Prince George captain Bauer Dumanski commits to UND
May 19—GRAND FORKS — UND had one of the best shot blockers in college hockey the last few seasons with graduating defenseman and captain Bennett Zmolek. The Fighting Hawks have another one coming. Prince George Cougars captain Bauer Dumanski has committed to UND to round out the defensive corps for the 2026-27 season.
"I'm proud and honored to announce my commitment to play Division 1 hockey at the University of North Dakota," Dumanski wrote on Instagram. "Thank you to my family, friends, coaches, billets, teammates, and everyone who has supported me throughout this journey. " Dumanski, a 6-foot-2, 211-pound left-hander from Lockwood, Sask.
, played five seasons and 309 regular-season games for Prince George, ranking first in franchise history among defensemen. Dumanski, 21, became a fan favorite in Prince George, where he was used in all situations. He played on the power play and led Prince George in shorthanded time on ice.
Dumanski led the entire Western Hockey League in blocked shots last season with 181, finishing 17 blocks ahead of anyone else. Offensively, Dumanski tallied nine goals, 30 assists and 39 points in 60 games last season — all career highs. Dumanski made a recruiting visit to UND after Prince George's season ended April 19 with a Game 6 loss to Penticton in the second round of the WHL playoffs.
After that game, Prince George general manager and coach Mark Lamb credited Dumanski for his work as team captain. "There was no selfishness through this whole team," Lamb said in a radio interview. "I think everybody could see that.