Roster revealed

Minnesota State's 2016-17 roster is up, which means it's time to take a look at the numbers. As in the new players' numbers (it doesn't appear any returning players are changing, which is always a good thing for the writers. Here are the Mavericks' eight new players:

6-Parker Tuomie, F, Bremerhaven, Germany (Sioux Falls, USHL)

9-Charlie Gerard, F, Rocky River, Ohio (Madison, USHL)

14-Michael Bigelbach, D, Red Wing, Minn. (Omaha, USHL)

18-Ian Scheid, D, Coon Rapids, Minn. (Sioux Falls, USHL)

20-Marc Michaelis, F, Mannheim, Germany (Green Bay, USHL)

23-Nicholas Rivera, F, Pacific Palisades, Calif. (Omaha, USHL)

24-Edwin Hookenson, D, Lampman, Saskatchewan (Nanaimo, BCHL)

26-Josh French, F, Woodbury, Minn. (Omaha, USHL)

The Mavericks have 26 players on the roster. One player no longer on the roster is defenseman Jaden Schmeisser, who played in 28 games last year as a sophomore and 31 for his career.

The roster includes 15 forwards, 8 defensemen and 3 goalies. It also continues to be a melting pot with players from all over the place, including three countries (United States-20, Canada-4, Germany-2), 12 U.S. states (Minnesota-7, North Dakota-2, California-2, Michigan, Utah, Ohio, South Dakota, Missouri, Wisconsin Alaska, Colorado, Nebraska) and 3 Canadian provinces (Saskatchewan-2, British Columbia, Ontario).

Minnesota State's first exhibition game, by the way, is a mere 88 days away!

Backes signs with Bruins

Well, my wish didn't come true ...

David Backes, the former Mavericks star and 10-year veteran of the St. Louis Blues, agreed to a five-year, $30 million deal with the Boston Bruins on Friday, about a half hour into NHL free agency.

(Read the Associated Press story here.)

Those terms were too long and too rich for the Blues' -- and the Minnesota Wild's -- blood, so Backes is moving on. 

I've written a lot about Backes over the years, noting, in particular, his character. Here's another example of that: His tweet today about leaving St. Louis, something, it's clear, he didn't really want to do:

A great mixture of emotions and thankful for an amazing decade of my life! Farewell @StLouisBlues  #BleedBlue pic.twitter.com/AyYSSOqj06

— David Backes (@dbackes42) July 1, 2016

Yep, class act. All the way.

Nelson gets extension from Buffalo

The Buffalo Sabres signed defenseman Casey Nelson to a two-year contract extension, the team announced on Wednesday.

Nelson made his NHL debut in March last season after signing a one-year deal with Buffalo shortly after completing his college career at Minnesota State. He had four assists in seven games with the Sabres.

According to The Buffalo News, Nelson will make $650,000 annually.

The 23-year-old will have an opportunity to compete for a spot on the Sabres roster this season, according to an Associated Press story.

In college, the 6-foot-2, 183-pound Nelson was the WCHA’s defensive player of the year last season. Overall, the Wisconsin native had 14 goals and 46 assists for 60 points in 99 career college games.

After the Mavericks’ season ended, Nelson joined the Sabres and played seven games before the end of the NHL’s regular season. He had four assists, eight penalty minutes and was plus-1.

MSU players head to NHL camps

Three Minnesota State men's hockey players, including one undrafted player, have received invitations to participate in NHL developmental camps this summer.

The group includes forwards Zach Stepan and C.J. Franklin, who will skate for the teams that drafted them, the Nashville Predators and Winnipeg Jets, respectively. Defenseman Daniel Brickley has been invited to attend the Buffalo Sabres' camp.

Stepan, who will be a senior, was selected by the Predators in the 2012 draft and Franklin, a junior, went to the Jets in 2014. Brickley will be a sophomore.

Nashville's camp began Tuesday and runs through Saturday. Winnipeg's camp runs Sunday through July 7. Buffalo's camp goes July 6-12.

