By: Justin Lafleur

HANOVER, N.H. – A pair of Dartmouth men’s rowing head coaches have been named finalists for their respective IRCA National Coach of the Year awards. Wyatt Allen, the Betsy and Mark Gates 1959 Head Coach of Men’s Heavyweight Rowing, is one of four heavyweight finalists while men’s lightweight head coach Trevor Michelson is one of two finalists on the lightweight side. Dartmouth is the only school to have finalists for both men’s heavyweight and lightweight rowing.
 
Allen joins the head coaches of Washington (Michael Callahan), Cal (Scott Frandsen) and Syracuse (Dave Reischman) as finalists. He led the Big Green to a historic season, highlighted by the varsity eight finishing third at the IRA National Championship. It was the boat’s best finish since 1992. The crew also earned silver at the Eastern Sprints. The Big Green earned three total medals at sprints, which also included bronze from the second and fourth varsity eights, while advancing all its boats to the grand finals at nationals.
 
Michelson and MIT head coach Will Oliver are the two coach of the year finalists on the lightweight side. Under Michelson’s guidance, the Big Green finished second in the varsity eight and in total team points at IRAs, marking the program’s top team points standing in program history. It was also Dartmouth’s first medal at nationals since 2012. The varsity eight finished with a time of 5:32.250 in the grand final, less than three seconds behind first-place Harvard and ahead of MIT, Penn, Princeton and Navy.
 

By Alexis Demopoulos

Boston Jr. Rangers forward Kade Smigaj is thrilled to announce his NCAA Division III commitment to the Milwaukee School of Engineering for the 2025-26 season after a great year in the NCDC.

Smigaj, a native of Stevens Point, Wis., joined the Boston Jr. Rangers in November and had nothing but positive things to say about his experience. He played in 42 regular season games and tallied 21 points (six goals, 15 assists).

“I think coach Rich DeCaprio is really good at communicating with his players on what they need to do to get better, and be successful on and off the ice,” said Smigaj. “I joined the Boston Jr. Rangers in November and it was a really good fit for me in this organization.”

Early in 2025, Smigaj began communicating with MSOE head coach Brandon Richards and things took off from there.

“Coach Richards liked my speed and skating and said that it would fit into his style of play,” said Smigaj.

Being from Wisconsin, Smigaj was intrigued by MSOE as it is close to home. He also knew he could get a top notch education and play hockey.

“What first interested me most with MSOE was not only the hockey program but how good of an education you get,” said Smigaj. “It is a spot close to home where my family will be able to watch a lot of the games.”

The campus itself sparked a lot of joy for Smigaj and he loved everything the school had to offer.

“When I visited the campus, I really liked the layout and the location of everything,” said Smigaj. “The campus is all within walking distance, very easy to get from class to class. I also really liked the method of teaching MSOE applied, with more project-based learning, which is a really good fit for me. The rink is on campus with awesome amenities that come with it. After my visit there, I was really impressed and excited with everything they have to offer as a student-athlete.”

Knowing that the college level will be more challenging, Smigaj is spending his summer getting stronger.

“I’m really working on getting bigger and stronger to help create more scoring opportunities by moving into the college level,” said Smigaj.

The NCDC congratulates Kade Smigaj, his family, the Boston Jr. Rangers and the Milwaukee School of Engineering for his commitment.

Former National Hockey League and U.S. National Team Head Coach Scott Gordon has been named the new head coach of the Waterloo Black Hawks, the team announced on Wednesday.

Gordon reached the NHL as a goaltender for the Quebec Nordiques and has been a hockey coach since 1994.  In that time, he led the New York Islanders (2008 to 2010) and the Philadelphia Flyers (2018 to 2019), as well as three stints guiding Team USA during the IIHF Men’s World Championships.  Gordon joins the Black Hawks following Matt Smaby’s departure for the University of North Dakota after the Clark Cup Playoffs.

“Waterloo has a track record of bringing players to higher levels, and I look forward to building on the success the team had last season,” said Gordon.  “Players at this age are capable of tremendous things but still absorbing a lot of ideas, so it is an exciting and rewarding prospect to coach them.  I would like to thank Black Hawks Managing Partner Eric Petersen and the entire organization for this opportunity.”

 

“This is a very exciting day for the Black Hawks, our players, and our fans; I look forward to welcoming Scott to the Cedar Valley and watching as he shares the insights earned at hockey’s highest levels,” said Black Hawks President and COO Joe Greene.  “The Black Hawks strive to bring world-class hockey talent to Waterloo – on and off the ice – and today’s announcement reinforces that commitment.”

