Trevor van Riemsdyk Finds a New Home in Pittsburgh
The University of New Hampshire has a long track record of sending defensemen to the NHL, and Trevor van Riemsdyk is keeping that tradition alive — this time in black and gold.
The UNH alum is one of three new blueliners joining the Pittsburgh Penguins ahead of the 2026–27 NHL season, alongside Kaedan Korczak and Declan Carlile. All three have reportedly expressed enthusiasm about suiting up for Pittsburgh, a franchise in the middle of a retooling phase as it navigates life beyond the Sidney Crosby era's prime.
Van Riemsdyk, a right-shot defenseman, brings veteran NHL experience to a Penguins backend that has been a focus of attention this offseason. His addition is part of what appears to be a deliberate effort by Pittsburgh's front office to inject depth and stability on the blue line — not just one piece, but a trio of new faces expected to compete for minutes and reshape the defensive group's identity.
For UNH fans, the move is another reminder of just how consistently Durham produces NHL-caliber talent on the back end. Van Riemsdyk carved out his college game at the Whittemore Center before working his way into a professional career, and his landing with a marquee franchise like Pittsburgh is a notable milestone.
A Crowded UNH Alumni Pool Across the League
Van Riemsdyk isn't alone in keeping the Wildcats' NHL flag flying this season. His brother James van Riemsdyk — arguably UNH's most decorated NHL alumni — is suiting up for the Detroit Red Wings as a left wing. The two van Riemsdyk brothers on active NHL rosters simultaneously is a point of pride for New Hampshire's program.
The UNH contingent across the league this season is notably deep. Casey DeSmith, a goaltender who has served as a reliable NHL backup for years, is with the Dallas Stars. Warren Foegele brings his physical, forechecking game to the Ottawa Senators on left wing. Brett Pesce and Will MacKinnon are both on the New Jersey Devils blueline — two UNH defensemen on the same NHL roster is no small footnote. Angus Crookshank is with the Florida Panthers at center, and Andrew Poturalski rounds out the group with the San Jose Sharks.
Eight active NHL players from a program in the Hockey East — that's not an accident. UNH has consistently developed two-way players who find professional homes, and the 2026–27 season looks like the program's deepest NHL footprint in recent memory.
For Wildcats alumni watching from Durham, Manchester, or wherever they've scattered since graduation, Trevor van Riemsdyk's move to Pittsburgh is the headline this week — but the broader story is a program whose NHL pipeline has never looked healthier.
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