EJ Emery joins the Fighting Hawks with one goal in mind

WEST FARGO — E.J. Emery’s one goal for his first college hockey season: win a national championship.

The 6-foot-3, 185-pound defenseman out of Compton, California, will join a young but talented defensive core for the Fighting Hawks this fall.

A few weeks ago, Emery was selected 30th overall by the New York Rangers in the 2024 NHL entry draft. He will join incoming forward Sacha Boisvert (Chicago, 18th overall) as the only other player drafted in the first round of the 2024 draft. The last time UND had two players selected in the first round was in 2010 – Derek Forbort, 15th overall to the Los Angeles Kings, and Brock Nelson, 30th overall to the New York Islanders.

Draft night for Emery was a blur.

“It was unreal,” Emery said. “Especially getting the chance to do it in the Sphere. That is a lifetime opportunity; I couldn't ask for anything better than the outcome that happened.”

Emery was expected to be drafted between the late first and second rounds. 

“Yeah, I was sweating a little bit,” Emery said. “Getting pretty late into the night. I heard my name called. I remember hugging my mom, and that’s about it. I don’t remember anything else until I got back to the suite.”

Following draft night, Emery hung out in Las Vegas with the rest of his family and then flew to New York the next day to prepare for the Rangers’ development camp.

Recently,  Emery has been settling into life in Grand Forks. He joined the rest of the UND team after the NHL  development camps finished.

“It's been awesome getting that first little taste of college,” Emery said. 

Emery and the rest of the team have been practicing on and off the ice while getting ready for the season. 

During our phone call, Emery also talked about specifically why he chose North Dakota.

“I came here on a visit. Just right away, introduced to the players and the coaches; Bubbs (Brad Berry) is a one-of-one type coach and an awesome guy; all the coaching staff were just amazing. It seemed like the true family environment. I felt like this was the most comfortable stop for me.”

Emery credits the USA National Team Development Program (USNTDP) for helping him develop into the player he is now.

“They treated us like pros,” Emery said when talking about the USNTDP coaching staff. “When you’re treated like a pro, you learn how to be a pro. So, coming to North Dakota, I have the pro mindset. That was probably the biggest thing I learned at the development program.”

For North Dakota fans who have never seen Emery play, he would be considered a lockdown defenseman who can shut down rushes and turn the puck around fast, giving his team a quick break out and a chance to get up ice fast. 

“I would say I am a hard-nosed defenseman who can shut down players,” Emery said. “A really good skating D-man who can get the puck up the ice and can add a little bit onto the offense.”

Emery compares himself to K’Andre Miller, another big defenseman who plays for the Rangers. Miller played for the USNTDP program, too, and then joined the Wisconsin Badgers for a few years before turning pro for the 2020-21 season.

His favorite player to watch in the NHL right now is Jake Sanderson. The former North Dakota defenseman is considered one of the best players to come through UND in the last 20 years.

The Fighting Hawks lost quite a few key pieces following last season. They lost Hobey Baker Finalist Jackson Blake, who signed with the Carolina Hurricanes, a player who is nearly impossible to replace. Additionally, they lost fifth-year seniors Garrett Pyke, Keaton Perhson, and Logan Britt on the back end, who each brought skill and experience. But that’s not something that this North Dakota team will focus on.

When asked what he is looking forward to most this year, Emery had a short answer.

“Winning a national championship.”

“Anything less, we’re not going to be happy about,” Emery said. “It’s been the message since day one: all the vets, they want it as bad as anyone else, and I think that we have the best chance at doing it this year with how good everyone is.”

There is a salty taste in the mouths from how the season ended last year. 

“They (returning players) are just super hungry this year,” Emery said. “You can see it in their eyes when they’re practicing; they are going extra hard, just trying to push everyone to be the best version of themselves, and that’s what we’re going to need to win a national championship.”

The Fighting Hawks will be counting the days until it's time to start the season again.