The last time we talked to former UMD captain Parker Mackay he was hoisting a national championship trophy over his head at KeyBank Center in Buffalo, New York. 

Now the two-time national champion is living in Graz, Austria where he is playing this season with the Graz 99ers of the ICE Hockey League, the top tier in Austria.

Ten games into the season, he and a few of his teammates tested positive for COVID-19 resulting in the entire team shutting down play for two weeks. We caught up with Mackay recently to see how he is recovering and what his experience was like with the virus.

The Bulldog Insider is co-hosted by Duluth News Tribune sports reporter Matt Wellens and My9 television voice of Bulldog hockey Zach Schneider. Episodes are edited and produced by Duluth News Tribune multimedia producer Samantha Erkkila.

All episodes are being recorded remotely due to the COVID-19 pandemic. 

You can find more Bulldog hockey coverage at duluthnewstribune.com. 

The still defending national champions are just a few days away from boarding a couple of buses and traveling to Omaha, Nebraska, where they will play 10 games in 19 days as part of the NCHC pod.

UMD opens play on December 2 against Denver. This week we preview their season with senior defensemen Louie Roehl and Matt Anderson.

“It’s definitely going to be fun. There’s nothing better than playing hockey, right?” said Anderson. “And that’s all we are going to do for 20 days. We’re going to play a game, relax a little bit and then play another game.” 

The Bulldog Insider is co-hosted by Duluth News Tribune sports reporter Matt Wellens and My9 television voice of Bulldog hockey Zach Schneider. Episodes are edited and produced by Duluth News Tribune multimedia producer Samantha Erkkila.

All episodes are being recorded remotely due to the COVID-19 pandemic. 

You can find more Bulldog hockey coverage at duluthnewstribune.com.

The UMD women’s hockey team has its first game of the 2020-21 season in reach. We catch up with senior captains McKenzie Revering and Anna Klein to see how the team is feeling knowing their extended preseason is coming to an end and competition against other teams is on the horizon. 

And with the NCAA granting all student-athletes this season an extra year of eligibility because of COVID-19, we see if either of them is considering taking advantage of that extra year.

The Bulldog Insider is co-hosted by Duluth News Tribune sports reporter Matt Wellens and My9 television voice of Bulldog hockey Zach Schneider. Episodes are edited and produced by Duluth News Tribune multimedia producer Samantha Erkkila.

All episodes are being recorded remotely due to the COVID-19 pandemic. 

You can find more Bulldog hockey coverage at duluthnewstribune.com.

Former Bulldog and Duluth native Andy Welinski has some recent experience in bubbles, hubs, pods, whatever you want to call them. He was with the Philadelphia Flyers this fall in Toronto during the Flyers’ run to the Eastern Conference final. 

Welinski, who is back with the Anaheim Ducks organization after signing a one-year deal with them this offseason, shares what his experience was like in a hub as the Bulldogs prepare to travel to Omaha for three weeks to start their season.

The Bulldog Insider is co-hosted by Duluth News Tribune sports reporter Matt Wellens and My9 television voice of Bulldog hockey Zach Schneider. Episodes are edited and produced by Duluth News Tribune multimedia producer Samantha Erkkila.

All episodes are being recorded remotely due to the COVID-19 pandemic. 

You can find more Bulldog hockey coverage, including the 2020-2021 game schedules, at duluthnewstribune.com.

 

Sidney Morin and Lara Stalder were both seniors on a memorable 2016-17 Bulldogs squad that made a NCAA tournament run. Both are now in their fourth season in the Swedish Women’s Hockey League, which has really become a popular destination for UMD alumni as of late. 

The Bulldog Insider is co-hosted by Duluth News Tribune sports reporter Matt Wellens and My9 television voice of Bulldog hockey Zach Schneider. Episodes are edited and produced by Duluth News Tribune multimedia producer Samantha Erkkila.

All episodes are being recorded remotely due to the COVID-19 pandemic. 

You can find more Bulldog hockey coverage at duluthnewstribune.com. 

In the Season 3 opener of the Bulldog Insider we talk with UMD hockey captains Noah Cates and Ashton Bell about how they’ve had to adapt to new restrictions and how they’re leading their teammates through a 2020-21 season overshadowed by COVID-19.

The Bulldog Insider is co-hosted by Duluth News Tribune sports reporter Matt Wellens and My9 television voice of Bulldog hockey Zach Schneider. Episodes are edited and produced by Duluth News Tribune multimedia producer Samantha Erkkila.

All episodes are being recorded remotely due to the COVID-19 pandemic. 

You can find more Bulldog hockey coverage at duluthnewstribune.com. 

News Tribune hockey reporter and host of the Bulldog Insider Podcast caught up with UMD freshman forward Blake Biondi of Hermantown, over Zoom on Monday, Oct. 5, to discuss the NHL draft and how his first year of college has been going amidst the COVID-19 pandemic. 

While we still don't have a set start date for Season 3 of this podcast, we will be bringing you player interviews and other updates. You can also view Zoom video interviews with players and possibly coaches at duluthnewstribune.com. 