Gordon acclimated to the United States Hockey League in 2024/25, working with the Youngstown Phantoms.  Youngstown Head Coach Ryan Ward had served as Gordon’s video coach with the Islanders.  As they reconnected, Gordon enjoyed a first-hand, ice-level view of player development in the USHL.  Now he and Black Hawks General Manager Kevin Gibson will collaborate to build Waterloo’s team for 2025/26.

“Scott has a proven track record of developing players, and I look forward to working with him,” said Gibson.  “He has helped players get the most out of themselves, whether they were on NHL ice or aspired to get there.  Scott’s understanding of coaching and development philosophies will help the Black Hawks continue to be a place where NHL prospects want to grow toward the next level.”

During his time with Philadelphia and New York, Gordon earned an NHL record of 89-116-27.  He was named the Flyers’ head coach midway through the 2018/19 season, bringing home a 25-22-4 mark after the team had started the year 12-15-4.  The year included a late-season connection with Waterloo: former Black Hawks defenseman Mark Friedman made his NHL debut when Gordon filled out his lineup card on April 6, 2019.

Gordon’s first NHL coaching opportunity began in July of 2008, when he was named head coach of the Islanders.  It was a role he earned after leading the Providence Bruins to the best record in the American Hockey League the prior season and claiming the AHL’s Lou Pieri Award as the league’s coach of the year.  Gordon directed the Islanders for parts of three seasons; the most notable campaign was in 2009/10, when New York was 34-37-11, including a 23-14-4 mark on home ice.

The Toronto Maple Leafs and San Jose Sharks have both benefited from Gordon’s insights during his stints as an assistant coach.  For three seasons beginning in 2011, Gordon was part of Toronto’s coaching staff and helped the Leafs end a long playoff drought in the spring of 2013.  His most recent NHL-level experience was with a young San Jose Sharks team during the 2023/24 campaign.  In total, Gordon has spent all or part of eight seasons on the bench as an NHL head coach or assistant.

Gordon also repeatedly worked with NHL players on the international stage.  He was an assistant for the 2009 United States entry at the Men’s IIHF World Championships.  Less than a year later, he held the same role during the 2010 Vancouver Olympics, helping Team USA to a silver medal.  Gordon was promoted to the U.S. head coaching role for the 2010, 2011, and 2012 World Championships.  He also worked as an assistant on the squad which represented the United States during the 2016 World Cup of Hockey.

Back in 2001, Gordon joined an AHL staff for the first time, spending much of the next decade with Providence.  The Bruins reached the Calder Cup playoffs during all eight of his seasons as either an assistant or head coach.  Adding six later campaigns with the Lehigh Valley Phantoms, Gordon became the sixth coach in AHL history to claim 400 victories.  He reached the milestone in March of 2021.  His career record in the AHL stands at 407-262-87.  Gordon also worked in the International Hockey League for the Atlanta Knights and Quebec Rafales, as well as in the ECHL for the Roanoke Express.

As a player, Gordon made his NHL debut for the Nordiques on January 30, 1990, stopping 32 of 37 shots against the Buffalo Sabres.  Less than a week later, he turned in a career-best 49-save effort during a 3-2 loss against the Boston Bruins.  Gordon posted a 2-16-0 record across 23 NHL appearances in two seasons.  He spent much of the 1991/92 season touring with the U.S. National Team in preparation for the Olympics and appeared during the Winter Games in Albertville, France.  During Gordon’s final season as a professional player, the Atlanta Knights won the IHL’s Turner Cup championship.

The Massachusetts native played NCAA hockey for Boston College, helping the Eagles reach three NCAA Tournaments.  Gordon was named a Hockey East First Team All-Star in 1986.  He graduated that spring from the college’s School of Management.

Gordon will make his USHL head coaching debut in September.  Season tickets are on sale now for the Black Hawks’ 2025/26 campaign.  For more information, visit tickets.waterlooblackhawks.com or call the Black Hawks’ front office at (319) 232-3444.

Daniel Briere and the Philadelphia Flyers have a great chance to create a future for this franchise and, hopefully, turn this team around. They have eight selections in the first 68 picks. On average, that means the Flyers get to pick every eight selections.

With that in mind, who could they select? I completed a mock draft consisting of only the first three rounds of the NHL Draft. After that, it gets a little hazy, and you just start grabbing people from American, Canadian, and European junior leagues to finish up. Hopefully, the Flyers’ scouts are a bit more precise there.

Likewise, this mock draft doesn’t take into consideration any trades by the Flyers to move up or down. We are going to assume that Briere is happy and that the Flyers will stand pat where they are at for this draft.

