Chris Jandric Bio
Chris Jandric is a Canadian professional ice hockey defenceman who currently plays for ERC Ingolstadt of the Deutsche Eishockey Liga (DEL). Born on October 3, 1998, in Prince George, British Columbia, Jandric developed through the Canadian minor hockey system before earning a reputation as a high-end skating defenceman at the collegiate level. He is a former first team All-NCHC selection with the North Dakota Fighting Hawks and won the Kelly Cup with the Trois-Rivières Lions in 2025.
After going undrafted, Jandric signed his first professional contract in 2023 and moved through the Buffalo Sabres organization before becoming a contributor in the ECHL with Trois-Rivières. His championship-clinching performance in 2025 led to his first overseas opportunity with ERC Ingolstadt of Germany’s top professional league.
Early Life and Background
Chris Jandric was born and raised in Prince George, British Columbia, where he grew up around hockey and an active family life. In his early years, he typically played as a forward, following the example of his older brother Steven. Around the age of ten, Jandric switched to defence, reasoning that his skating skills were strong enough to handle the position and that playing defence would make it easier to earn roster spots at higher levels.
Outside of hockey, Jandric played tennis in high school, a sport that helped develop his footwork and conditioning. During summers back home, he became a regular at a CrossFit gym in Prince George, a routine he credits with helping him physically keep pace with the demands of collegiate hockey. His family background, including a brother who also pursued professional hockey, gave him an early understanding of the work required to advance in the sport.
Path to Hockey
Jandric played minor hockey for the Cariboo Cougars of the BC Hockey Major Midget League from 2014 to 2016. During his time with the Cougars, he was briefly a teammate of Dylan Cozens, who later became an NHL forward. The Cariboo program gave Jandric his first sustained exposure to high-level competition and helped him establish the two-way foundation that has defined his game.
After his minor hockey stint, Jandric joined the Vernon Vipers of the British Columbia Hockey League. While with the Vipers, he committed to the University of Alaska Fairbanks, a move he made alongside his brother Steven. The Alaska Fairbanks program offered a path to NCAA Division I hockey and a chance to continue developing his game against older and more experienced competition.
Chris Jandric Career
Early Career (2018–2023)
At the University of Alaska Fairbanks, Jandric adjusted quickly to college hockey. In 2019, he was named to the WCHA All-Rookie Team after a strong debut season. Over his time with the Nanooks, he appeared in 63 games and developed the mobility and defensive detail that became central to his identity. When UAF opted out of the 2020-21 season due to COVID-19 concerns, Jandric used the year to strengthen his body before transferring.
In 2021, he transferred to the University of North Dakota, a program with a deep national championship tradition. Jandric called the move a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity and set a personal goal of winning an NCAA title. Across two seasons with the Fighting Hawks, he appeared in 77 games, totalling five goals and 48 points, and led the team in plus-minus with a plus-16 rating. Head coach Brad Berry described his speed and agility as high-end and elite, and in 2023 he was named to the All-NCHC First Team and the Academic All-NCHC Team.
Professional Breakthrough (2023–2024)
On March 27, 2023, Jandric signed a two-year contract with the Rochester Americans of the American Hockey League on a professional tryout. He recorded an assist in his AHL debut against the Utica Comets. Following the season, he was one of 35 players invited to the Buffalo Sabres Development Camp, appeared in the team’s Prospect Challenge Tournament, and briefly attended NHL training camp before being returned to the AHL roster.
At the start of the 2023-24 season, Jandric was assigned to the Jacksonville Icemen, the ECHL affiliate for both the Sabres and the Americans. After collecting two assists in six games, he was recalled to Rochester on November 6, 2023. Following a brief stint with the Americans, he was reassigned to Jacksonville, where he scored his first professional goal on January 3, 2024, and added a game-winning overtime goal on January 6.
Trois-Rivières Lions Era (2024–2025)
On January 11, 2024, Jandric was traded to the Laval Rocket in exchange for defenceman Noah Laaouan and was assigned to the Trois-Rivières Lions of the ECHL. He recorded three assists in six games before a series of recalls to Laval and returns to Trois-Rivières over the remainder of the season. His season included his franchise debut with the Rocket against the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins on February 17, 2024.
