Ludvig Hoff turns pro, signs deal in Norway

Ludvig Hoff is headed home.

The UND junior forward has signed a pro contract with the Stavenger Oilers in his native Norway, where he will be teammates with his older brother, Magnus. It will mark the first time the brothers have played together since 2013-14 with the Lincoln Stars in the United States Hockey League.

Hoff's UND career numbers will finish at 92 games, 10 goals and 36 points.

The Oslo product was a versatile forward for the Fighting Hawks, playing both wing and center. He was moved around the lineup throughout his career, but his role decreased at the end of last season. Hoff played mostly on the fourth line, but was once listed as the extra skater and was scratched for a playoff game at Denver.

Back in Norway, Hoff will have an opportunity to command the attention of the Norwegian national team. Hoff made Norway's 2018 Olympic roster and played in the 2018 Winter Games in South Korea, but he did not make this spring's World Championship team.

Hoff's signing means UND is losing six players from last year's team. The other five were all graduating seniors -- forwards Nick Jones, Rhett Gardner and Joel Janatuinen, defenseman Hayden Shaw and walk-on goalie Ryan Anderson.

UND brought aboard another nonscholarship goalie, Harrison Feeney, during the second semester last season. He will fill Anderson's role. The Fighting Hawks are expected to bring in Ethan Frisch to fill Shaw's spot on the blue line. They will have to bring in four forwards to replace Jones, Gardner, Janatuinen and Hoff. Those forwards will likely be Grand Forks native Judd Caulfield, British Columbia's Harrison Blaisdell, New York's Shane Pinto and Colorado College graduate transfer Westin Michaud, who has one year of eligibility left. UND also will bring in forward Carson Albrecht from Saskatchewan.

UND hasn't often gone to Europe for players.

Hoff is UND's only Norwegian and one of just six all-time players from Europe. The others are Janatuinen of Finland (2015-19), Matej Tomek of Slovakia (2015-17) Rastislav Spirko of Slovakia (2004-06), Lars Oxholm of Denmark (1991-93) and Zdenek (Stan) Marek of the Czech Republic (1950-51).

Hoff's signing is not the first time that a UND player has left school early to pursue a European deal.

Brady Murray signed in Switzerland in 2005 after two seasons at UND. The following year, Spirko signed in his native Slovakia after spending two seasons in Grand Forks.

Hoff came to UND after averaging just over a point per game in Lincoln, tallying 57 points in 56 games. He wasn't able to replicate that same offensive production at the college level. His most productive season at UND was his freshman one, where he had four goals and 16 points. Hoff had nine points as a sophomore and 11 as a junior.