DULUTH — Future Minnesota Duluth defenseman Brady Cleveland, who is transferring to UMD for his junior season in 2025-25, describes himself as “a hard, physical defenseman.”
He’s a defensive defenseman, and that’s the role he anticipates he’ll play as a Bulldog.
“That’s my game,” said Cleveland, who is 6-foot-5, 220 pounds. “I’m not a guy that’s going to play on the power play or get a lot of points. I understand my role, and it’s to be hard on the other team and play a physical game. Move pucks efficiently out of the D zone and help the team create offense in that way.”
UMD will be Cleveland’s third school in three seasons of NCAA Division I hockey, having played his freshman year at Wisconsin in 2023-24 and his sophomore season at Colorado College in 2024-25. He’s recorded a single goal and two assists — all with the Tigers — in 53 college games.
Cleveland scored 20 goals as a freshman and sophomore at Wausau West High School in Wausau, Wisconsin — a 3 hour, 45 minute drive from Duluth. He played two seasons with the USA Hockey National Team Development Program prior to college. In 98 games, he had 10 assists.
No goals.
While other defensive defensemen yearn to become more offensive-minded — especially those who are in the transfer portal — Cleveland knows who he is. He understands he needs to round out his game more to become a true 200-foot player, but he’s comfortable and confident with his identity.
Defenseman Brady Cleveland, who is transferring to Minnesota Duluth for his junior season in 2025-26, played two seasons for the USA Hockey National Team Development Program in Plymouth, Michigan, from 2021-23.
Rena Laverty / USA Hockey National Team Development Program
“Throughout the game of hockey, there’s other ways that you can create offense,” Cleveland said. “Like making a simple breakout pass or simple touch to set up a teammate to make a good play to somebody else and get up the ice. There are other ways that you can create offense from being a defensive defenseman and it doesn’t have to result in points or goals.”
Cleveland is a second-round NHL draft pick of the Detroit Red Wings, going No. 47 overall in 2023. He was originally recruited to play for his home state Wisconsin Badgers by then-head coach Tony Granato and associate head coach Mark Osiecki. They were fired in 2022 and replaced by new head coach Mike Hastings and associate head coach Todd Knott.
Cleveland said he didn’t get as much of an opportunity as he wanted at Wisconsin in 2023-24, playing just 16 games his freshman season. So he entered the portal — as did five other Badgers in 2024, including four other NHL draft picks — and transferred from the Big 10 to Colorado College and the NCHC.
Cleveland said he got the opportunities he was looking for with the Tigers in Colorado Springs in 2024-25, playing in all 37 games as a sophomore. However, he said a situation has unfolded at CC that he believes will lead to less of an opportunity in 2025-26.
Colorado College sophomore defenseman Brady Cleveland (14) eyes the puck during a face off against Northern Michigan on Oct 11, 2024, at Ed Robson Arena in Colorado Springs, Colorado. Cleveland is transferring to Minnesota Duluth for the 2025-26 season.
Casey B. Gibson / Colorado College Athletics
Brady declined to go into further detail about the situation.
“It wasn’t the plan for me to enter the portal a second time,” he said.
Cleveland has listed “no contact” by his name each time he’s entered the transfer portal and not because he already knew where he was going, as is often assumed of a player who puts down “no contact” for their telephone number in the portal. Cleveland said he didn’t want every school in the country calling his cell phone, and instead wanted them to first contact his agent.
Brady Cleveland at Detroit Red Wings Development Camp at Little Caesars Arena in Detroit, Michigan, on July 1, 2024.
Allison Farrand / Detroit Red Wings
UMD was one of the couple of schools that he talked to, and they stood out from the rest, he said.
“They were super high on me as a player and the way I play my game,” Cleveland said. “They were very truthful from the start and laid out what they could see for me and the opportunity I had there at UMD.
“I just felt like UMD would be a really good place for me. I like the coaches from the conversations I’ve had. I’ve talked with guys like Max Plante. Obviously I know him pretty well.”
Minnesota Duluth forward Max Plante (10) wears a special warmup jersey during Adam Johnson Memorial Night on Saturday, Nov. 23, 2024, at Amsoil Arena in Duluth.
Clint Austin / File / Duluth Media Group
Plante, who will be a sophomore at UMD next season, was a year behind Cleveland at the NTDP, but the two crossed paths in Plymouth, Michigan. They got to know each other better last summer during the Red Wings development camp. Plante is the Red Wings’ 2024 second-round pick, also going No. 47 overall in the NHL Draft.
Cleveland said he also spoke with UMD rising sophomore Jayson Shaugabay prior to committing to the Bulldogs.
“I think it’ll be a really good spot and I’m excited for the opportunity ahead,” Cleveland said.