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got their back," said Bochenski, who finished his KHL career as the all-time leading foreign-born scorer. "I would say it's leadership, it's team building, it's kind of picking people up and carrying them, it's set- ting a good example. I was never really a vocal leader. I was a leader that put my head down, went to work and did things the right way and got people to follow me. And I think that type of leadership will be a good leadership style for my new position as mayor." While his work ethic and vision for the future certainly struck a chord with voters, Bochenski's exploits during his three years at the university also resonated with local hockey fans. After leading the Blaine Bengals to the state high school class AA championship in 2000, Bochenski joined the Lincoln Stars. After being heavily recruited by several top collegiate programs, he chose the WCHA powerhouse in 2001 and was named to the all-rookie team. During his sophomore year he teamed up with a freshman star named Zach Parise to form one of the top lines in the country. He would lead the team in goals and points during the next two seasons as UND came close to winning another NCAA title. "We were ranked No. 1 in the country for the major- ity of those two years. We just ended up struggling to win that big game," said Bochenski, who along with Parise was named an All-American in 2004. "We had a really good team and some really good players and a lot of good memories." Bochensk i would sig n w ith the Ottawa Senators a f ter t he sea son a nd beg i n a hockey odyssey t hat would include stops in Chicago, Boston, A na heim, Nashville and Tampa Bay before finding a home in the KHL. Once he hung up his skates, Bochensk i returned to Grand Forks to complete his degree in economics before ta king a position w ith Berkshire Hathaway, working in the area of real estate development. He's managed to stay close to the game coaching his son's youth hockey and baseba ll teams, but faced w ith a steep learning curve in his new job he may hang up his whiteboard and whistle, at least for the time being. While many in Grand Forks are excited to see what their new 38-year-old mayor can do to revitalize this proud North Dakota town, there are those who still think of him as the tenacious for ward who thrilled capacity crowds inside Ralph Engelstad Arena. " You don't want to be thought of as just a hockey player because I have a lot of work to do and need to be thought of in a different arena, to use a pun," he said. "But it's been kind of interesting because some people still want to talk about the good old days. "That nostalgia is something that I still enjoy, but the fact that they 're also happy to see me as the new mayor is right there at the forefront." P AUGUST 2020 USAHOCKEYMAGAZINE.COM // 17 – Brandon Bochenski "I was never really a vocal leader. I was a leader who put my head down, went to work and did things the right way." A hard worker and team player on the ice, Brandon Bochenski is looking to bring those same traits to the mayor's office in Grand Forks, N.D.