Minnesota Wilderness Captain Dziver makes NCAA DI Commitment

The Minnesota Wilderness of the North American Hockey League (NAHL) are proud to announce that forward Noah Dziver has committed to play NCAA Division I hockey for Lindenwood University.

Dziver shares what it means to earn this commitment in his final year of junior hockey.

“I am very excited and honored to announce my commitment to play Division I hockey and further my education at Lindenwood University. I would like to thank God, my family, friends, teammates, coaches, advisors, and everyone else who has played a part in my development throughout the years.

The 20-year-old from Winnipeg, Manitoba, Dziver has been a key offensive force for the Wilderness over the past two seasons. The 6-foot righty has dominated on the ice this season and featured 75 points in 48 games played. The second-year skater tallied 30 goals while making 45 assists for the Minnesota-based team. Night after night, Dziver lit up the scoresheet, ranking as one of the top forwards in the league. His scoring ways ranks himself first on the team in assists and total points. Diver's ability to convert on the man advantage is one of the many reasons the ‘05 skater has earned a commitment. He has scored eight goals while on the man advantage, while finding twine seven times in game-winning fashion. Dziver features a staggering +39 rating.

During his 2025-26 campaign, the 6-foot forward has been recognized by the NAHL on multiple occasions. He earned October and January Forward of the Month honors, while being named a Midwest Division Star of the Week twice this season. His work on the ice earned him the distinction as a Top Prospect for the Midwest Division team at the 2026 Top Prospects Tournament. However, he had to forgo the event due to an injury that took him out of play for a month.

In his 48 games played this season, 20 of those contests were multi-point nights for the captain. Not seeing Dziver’s name on a scoresheet was a rarity, with the age-out skater only featuring nine games this season without a point.

In his first season in the NAHL, the Dziver played 48 games for the Wilderness, registering 49 points. The 6-foot forward was ranked in the top three of scoring on his roster for the 2024-25 season, tallying 20 goals and 29 assists.

Head coach of the Wilderness, Zach Stepan, dives into detail on what it means to see Dziver secure his next step in his hockey career. He featured four game-winning goals and six power-play tallies that season. His work on the ice was recognized, and the Canadian earned a spot at the 2025 Top Prospects Tournament on the Midwest Division roster. While at the USA Hockey Arena, Dziver notched two assists for the Midwest Division team.

“Watching Noah break the single-season scoring record is special for our organization, but honestly, it’s not surprising to anyone in our locker room. Noah earns everything he gets through the work he puts in every single day. What makes him truly special is not just the goals or the points; it is the way he leads. As our captain, he’s incredibly selfless and constantly finds ways to elevate the players around him both on and off the ice. He sets the standard for how we want our team to work, compete, and carry ourselves. As a coach, having someone like Noah Dziver leading your team is a dream.”

For his NAHL career, Dziver has played 96 career games, scoring 50 goals while making 76 assists. He registered 126 points in his two seasons in the League of Opportunity.

Dziver is one of five members of the Minnesota Wilderness to make a Division I hockey college commitment.

Click here for an updated NAHL to NCAA commitment list