We’ll start with the Flyers ‘ first overall pick.

So in this particular scenario, a lot of the top-tier players, especially centers, were gone. Another position the Flyers could use is a sniper on the left wing. While strong on the right side, the Flyers are a little weaker on true left-wingers, probably going back to when Scott Hartnell and Simon Gagne were in town.

Not that we should see Eklund as a consolation prize. Eklund, in his first full season with Djurgardens IF of the Swedish League, scored 19 goals with 12 assists in 42 games. He is also seen as the second-best prospect out of Sweden behind his teammate, Anton Frondell. 

So why is Bear ranked in the 20s rather than higher? His season ended early due to a laceration on his Achilles tendon. It was a partial, but not a full-on tear. He will have a lot of time to recover from that. That injury might have some worried about spending a top 12 pick on him. However, if he does fall into the 20s, he should be someone the Flyers grab. He should be someone the Flyers should seriously consider packaging some of their picks to move up to get.

You want a center Flyers fans, you got one. Bear is a goal-scoring phenom, torching the WHL for 40 goals this year for the Everett Silvertips, a year after scoring 25. He is 18, 6 feet tall, and weighs 180 lbs. While solid offensively, he can easily transition over to being a good defensive forward.

#31: Jack Nesbitt (C)

As insurance in case Bear gets hurt, the Flyers draft another center at 31st overall. In this case, it is Canadian center Jack Nesbitt. Nesbitt stands at a tall 6’4″, but a little light on his frame (just 185 lbs). He’ll have to add some weight if he wants to battle it out in the NHL.

Scoring is not a problem for him. In his second full season with the Windsor Spitfires, he lit the lamp 25 times with 39 assists.  By drafting Bear and Nesbitt, the Flyers can hopefully strike gold with at least one of these two center prospects. 

Second Round

#36: Cameron Schmidt (LW)

First, he is just 5’7″. Ok, size doesn’t always matter. Cole Caulfield of the Canadiens is just an inch taller and has been a scoring machine. Logan Stankoven also seems to be capable of showing off his skills. The other issue with Schmidt is that he is really streaky. He can go on offensive tears and then disappear from the stat sheet for weeks. Still, that is something maturity and experience can cure.

Dipping back into the WHL, the Flyers select Cameron Schmidt, another sniper to add to the left side. In two seasons with the Vancouver Giants, Schmidt has tallied 71 goals with 65 assists.  So why isn’t he ranked higher?

#40: Aron Dahlqvist (D)

Dahlqvist is the first really big wild card here. He’s got a lot of potential, but has played just two years of hockey in the Swedish Junior League and was only called up for 16 games in the professional league.

Dahlqvist is raw and learning to use his size (6’3″ and 205 lbs.) to punish incoming attackers. He is well-disciplined and may not be the guy you want to get the offense going. However, if you are looking for the big bruising type of guy who can defend the zone, this could be your guy.

#45: Julius Saari (D)

Sticking with defense, we move on to Finland’s Julius Saari. Saari is an interesting prospect. He played in just five games in the Finnish pro Mestis league. Five. But at that time, he had caught the eye of scouts everywhere.

He is swift and can move the puck. He can be a shutdown defender and use his speed to stick to the sides of any fleet-footed winger. He is raw and untested, but could develop quickly into a top prospect. 

#48: Charlie Cerrato (C)

Hailing from Fallston, MD, a town about halfway between Baltimore and the Delaware border, is  Charlie Cerrato, a center attending Penn State. He’s played with the U.S. National Development Team as well as the Youngstown Phantoms of the USHL before making the jump to the collegiate level.

While at Penn State, he scored 15 goals with 27 assists. He possesses good puck-handling skills and can take advantage of mistakes by his opponents. He is not as refined as the three other centers previously selected by the Flyers and would need some more time to develop, but could become a solid third-line center. 

Third Round

Despite his Russian name and heritage, he lives in Ontario. Getting him to play here in the USA wouldn’t be much of an issue. Playing for the London Knights (home to Flyers prospects Oliver Bonk and Denver Barkey), he posted a record of 22-8-2, with a .912 save percentage, a GAA of 2.79, and three shutouts. That’s not bad for a 17-year-old in the Ontario Hockey League.

Medvedev won’t turn 18 until September. Still, that is young enough for the Flyers to take a chance on him and see if he develops. It could take a few years until he is ready. At that time, he could become a starting goal or be moved as needed. It’s not bad to restock the cupboards a bit. After all, the history of Flyers’ goalies has been less than ideal, to say the least. Adding Medvedev in the third round would be an absolute steal.

