The NCAA Division I commitments of two more former Jr. Ducks, Jason Stefanek and Josh Niedermayer, were confirmed recently by College Hockey Inc. They are among nearly 80 players with ties to the Jr. Ducks who have made D-I commitments. 

Stefanek will play at Dartmouth, while Niedermayer committed to Colgate. Both players are 2004 birth years who were teammates for several years with the Jr. Ducks. They will move to those ECAC schools starting next season. 

Stefanek, a center, played for the Jr. Ducks through 15U AAA. He is off to a great start in his second season with the Trail Smoke Eaters of the British Columbia Hockey League with seven points in seven games. He had 38 points, including 19 goals, in 58 games last season. Prior to that, Stefanek played one season for Wenatchee of the BCHL. 

Stefanek likely will see another familiar face in the ECAC. His younger brother Chase, a 2006 birth year, made a verbal commitment to Harvard and is scheduled to begin playing for the Crimson next season as well.

Chase, who was a ranked draft prospect for the 2024 NHL Entry draft by NHL Central Scouting, had 36 points in 59 games as a 17-year-old for Trail last season. He is playing Muskegon of the United States Hockey League this season and played for the Jr. Ducks through 14U AAA. 

Niedermayer, a defenseman who played for the Jr. Ducks through 13U AAA, played three seasons for Penticton of the BCHL from 2020-23. He played 19 games for Arizona State last season, picking up four assists.

This season, he returned to junior hockey with Dubuque of the USHL. An assistant captain, he has four points in the Fighting Saints' first four games. 

His older brother Jackson, who also transferred from Arizona State after last season, is playing NCAA hockey for Bowling Green of the CCHA. Another older brother, Logan, also was a longtime Jr. Duck, as was younger brother Luke (a 2008). Their father Scott is a Hockey Hall of Famer and former Jr. Ducks coach who captained the Anaheim Ducks to the 2007 Stanley Cup.