Dylan Margonari, who recently wrapped up his MSU career, will attend the Washington Capitals' camp as an undrafted free agent.

Speaking of former Mavericks, 10-year NHL veteran David Backes will be a free agent starting Friday. Read my Free Press column on him and where I think he should play next if it's not with his current team, the St. Louis Blues.

Mavericks land D recruit

On Thursday, Minnesota State received a commitment from Tri-City Storm (USHL) defenseman Jack McNeely.

I'm proud and excited to announce my commitment to play college hockey at Minnesota State Mankato. Thanks for all the support #mavs

— Jack McNeely (@j_mcneely20) June 23, 2016

McNeely is a 6-foot-3, 178-pound D from Burnsville via Lakeville North High School where he helped his team go 31-0 and win a state championship in 2015. He was previously committed to Nebraska Omaha, and his brother, Matt, was a goalie at Minnesota Duluth. It appears he will be returning to Tri-City for another season.

This year, his first full season in the USHL, he had eight assists in 59 games and another two helpers in 11 playoff games as the Storm won the Clark Cup championship.

The Storm also have another future MSU player on the roster, defenseman Jason Krych.

Carter seeks second Stanley Cup

Shane Frederick photo

Ryan Carter was in New Ulm on Wednesday as part of the Minnesota Wild Road Tour. The Wild forward and former Mavericks player (2004-2006) joined former Wild player Keith Ballard and play-by-play man Anthony LaPanta, and they signed autographs for an hour straight. It was a nice turnout at the New Ulm Civic Center with a steady stream of hockey fans going through the line.

Carter will be a free agent on July 1, and it will be interesting to see if he returns to the Wild, the team he's played with for the last two seasons, or if he ends up else where. His goal, he said, is to win a Stanley Cup "the old-fashioned way."

If you recall, he won one with the Anaheim Ducks during his first year of pro hockey. He grinded out the season in the minor leagues before getting called up for the playoffs. He played in four games, including less than 3 minutes of ice time during the Finals. That was enough to get his name on the Cup and his day with the trophy. But, now 32, he'd like to win one by helping a team from training camp on through the postseason.

He came close a few years ago with the New Jersey Devils; will he get another shot?

Please read my entire Free Press story about Carter here.

I also spoke to Ballard for a few minutes. The former Gopher played junior hockey for Mike Hastings in Omaha in 2000-01 and has fond memories of playing for the current MSU coach. It was challenging at times, he admitted, but the Lancers won a national title at the end of of the year.

Also, New Ulm had several stations for hockey fans to go through before meeting the Wild group. One of those was the new junior hockey team in town, the New Ulm Steel. The North American 3 Hockey League (NA3, for short) team, which moved to southern Minnesota from the Twin Cities, will be the subject of a Sunday Free Press story. Stay tuned ...

Maverick vs. Maverick

Former Mavericks captain David Backes and the St. Louis Blues were knocked out of the Stanley Cup playoffs last week, and Backes had an emotional postgame presser that really showed his character after his season ended.

Backes may be done for the summer, but some former MSU players are still playing.

In the ECHL's Kelly Cup finals, it's Maverick against Maverick as Brett Stern and the Wheeling Nailers are taking on Jean-Paul LaFontaine and the Allen Americans. The series is tied 1-1 after two games (including a wild, 7-6 Wheeling win on Sunday afternoon) with Game 3 set for Wednesday night in Wheeling. Each former Maverick has an assist in the series.

Stern, a defenseman, has had an outstanding season in Wheeling (West Virginia). In 72 regular-season games he had 7 goals and 17 assists with 157 shots on goal, 63 penalty minutes and was +5. He's -10 in 22 playoff games but has four points (1 goal) with 42 shots and 16 PIMs.

LaFontaine, a forward, played 60 games in Allen (Texas), compiling 5 goals and 15 assists with 54 shots and 44 PIMs. His +/- is even. In 18 playoff games, he has seven points (1 goal) with 20 shots, one penalty and an even +/-.