COLORADO SPRINGS — After earning his undergraduate degree at St. Cloud State University with plans for a doctorate in dentistry, defenseman Josh Luedtke was selected on Wednesday, June 18 the 2025 recipient of the NCHC’s annual postgraduate scholarship.

Luedtke is the second SCSU player to receive the scholarship (Aidan Spellacy in 2023).

Luedtke completed his bachelor’s degree in biomedical sciences from St. Cloud State in May, finishing with a 3.91 grade-point average. He was named an NCHC Distinguished Scholar-Athlete all four years in school for maintaining at least a 3.5 GPA each season, collecting CSC Academic All-District accolades after his sophomore and junior years.

The Minnetonka native also earned Dean’s List at SCSU all eight semesters for having achieved at least a 3.75 GPA.

Luedtke was named a finalist for the NCHC’s Senior Scholar-Athlete Award and the NCHC Sportsmanship Award for the 2024-25 season.

In addition, he was one of 14 nominees for the Hockey Humanitarian Award in 2025.

“The conference is honored to present Josh with this year’s NCHC postgraduate scholarship,” NCHC Commissioner Heather Weems said in a news release. “Achieving a high level of success in a difficult biomedical sciences curriculum while leading his hockey team shows the kind of person Josh is. I have no doubt Josh will have success in dental school and will continue to make a difference in his community through his responsive and compassionate approach to patient care.”

On the ice, Luedtke served as captain for the Huskies in 2024-25 after being an alternate captain as a junior. He finished his college career with 43 points, 143 blocked shots and was a plus-24 in 137 career games. Luedtke also helped SCSU win the 2023 Frozen Faceoff as a sophomore.

Following his college career, Luedtke signed with the Savannah Ghost Pirates in the ECHL, playing in five games to close the season in April.

“During my time at St. Cloud State University, it has solidified my passion for healthcare, particularly in the field of dentistry, where I see the opportunity to utilize team-oriented skills and scientific knowledge in a patient-centered care environment,” Luedtke wrote in his scholarship nomination. “My ultimate dream is to attend dental school and become a practicing dentist who contributes to improving oral health in needy communities.”

Along with his work in the classroom and on the ice, Luedtke has consistently given back to his community and abroad. In high school, he volunteered at Be the Change, serving meals to those in need. In August 2024, Luedtke and teammate Jack Reimann traveled to Hungary as part of Hockey Ministries International, where they helped lead a Christian hockey camp for children. Luedtke also has experience in the medical field, working as a personal care assistant at MRCI for someone with autism.

“Over the years, my faith, heart to serve others, and my experiences have all led me to dentistry. I want to work at it with all my heart to make a difference in people’s lives, changing smiles with purpose and compassion,” Luedtke said.

Eric Hylden / Grand Forks Herald

The NCHC’s Postgraduate Scholarship is funded by a grant from the El Pomar Foundation in Colorado Springs, which has also supported the NCHC by providing its office headquarters on the grounds of the Penrose House and helping cover the cost of the Penrose Cup, the NCHC’s regular-season trophy. Luedtke’s scholarship amount will be $7,500.

“The NCHC membership is thankful for the continued support of the El Pomar Foundation and its Board of Directors,” Weems said. “Along with our victories on the ice, it’s also important to recognize our success stories in the classroom. We are happy to share in awarding this honor with El Pomar.”

“I view this opportunity not only as an investment in my education but also as a responsibility to give back to the community through future service and leadership in the dental profession,” Luedtke said in his nomination.

To be eligible for the NCHC’s Postgraduate Scholarship, the student-athlete must be a senior or grad student on his team’s official NCAA hockey roster with at least a 3.5 cumulative grade-point average, who plans to continue his academic studies beyond his undergraduate degree.

The recipient must enroll in a postgraduate degree program within three years of receiving the scholarship to collect the financial aid. The winner is chosen by a vote of the NCHC’s Faculty Athletics Representatives (FARs) from among the nominees submitted by each school’s FAR. Five nominations were submitted in 2025.

Contributed / Josh Luedtke’s Instagram account

2016 — Gabe Levin, Denver
2017 — Aaron Hadley, Western Michigan and Kirk Thompson, Omaha
2018 — Joel Messner, Omaha
2019 — Ryan Galt, Omaha
2020 — Erich Fear, Denver
2021 — Kale Bennett, Western Michigan
2022 — Jason Smallidge, Omaha
2023 — Aidan Spellacy, St. Cloud State
2024 — Kirby Proctor, Omaha
2025 — Josh Luedtke, St. Cloud State