The Michigan Wolverines have their goalie for the 2025-26 season with Jack Ivankovic of the OHL reportedly headed to Ann Arbor. Here is everything you need to know about the Brampton Steelheads and Team Canada stalwart:
Michigan Hockey finally has its goaltender.
It had already been a strong offseason for head coach Brandon Naurato’s program, adding key transfers such as defenseman Ben Robertson (Cornell) and forward Jayden Perron (North Dakota). The Wolverines also picked up OHL standouts in defenseman Henry Mews and forward Malcolm Spence. That is not to mention a stellar, incoming American class led by forwards Cole McKinney and Aidan Park, and defenseman Drew Schock.
But with sophomore Cameron Korpi — the assumed heir apparent in net — transferring to Union College, Michigan had a glaring hole between the pipes. However, that problem has been resolved, thanks in part to the new rules allowing CHL players to compete for NCAA schools.
According to insider Frank Servalli, the Wolverines picked up a commitment from goaltender Jack Ivankovic.
More CHL➡️NCAA happenings: Hearing @OHLSteelheads goaltender Jack Ivankovic has committed to @umichhockey .
With .961 at U18s, Ivankovic has first round potential in June’s #NHLDraft . He is ranked 42nd on @SEllisHockey list – but Steven thinks he could be the next Dustin Wolf ⬇️ https://t.co/UDW005DZHS
— Frank Seravalli (@frank_seravalli) May 31, 2025
The Dustin Wolf comparisons may be setting the bar a little high, considering he is one of three finalists for the NHL’s Calder Memorial Trophy (rookie of the year). But there is plenty to be excited about with Ivankovic.
For one, he is a consensus top-50 prospect for the 2025 NHL Draft and one of the top goaltenders on the board. The Mississauga, Ontario native competed for his hometown Steelheads in the OHL before the team relocated to Brampton for the 2024-25 campaign.
Ivankovic posted solid numbers for Brampton, with a 3.05 GAA and a .903 save percentage in 43 appearances. He was also a fixture for Canada’s U18 National Team, going 6-0-0 with a 1.05 GAA and a .961 save percentage at the World Championships. He also won his second gold medal with the U18s and earned Best Goaltender honors at the tournament.
A May, 2007 birth year, Ivankovic also played in one game for Canada’s U20 World Juniors Championship squad, but fell in the infamous 3-2 shootout loss to Latvia, which was by no means his fault.
TSN’s Director of Scouting, Craig Button, had this to say about Ivankovic:
“He [makes saves] with a sense of calm, he [makes saves] with a real understanding of how to read the game, he [makes saves] with a sense of acrobatics and athleticism.”
Ivankovic is 6-foot, a tad short for the ideal goaltender, but his horizontal quicks, calm demeanor and big game experience should all translate in the gauntlet Big Ten. Perhaps Ivankovic can help convince some of his Brampton teammates (namely his captain, Porter Martone) to head south to Ann Arbor for the fall.
Even if this is the final piece of Michigan’s 2025-26 puzzle (there will likely be a Gavin McKenna update in the coming weeks), the program should feel confident about bouncing back from its rare NCAA Tournament omission this past season.
Goaltending has been a weakness of late, and Ivankovic feels like the answer Naurato has so desperately coveted.