The Minnesota Magicians are excited to announce that Jack Christensen and Derek Olmschenk have committed to play collegiate hockey at the University of St. Thomas of the Minnesota Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (MIAC) next season. They will join fellow Magicians forward Johnny Panvica, who committed to St. Thomas last month, at the school for the upcoming season.
Christensen is a native of Ridgefield, Connecticut who was drafted by the Magicians in the 5th round of the 2014 North American Hockey League (NAHL) draft. Throughout the 2014-2015 season he established himself as an effective two-way forward, scoring 17 points (7 goals, 10 assists) while also excelling on the penalty kill and with shot blocking. Christensen was named as the captain of the Magicians prior to the start of the 2015-2016 season as a result of his leadership on and off the ice. He finished the year with 13 goals and 8 assists for a total of 21 points. He wrapped up his junior hockey career at number two all-time in career games played for the Magicians with 120 in regular season and playoff action.
Olmschenk hails from Lino Lakes, Minnesota and was a midseason acquisition for the Magicians during the 2015-2016 season. He began his NAHL career with the Austin Bruins, playing 65 games over the course of a season and a half before being traded to the Magicians in 2016. During his brief stint in Richfield, he provided a physically imposing presence on the Magicians blueline while stabilizing the team’s defensive corps. He finished his junior hockey career having played in 93 games, contributed 17 points (5 goals, 12 assists), and had a cumulative plus/minus of +11 between the Bruins and Magicians.