MADISON, WIs. – On Saturday, Jan. 6, Dallas Stars defenseman Ryan Suter played in his 1,400th-career NHL game, becoming the third former Badger to accomplish this feat and of just five NCAA players all-time.
Suter played in game number 1,400 against the Nashville Predators, where he spent his first seven NHL seasons after being drafted to the team seventh overall in 2003.
The defenseman ranks fifth on the list of most NHL games played by NCAA alumni behind, among others, two former Badgers. Chris Chelios (years at UW: 1981-83) holds the top spot among all NCAA players with 1,651 games played and Scott Mellanby (years at UW: 1984-86) is fourth with 1,431 games played.
Suter, along with forwards Joe Pavelski and Craig Smith, make up the trio of Badgers currently playing for the Dallas Stars. Pavelski is tied for the team lead in goals with 15 and is second on the roster with 35 points through 38 games played while Suter and Smith have seven (1g, 6a) and five (4g, 1a) points, respectively.
On Nov. 2, 2023, Pavelski recorded his 236th multi-point game, moving into ninth place on the list of most career multi-point games by U.S.-born players in NHL history. Since then, he's had four other multi-point outings to move his total to 240, placing him three multi-point games behind Phil Kessel's 243.
Former Hobey Baker winner Cole Caufield has continued to have a strong season with the Montreal Canadiens, tallying 11 goals and 16 assists in 39 games played to rank second on the roster in points with 27. He is currently tied for first place in the league with the most overtime goals scored this season with three.
Luke Kunin and Ty Emberson, the San Jose Sharks' pair of Badgers, have been strong through the first half of the season, tallying a combined 14 points. Kunin, a forward, has five goals and seven points through 35 games played, while Emberson, a defenseman, has one goal and seven points in 20 games played in his rookie season.
Trent Frederic of the Boston Bruins has also been a top contributor with 12 goals and 21 points through 38 games, including a recent two-goal, three-point outing against Detroit on Dec. 31, 2023. His 12 goals rank fourth on the roster.
The New York Rangers' K'Andre Miller has continued to prove himself as one of the top defensemen in the NHL with seven goals and 16 points in 36 games played, recording his second-career multi-goal game on Dec. 27 against the Washington Capitals.
Wisconsin alumni have also been making waves at the professional level in the AHL and ECHL.
Dylan Holloway, a 2020 Edmonton Oilers first-round draft pick, was recently activated from long-term injury reserve after sustaining a lower-body injury early in the season. Before his injury, he recorded one goal in 14 games played for the Oilers and will resume his season with the AHL's Bakersfield Condors.
After picking up his his first professional win in his first professional game on Nov. 25, 2023,
Jared Moe has continued to stand strong for the ECHL's Idaho Steelheads, winning six of eight starts and accumulating a .901 save percentage.
On Dec. 17, 2023, Moe signed a professional tryout deal with the AHL's Texas stars and is looking to make his league debut.
In 33 games played for the ECHL's Newfoundland Growlers, former Badger assistant captain
Brock Caufield has picked up eight goals and 21 points.
