Taylor Swift’s popular Eras Tour sparked the trend of using Swift’s albums and songs to declare and describe stages in life.  

It is a new era for the University of North Dakota Hockey team. With 14 new players, half incoming first-year students and half transfers, and only 12 remaining players from last year, on paper this team is new to fans.  

Beyond just the new pieces, team leadership can already feel the difference in this season’s team. From chemistry to personnel to mentality, according to the leadership group, Captain Riese Gaber, and Assistant Captains Carson Albrecht, Keaton Pehrson, Louis Jamernik V, and Jake Schmaltz, this group has something last year’s did not.   

So what era is the UND hockey team in? That is defined by the players.  

Gaber, Albrecht, Pehrson, Jamernik, Schmaltz, and new goalie Ludvig Persson all selected songs to define their own and the team’s 2023-2024 mindset and attitude going into the season. 

Riese Gaber — “Love Story” – Taylor Swift  

Gaber loves old Taylor Swift. “I’m a big country guy,” Gaber said.  

He specifically singled out “Love Story” and “Teardrops on My Guitar” as two favorites, but for describing his and the team’s “era,” he decided on “Love Story.” So, it could be said that Gaber is in his Fearless era.  

“Love Story” details a modern-day Romeo and Juliet situation, which has a happier ending when “Juliet,” who serves as the narrator of the song’s father, agrees to let her marry her “Romeo.”  

Gaber said that the song hypes him up and might even be his karaoke song. “It probably could be,” he said. “I could definitely sing that one.”  

Carson Albrecht — “Shout” – Isley Brothers 

Albrecht picked a classic, “Shout” by the Isley Brothers, which was released in 1959. He described the way it unites the team, both coaches and players, when it comes on.  

“It’s just like high energy, everyone’s shouting,” he said. “It gets everyone going, even the coaches, the captains, and all the players.”  

He also thinks it is emblematic of the team and one of the biggest things they are focused on going into the season, clear communication.  

 “Communication and just being loud,” said Albrecht. “That’s kind of one of our biggest keys.”  

Keaton Pehrson — “Nights Like This” – Loud Luxury  

Pehrson picked the song “Nights Like This” by Loud Luxury and CID. His reason for the selection was the line “We live for nights like this.”  

He felt it was indicative of how he and the team felt on game nights. “The games are fun and exciting,” he said.  

It is a good song for a team where multiple players emphasized the importance of showing up for every game and Coach Brad Berry stressed consistency on Media Day. They live for each game night, bringing energy and intensity no matter what the date is or what team they are facing off against.  

Louis Jamernik V — “Started from the Bottom” – Drake  

Jamernik, like a good Canadian, picked a song from Canadian icon, Drake.  

The chorus and title line says, “started from the bottom now we here, started from the bottom now the whole team here.” It celebrates a journey from the bottom to the top; it was the song Jamernik said first jumped out at him.  

“Because “Started from the Bottom,” you know there’s always expectations,” he said. “But this year you can feel that swagger.”  

To him, it demonstrates the mindset of the team coming off an off season. The team, according to Jamernik and his song choice, have a chip on their shoulder. They did not make the NCAA National Tournament last year and this year they want to prove that last year was a fluke. 

They want to look back on the season at the end and say they “started from the bottom” but now the “whole team here.”  

Jake Schmaltz — “Take it Easy” – Eagles 

Schmaltz chose the Eagles song “Take it Easy,” a song he often listens to pre-game. Schmaltz says that he listens to it to remind himself to stay centered during the game. “Just ‘Take it easy,’ staying cool,” he said.  

He says it is a big point of focus for him to stay calm throughout the game. It was another point of emphasis brought up by different Leadership group members, remaining steady and focused and on their game no matter what, not getting rattled when the other team does something good. 

“I don’t know why that one popped in my head,” Schmaltz said. “But I couldn’t shake it.”  

Ludvig Persson — “The Days” – Avicii 

Persson picked a song by the late Swedish artist, Avicii. The song features the chorus: “These are the days we’ve been waiting for/On days like these, who could ask for more?/Keep them coming ’cause we’re not done yet/These are the days we won’t regret/These are the days we won’t forget.”  

Persson comes to UND by way of the transfer portal, coming to UND from the University of Miami, Ohio. He is the new starting goaltender and is preparing to take on the role. “I just got to stay present and do my best every day,” he said.   

The 2023-2024 Player Playlist on Spotify:  

https://spotify.link/bJ0yFxY0sDb 

Maeve Hushman is a Dakota Student Sports Reporter. She can be reached at [email protected].