Badgers in the NHL: Suter joins top four for NCAA NHL career games played
March 21, 2024 | Men's Hockey, NHL Badgers
Badgers take up three of top-five spots including No. 1
MADISON, Wis. – Former Wisconsin Badger and Madison native Ryan Suter played in his 1,431st career NHL game on Saturday, March 16, tying UW alum Scott Mellanby for the fourth-most NHL games played by former NCAA skaters.
Suter then played in his 1,432nd career game on Wednesday, March 20, officially passing Mellanby, who retired in 2007, to take sole possession of the fourth spot.
Former UW skater Chris Chelios is the all-time games played leader among collegiate skaters with 1,651, followed by Matt Cullen (St. Cloud State) in second and Rod Brind'amour (Michigan State) in third. They played 1,516 and 1,484 games, respectively. View the full NCAA NHL games played list here.
In 70 games played this season, Suter, a defenseman, has two goals and 16 points.
Suter skates for the Dallas Stars with two other Badger alumni, forwards Joe Pavelski and Craig Smith.
Pavelski sits third on the roster with 58 points and 24 goals in 70 games played. He leads the team with 10 power-play goals, which is tied for 20th in the league.
🚨🚨🚨 GOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOLLLLLLLLL 🚨🚨🚨 pic.twitter.com/eNIxbVvZuO
— Dallas Stars (@DallasStars) March 13, 2024
Smith scored three goals in his last three games to reach a total of 10 goals and 16 points in 64 games played.
Oh Smitty that was NICE 😮💨 pic.twitter.com/lMjMgJprWO
— Dallas Stars (@DallasStars) March 17, 2024
On March 16 against the Calgary Flames, Cole Caufield of the Montreal Canadiens scored his 20th goal of the year, marking his third straight 20-goal season. The forward's 20 goals and 53 points through 68 games played are good for second on the roster in both categories.
ESPN reporter Emily Kaplan recently did a feature on the forward's journey to the NHL, which can be viewed here.
Third-straight 20-goal season reached tonight by @colecaufield
— Wisconsin Hockey (@BadgerMHockey) March 17, 2024
Nice ESPN feature here#BadgersintheBigshttps://t.co/jm5qGCRj3x
Luke Kunin and Ty Emberson, the San Jose Sharks' pair of Badgers, have also been putting up numbers with a combined 23 points. Kunin, a forward, has eight goals and 14 points through 63 games played, including notching two multi-point games in March so far.
Zadina ties it up AGAIN‼️ pic.twitter.com/0GUF7q9Be1
— San Jose Sharks (@SanJoseSharks) March 13, 2024
Emberson, a defenseman, has one goal and nine points in 30 games played in his rookie season. He suffered a lower-body injury when the Sharks played the Anaheim Ducks on Feb. 29 and has been on injured reserve ever since.
Trent Frederic of the Boston Bruins currently has 37 points through 70 games played, with his 17 goals tying him for fourth on the roster and matching his career high from last season.
Fitting Freddy 1️⃣1️⃣ pic.twitter.com/V5Wj5tnfZQ
— Boston Bruins (@NHLBruins) March 8, 2024
Three former Badger defensemen, K'Andre Miller (New York Rangers), Jake McCabe (Toronto Maple Leafs) and Ryan McDonagh (Nashville Predators), have all continued to have successful seasons on the blue line. Miller has eight goals and 29 points through 67 games played, McCabe has seven goals and 25 points in 60 games, and McDonagh has three goals and 25 points in 62 games. McDonagh has six points in his last three games, including notching three assists in the Predators' 8-2 win against San Jose on March 19.
THEEE CAPTAIN pic.twitter.com/tn46r8Had4
— Nashville Predators (@PredsNHL) March 20, 2024
In retired NHL Badger news, on Feb. 25, Chris Chelios had his No. 7 jersey retired by the Chicago Blackhawks. The Chicago native played nine of his 26 NHL seasons with the Blackhawks, skating in 664 games and tallying 487 points as a defenseman. The jersey retirement ceremony featured speeches, a tribute video and even a surprise virtual cameo from Michael Jordan.
Congrats to one of the all-time greats, Chris Chelios, on his @NHLBlackhawks jersey retirement#BadgersintheBigs pic.twitter.com/BHZb5X9CHb
— Wisconsin Hockey (@BadgerMHockey) February 26, 2024
Wisconsin alumni have also been making waves at the professional level in the AHL and ECHL.
On Feb. 15, former UW goaltender Jared Moe signed a professional tryout (PTO) contract with the AHL's Tucson Roadrunners, making his league debut on Feb. 16. In his debut, Moe made a relief appearance in the third period, playing 20 minutes and making four saves on six shots. He was released from his PTO with the Roadrunners on Feb. 22, returning to play with the ECHL's Idaho Steelheads.
With the Steelheads, Moe has nine wins in 16 games played, accumulating a .897 save percentage and 3.40 goals allowed on average.
🚨 OVERTIMEEEEE WINNNERRRR 🚨
— Idaho Steelheads (@Steelheads) March 12, 2024
A tremendous save from Jared Moe leads to a PATRICK KUDLA breakaway back the other way for a 5-4 win!!! pic.twitter.com/JJ5qfJQx0A
Defenseman Corson Ceulemans and forward Roman Ahcan are teammates on the Cleveland Monsters, the AHL affiliate of the Columbus Blue Jackets. Ceulemans has three goals and 10 points in 41 games played while Ahcan has seven goals and 14 points in 40 games.
Ro steps up sending one soaring into the net 😆
— Cleveland Monsters (@monstershockey) March 5, 2024
🍎: Butler & Svozil pic.twitter.com/F4oozhN33z
In 57 games played for the ECHL's Newfoundland Growlers, Brock Caufield has picked up 10 goals and 28 points.
🚨 GOAL 🚨
— Newfoundland Growlers (@NLGrowlers) March 3, 2024
BROCKSTAR JOINS THE PARTY 🎸#ChapterV pic.twitter.com/cRCdZJHHTA
