Hockey players, it seems, can be found anywhere these days.
Charlie Pelnik of Cary, N.C., has committed to North Dakota. He is 15 and a sophomore in high school, so he is not expected to join the Sioux until the 2013-14 season.
Who knows how big he will be by then? He is 6-4, 183 now.
Met him and his parents at Mariucci Arena last fall. He looked tall and skinny. His team, the Carolina Junior Hurricanes, an under-16 AAA midget team, were in a tournament in the Twin Cities. He stopped by the U on what I believe was an unofficial visit. He called Mariucci awesome.
At the time, he was just starting his recruiting trips. It's usually better to have recruits visit a campus later, rather than earlier in their college search. According to a Grand Forks Herald blog, he was at the Ralph for the Sioux vs. Notre Dame series Thanksgiving weekend. He was impressed with the crowds and the coaching staff.
Among other schools he visited were Wisconsin, Notre Dame, Michigan and Boston.
Not sure if the Gophers ever made Pelnik an offer but he was on their radar.