Spending the majority of the 2024-25 campaign with Trois-Rivières, Jandric was suspended one game following a January 18, 2025 incident against the Norfolk Admirals. Days later he was named to the ECHL Midseason All-Star Team. He finished the regular season at nearly a point-per-game pace and played a central role in the Lions’ first Kelly Cup championship, scoring the title-clinching goal in a 4-1 game-five victory.
ERC Ingolstadt Era (2025–Present)
In July 2025, Jandric signed his first contract overseas, agreeing to a one-year deal with ERC Ingolstadt of the Deutsche Eishockey Liga. The move marked his transition to one of Europe’s top professional leagues and reflected the steady rise he had built across the AHL and ECHL. Joining the German club gave him a new environment to refine his game against established international competition.
Driving Style and Strengths
Jandric is widely recognized for his skating and mobility on the blue line, traits his North Dakota coach Brad Berry called high-end and elite. He reads the play well in transition, supports the rush with controlled gaps, and brings a steady presence in his own zone. His ability to log significant power-play minutes and contribute offensively while remaining defensively responsible makes him a versatile modern defenceman.
Notable Events and Milestones
Among his defining moments, Jandric scored the championship-clinching goal in the 2025 Kelly Cup Finals, led his team in plus-minus during his final college season, and was named to both the All-NCHC First Team and the ECHL Midseason All-Star Team in the same 2024-25 campaign. He also appeared at the Buffalo Sabres Development Camp, an early marker of professional recognition despite going undrafted.
Chris Jandric Career Wins
Chris Jandric has built a competitive resume across both collegiate and professional hockey, with one major championship and several individual honours. His path from undrafted college player to professional title-winner reflects consistent development and timely contributions at each stop.
Trois-Rivières Lions Highlights
Jandric spent most of two seasons with the Trois-Rivières Lions, ultimately emerging as a key piece of their first Kelly Cup title in 2025. He finished the regular season at nearly a point-per-game pace and was named to the ECHL Midseason All-Star Team before delivering the championship-winning goal in game five of the Finals.
Other Wins and Performances
Earlier in his career, Jandric contributed across multiple organizations, including an assist in his AHL debut with the Rochester Americans and a game-winning overtime goal with the Jacksonville Icemen in January 2024. His two All-NCHC First Team honours and Academic All-NCHC selection underscore the consistency that helped him earn his first professional contract.
Chris Jandric Family
Family Background and Racing Lineage
Hockey runs deep in the Jandric family. His older brother, Steven, also plays professional hockey and has competed for Lukko in Finland, offering Chris an early model of what a professional career could look like. The two brothers even made the same commitment to the University of Alaska Fairbanks, a sign of how closely they shaped each other’s paths.
Personal Life
Beyond the rink, Jandric has focused on education alongside his hockey development. While at the University of Alaska Fairbanks, he completed a degree in business, and he later worked on a graduate degree in public administration while attending the University of North Dakota. His commitment to academic progress earned him Academic All-NCHC honours in 2023.
2025 Season Performance
The 2025 calendar year has been the most rewarding stretch of Chris Jandric’s professional career. In the second half of the 2024-25 ECHL season, he finished at nearly a point-per-game pace with the Trois-Rivières Lions and was selected to the league’s Midseason All-Star Team. He then played a leading role in the Lions’ run to their first Kelly Cup title, scoring the championship-clinching goal in a 4-1 game-five victory.
Following the championship, Jandric signed with ERC Ingolstadt of the Deutsche Eishockey Liga in July 2025, beginning his first overseas chapter. The move represents both a reward for his playoff heroics and an opportunity to test himself in one of Europe’s strongest domestic leagues.
Looking ahead, Jandric’s outlook in Ingolstadt centers on translating his North American mobility and two-way reliability to the larger international ice surface. With a championship pedigree already in hand and a clear track record of steady improvement, he enters the DEL season with momentum and the trust of a new organization betting on his continued growth.