By Alexander Fern / News Director / @AlexInTheBooth

The St. Cloud State Huskies have announced the team Captains for the upcoming Men’s Hockey Season.

Fifth-Year Senior Dylan Anhorn will be anointed the Captain of the team with other Fifth-Year Senior Zach Okabe joining him as an Assistant Captain. Senior Joe Molenaar will also wear an “A” along with Junior Josh Luedtke rounding out the list.

Anhorn will be the 35th Huskies Captain and succeeds Spencer Meier in wearing the “C” on his chest.

Anhorn was an All-NCHC Honorable Mention honoree and Hobey Baker candidate last season, he was absolutely lights-out before suffering a season-ending foot injury on January 21. The Calgary, Alberta native led all NCAA Defenseman with 25 points (five goals and 20 assists) at the time of his injury and produced a +15 mark on the ice. He played a key role on special teams for SCSU, facilitating the top power play unit and adding key minutes on the penalty kill. Despite playing in only 23 games, Anhorn still finished the campaign ranked among the team’s leaders in numerous statistical categories, including third in assists (23), fourth in power play scoring (12), fifth in points (25) and fifth in plus/minus (+15).

Joe Molenaar potted two goals and five assists for seven points and a +5 plus/minus in 30 games in 2022-23. He found the back of the net against Colorado College and a power play goal at North Dakota. He earned NCHC Academic All-Conference honors for the first time last season. He has recorded eight goals and 11 assists for 19 points with three power play goals in 76 games in his career.

Zach Okabe joins a talented group of Captains and skated to All-NCHC Honorable Mention honors in 2022-23 for the Huskies last year. He scored 18 goals and contributed 18 assists for 36 points with a +16 mark on the ice, five power play goals and five game-winning goals. He was named to the NCHC Frozen Faceoff All-Tournament team after contributing three points, including the electrifying game-winning overtime goal against North Dakota in the semifinal game. He was also named the NCHC Forward of the Week following SCSU’s sweep of North Dakota, where he scored his second career hat trick in a 6-3 win on Dec. 3. Okabe set career highs in nearly every statistical category this season, including points (36), goals (18), assists (18), plus/minus (+18) and game-winning goals (five).

Josh Luedtke, the only non-senior on this list, recorded two goals and eight points with a +19 plus/minus mark on the ice and 42 blocks in 32 games in 2022-23. He skated to a +2 mark or better in seven games last season, including a goal and +3 mark in a 5-0 win over Colorado College on Nov. 19 and an assist and +4 mark in a 6-3 win over North Dakota on Dec. 3. His +19 mark on the ice and 42 blocks both ranked second on the team for the season. Luedtke is a two-time NCHC Academic All-Conference and AHCA Academic All-American. In 65 career games, he has recorded five goals and 14 assists for 19 points with a +36 plus/minus.

The Huskies are back on the hunt beginning on October 7th when the St. Thomas Tommies travel north to visit the Herb Brooks National Hockey Center.

You can listen to every scintillating second of this season live on 88.1 FM KVSC with Alexander Fern, Brian Moos, and Zac Chapman on the call.