In 26 ECHL games, he has a first pro goal and an assist with a -3 rating, which is odd for a player that was very accountable through college.
The Minot, ND native played a pair of seasons for Austin Bruins of the NAHL and fully came out of his shell, busting for 29 goals and 22 assists in 60 games as a 2nd year skater.
Through just another game from when we 1st posted, 27, he was able to grab another goal for 2, but stayed at 1 assist.
The ‘Rays like what they see though and re-sign him to return for 2021/2022.
For 2022/2023 he decides to jump to Idaho Steelheads after posting 11 goals and 20 assists in a full slate of 72 games.
He records a new league best 16 goals and 33 points with a +28 rating, then adds 8 (3-5) points in 20 playoff match ups to cinch an invite to return to Idaho for 2023/2024.
Not quite making the same impression as a year ago, he is still wanted to return to wear a Steelheads‘ jersey for 2024/2025.
The 5’11” 175 lbs. forward is a bit of a perplexing story.
In 20 games last season he had no points, but as a junior grabbed 7 goals only and his best college frame so far as a freshman with 6 goals and 8 assists in 28 appearances.
It will be a bit of a wonder if the close by Bay City, MI native makes the roster regularly.
He would play in 30 games with his new college club and get 1 goal and 1 assist with a +3 rating and he takes that to a 1st pro contract with relatively near to his hometown, Kalamazoo Wings for his rookie year, 2024/2025.
11th year center Chad Nehring(16) decided to head off for something new to start 2022/2023, signing with Grenoble of Ligue Magnus, but after popping 4 goals and 5 assists in just 6 games with a +8, heads back for his 5th DEL season, instead with fourth club Loewen Franfort.
A solid scorer, performer in the AHL, as a +10 player, he earned himself his only NHL contract with Ottawa Senators after scoring a career high 22 goals and 26 assists in the previous frame.
At 35-years old, he’s still playing some excellent hockey and may not be eyeing an exit quite yet.
He grabs 12 goals and 10 assists back in Germany, which is good enough by their standards to keep him around and re-up him for another run.
You may think he should just transition straight into coaching where he is, but he has decided to wrap it up at age 37-years old, leaving behind 232 DEL games, 179 AHL, 130 ECHL and 147 NCAA, a really nice total and for his next role becomes a pro scout for Pittsburgh Penguins, starting 2024/2025. Smooth move.
University Of Minnesota-Duluth Bulldogs‘ right wing graduate Nick Swaney(13) takes four seasons of consistent scoring numbers to a 1-year entry level contract with his home state draft club, Minnesota Wild (7th round, 2017, #209 overall) that starts for 2021/2022 but will sign an ato with affiliate Iowa Wild to start immediately.
The 5’11” 175 lbs. forward scored 20+ points in each of his college campaigns with his best total 28 most recently as a senior.
Although maybe not the biggest point-getter on the ice, the 6’2″ 205 lbs. blue liner did manage 23 assists as a senior at the hometown Elk River High in 25 USHS-MN games and 13 helpers at a freshman as his new college.
He also had 16 points (a high of 7 tallies and 9 assists) in 26NAHL games, when he arrived at Fairbanks Ice Dogs upon completing high school.
It’s all happened fairly quickly for the 22-year old but the player who’s been in three NHL development camps looks ready at every turn.
As he finishes up, his 5th college season, he signs an ato with affiliate Hershey Bears and will join them for the remainder of the AHL frame.
Almost oddly, he plays only 2 games with his contract club, getting 1 assist and a +2 rating and is reassigned to affiliate South Carolina Stingrays, where he gets 4 goals and 7 assists in 55 ECHL games with a +13 rating.
His play is good enough to earn a continued look in Chocolatetown.
In his 2nd frame further down south, he scores a new career best 8 goals and 19 assists in 64 games with a +17 rating, so things are looking up.
Something is amiss though, as he decides to accept an assistant coach role at Lindenwood University Lions for 2024/2025, changing the role he will play in pro hockey.