Hey Bulldog Insider listeners. While we take a hiatus from the college hockey season we wanted you to know about another Duluth News Tribune podcast you might be interested in.

One hundred years ago, on June 15, 1920, three black circus workers, Elias Clayton, Elmer Jackson and Isaac McGhie, were wrongfully accused of sexual assault and murdered by a mob. In this six-part series, the News Tribune will look back at one of Duluth, Minnesota’s dark moments in history, a time when an estimated 10,000 people participated in or were witness to a hate crime — then didn’t talk about it again publicly for more than 60 years. 

The Duluth Lynchings is produced by the Duluth News Tribune's Christa Lawler and Samantha Erkkila, with reporting by newsroom staff. The first episode airs Thursday, May 14, but you can listen to the trailer here first.

Back in November, before a series with Denver, Bulldog Insider co-host Zach Schneider played a harmless prank on CBS 3 sports director Kelly Hinseth. He claims it was a “confidence-building exercise.” You can decide for yourself after you listen to both sides of the story in today's bonus episode. You can find the Twitter proof below, as well.  

Tweet proof from Kelly on Nov. 8, 2019: https://twitter.com/kellyhinseth/status/1192842574261899264?s=21

Second tweet from Kelly: https://twitter.com/kellyhinseth/status/1192843076370345986?s=21

In the season finale of Season 2 of the Bulldog Insider we are joined by a nine-year NHL veteran who backstopped the Bulldogs for three seasons from 2006 to 2009. 

While grilling dinner in his backyard, Minnesota Wild goaltender Alex Stalock shares what life has been like since the NHL season was shut down by the COVID-19 pandemic. Spoiler: Most of his days have been filled with blocking shots from his 5-year-old son in the driveway and watching Frozen for the hundredth time.

Hosted over the phone by News Tribune college hockey reporter Matt Wellens and My9 Sports commentator Zach Schneider, and produced by the News Tribune’s Samantha Erkkila, new episodes of Bulldog Insider will be back in the fall, hopefully, when UMD hits the ice again. You can listen to Season 1 and 2 of Bulldog Insider at duluthnewstribune.com, on Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, Spotify or wherever you get your podcasts.

Email us feedback at mwellens@duluthnews.com or serkkila@duluthnews.com.

UMD men's and women's hockey is at the holiday break. One team has struggled to start the 2024-25 season. Another is on track to host an NCAA tournament game. The 'Bulldog Insiders' break it down.

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 duluthnewstribune.com and more episodes of Bulldog Insider wherever you listen to podcasts.

0:00 Intro

0:54 UMD Women's Team: Thumbs Up

5:59 UMD Women's Team: Thumbs Down

13:16 UMD Women's Team: 3 Stars

16:37 UMD Men's Team: Thumbs Down

31:17 UMD Men's Team: Thumbs Up

34:26 UMD Men's Team: 3 Stars

41:51 Closing Thoughts

Joining us quickly as he heads back to his cabin on the Iron Range is two-time national champion and 2020 Hobey Baker Memorial Award winner Scott Perunovich.

The Hibbing native shares what it was like to win college hockey’s most prestigious individual award and become the sixth Bulldog to win the award. 

Locked out of the Xcel Energy Center and back in the greater Irma, Alberta area, former Bulldog and current Minnesota Wild defenseman Carson Soucy joins us this week.

We hear what life has been like for him since the NHL season was shut down, how his rehab from an upper-body injury is going, and what he’s doing to stay preoccupied while self-quarantining in Alberta. 

Hosted over the phone by News Tribune college hockey reporter Matt Wellens and My9 Sports commentator Zach Schneider, and produced by the News Tribune’s Samantha Erkkila, new episodes of Bulldog Insider will be released on a more sporadic schedule now that the season has ended due to the COVID-19 pandemic. You can listen to Season 1 and 2 of Bulldog Insider at duluthnewstribune.com, on Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, Spotify or wherever you get your podcasts.

Email us feedback at mwellens@duluthnews.com or serkkila@duluthnews.com.

Joining us this week from the greater Toronto area is UMD redshirt sophomore goaltender Ben Patt.

Patt, who packed up for home shortly after it was announced that the season was canceled due to the COVID-19 pandemic, shares what his role as backup goalie to Hunter Shepard the last few seasons has been like and what he’s doing now to earn a spot in the net now that Shepard is graduating. 

We also hear how online classes are going for him and what the scene looks like in Toronto.

Hosted over the phone by News Tribune college hockey reporter Matt Wellens and My9 Sports commentator Zach Schneider, and produced by the News Tribune’s Samantha Erkkila, new episodes of Bulldog Insider will be released on a more sporadic schedule now that the season has ended due to the COVID-19 pandemic. You can listen to Season 1 and 2 of Bulldog Insider at duluthnewstribune.com, on Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, Spotify or wherever you get your podcasts.

Email us feedback at mwellens@duluthnews.com or serkkila@duluthnews.com.