The University of Maine is awaiting word from the NCAA on the eligibility of one of the most prominent players that joined the team this offseason.
Russian defenseman Artyom Duda, a second round pick of the National Hockey League’s Arizona Coyotes in 2022 at the 36th overall pick, played for three teams in Russia last season.
UMaine head coach Ben Barr said the eligibility questions have nothing to do with academics.
While waiting for the NCAA’s decision, Duda is currently taking classes at UMaine and practicing with the team. Barr and members of UMaine’s compliance department are working with the NCAA on his case.
“We are doing everything we can as a school to help him realize his dream of playing college [hockey],” Barr said. “We owe it to him.”
The 19-year-old had five goals and eight assists in 14 games for Krasnaya Armiya Moskva in the MHL last season and also appeared in four playoff games but was held without a point.
He also appeared in three games for Zvezda Moskva in the VHL and had three assists in 14 games for CSKA Moskva in Kontinental Hockey League.
The previous year for Krasnaya Armiya Moskva (2021-22), Duda had 14 goals and 27 assists in 52 games and was the second-highest scoring defenseman in the league. He also had five goals and 12 assists in 18 playoff games.
The 6-foot-1, 187-pound Duda played in six games for Russia in the World Under-18 Championships in Frisco, Texas, in 2021 and had a goal in a 5-2 win over Belarus in the quarterfinals.
Russia collected the silver medal, losing to Canada 5-3 in the gold medal game.
The swift-skating Duda played for Russia in the Hlinka Gretzky Cup Tournament in the 2021-22 season and had two assists in five games for the gold medal winners.
UMaine will open the season with an exhibition game against archrival New Hampshire at the Jack Kelley Rink in the O’Neil/O’Donnell Forum on the Colby College campus in Waterville on Saturday, Oct. 7 at 5 p.m.
The Black Bears will play their regular season openers against visiting Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute the following Thursday and Friday, Oct. 12-13, at Alfond Arena. Game time each night is 7 p.m.
In other Black Bear news, junior defenseman David Breazeale and senior center Lynden Breen have been named the captains for this season with senior winger Ben Poisson and junior center Nolan Renwick serving as alternate captains.
Breazeale, Breen and Poisson were alternate captains last season while Renwick will be an alternate captain for the first time.
