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Grand Forks Herald
Former UND players set to hit NHL free agency
- Story byGrand Forks Herald
- Former UND players set to hit NHL free agency
Jun. 30—GRAND FORKS — Cole Smith 's incredible rise in the hockey world took another step this season.
The former Brainerd (Minn.) High and UND player, who had one collegiate scholarship offer, reached the Stanley Cup Final with the Vegas Golden Knights . He came within two games of winning hockey's ultimate prize.
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Now, Smith will look for his next stop.
He is one of three UND players who are hitting NHL free agency, which opens Wednesday.
The others are Vancouver Canucks defenseman Derek Forbort and Nashville Predators forward Tyson Jost .
Smith, who played at UND from 2016-20, signed as an undrafted free agent with the Predators and spent his first five-and-a-half professional seasons with their organization.
Last season, he was moved to Vegas at the trading deadline.
Smith was especially effective in the Stanley Cup Playoffs, where he scored three goals and tallied six points in 22 games. He played on the team's fourth line alongside St. Cloud State alum Nic Dowd .
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Smith has played 292 NHL regular-season games across six seasons.
He is about to sign his sixth NHL contract.
Forbort has spent the last two seasons with the Canucks, though he played just two games in 2025-26 due to season-ending hip surgery.
Forbort, who played at UND from 2010-13, has played 552 NHL regular-season games across 11 seasons. He's had stints with the Los Angeles Kings , Calgary Flames , Winnipeg Jets , Boston Bruins and Vancouver Canucks.
The Duluth, Minn., product was selected No. 15 overall in the 2010 draft by the Kings.
Forbort returned to Grand Forks last summer to train at UND's pro camp.
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Jost signed with the Predators last summer and tallied eight goals and 16 points in 69 regular-season games.
The forward from St. Albert, Alta., played at UND in 2016-17.
He has played in 564 NHL regular-season games across 10 seasons, ranking 11th in his NHL Draft class. Jost was selected with the No. 10 overall pick by the Colorado Avalanche in 2016.
Jost has had stints with the Avalanche, Minnesota Wild , Buffalo Sabres , Carolina Hurricanes and Nashville Predators.
