The offseason has been quiet for most University of North Dakota alumni in the NHL — but for Tyson Jost, that silence has a cost.
The 28-year-old center remains unsigned as of early August, still searching for a contract after a full season with the Nashville Predators in 2025–26. Jost appeared in 69 games for Nashville, a workload that demonstrated durability if not star power, yet no NHL club has stepped forward with a deal. It's an uncomfortable limbo for a player who has carved out nearly a decade in professional hockey since leaving Grand Forks.
Jost was a first-round pick (10th overall, 2016) who spent time with the Avalanche, Penguins, and Sabres before landing in Nashville. His season with the Predators — a franchise in the middle of its own uncertain rebuild — did little to generate the kind of buzz that commands summer bidding wars. Now he joins a pool of veterans whose market simply hasn't materialized.
A Roster Full of UND Names
Jost's situation stands out partly because the rest of UND's NHL contingent is largely settled heading into the 2026–27 season. The Fighting Hawks have alumni positioned across the league's full spectrum — from contenders to rebuilders — and the list is long enough to fill a respectable depth chart on its own.
Jake Sanderson and Shane Pinto anchor the Ottawa Senators' core, with Tyler Kleven adding a third UND name to that blueline room. Brock Nelson brings veteran center depth to the Colorado Avalanche, where he skates alongside Zach Parise, another UND product still extending his career. On the West Coast, Brock Boeser remains with Vancouver alongside Derek Forbort and Christian Wolanin, giving the Canucks an unusual concentration of Fighting Hawks. Jackson Blake and Rocco Grimaldi represent the school in Carolina, while Jacob Bernard-Docker suits up in Detroit.
Rhett Gardner is in Philadelphia, Matt Kiersted in Minnesota, Colton Poolman in Buffalo, Ethan Frisch in San Jose, Cole Smith in Vegas, Drake Caggiula in Edmonton, Nick Schmaltz in Arizona, and T.J. Oshie — still one of the program's most decorated products — remains with Washington.
What's Next for Jost
The quiet market for Jost isn't necessarily a verdict on his career. Late-summer signings are common, and teams that lose players to injury in training camp often turn to experienced, available centers. At 28, Jost is not a reclamation project — he's a proven NHL body with a recent 69-game resume. But every week without a deal narrows the window.
For UND fans tracking alumni across the league, Jost is the one name to watch before rosters lock down. The rest of the Fighting Hawks' NHL representatives have homes. He doesn't — not yet.
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