Two Incoming Ferris State Hockey Standouts Earn NHL Development Camp Invites

Big Rapids, Mich. - Two incoming Ferris State University men's ice hockey student-athletes have earned National Hockey League (NHL) Development Camp invitations.

The Bulldogs' Owen Mehlenbacher, a forward, received an invite from the Detroit Red Wings while defenseman Luke Coughlin picked up an official invite from the Florida Panthers.

The Panthers' 2026 development camp opened on Monday (June 29) and runs thru Thursday (July 2) at the Baptist Health IcePlex in Fort Lauderdale, Fla. Coughlin is one of 24 prospects invited to the camp, which includes both selections from each of the club's previous six NHL Drafts and other invitees. He was chosen by the Panthers in the 2023 NHL Entry Draft in the sixth round.

Meanwhile, the Red Wings' camp also runs from June 29-July 2 and will take place inside the BELFOR Training Center at Little Caesars Arena in Detroit. The camp features daily on-ice instruction and skill development. Mehlenbacher is among 37 invitees to the camp and was a seventh round selection by the Red Wings in the 2022 NHL Draft.

A native of Charlottetown, Prince Edward Island, Coughlin appeared in 10 games for the University of Maine this past season, recording his first collegiate point against Lindenwood. He finished the year with two assists, eight shots on goal and nine blocked shots. Previously, he played four years for Rimouski Oceanic in the QMJHL, serving his final two years as the club's alternate captain where he tallied 83 points with 15 goals from the blueline in 188 games.

Mehlenbacher, who hails from Fort Erie, Ontario, played collegiately this past year at the University of Massachusetts, tallying nine points on three goals and six assists in 32 outings. The talented forward was an Academic All-Big Ten pick in 2024-25 at Wisconsin, where he played for two seasons and saw action in 51 games with 10 points, including five goals. He played for the USHL's Muskegon Lumberjacks and the Fargo Force prior to his collegiate career.

The Bulldogs will embark on their 48th season of NCAA Division I hockey in 2026-27 and the second campaign under head coach Brett Riley.