Badgers in the NHL: Caufield scores 100th career goal
January 14, 2025 | Men's Hockey, NHL Badgers
Wisconsin alumni reach milestones, play outdoors
MADISON, Wis. – We're halfway through the NHL regular season and Wisconsin alumni in the League have continued to impress.
Montreal Canadiens forward Cole Caufield scored his 100th career goal on Dec. 31, making him the 18th Badger to accomplish the feat. Through 42 games played this season, Caufield has 23 goals and 40 points, tying him for seventh place in the league in goals and second on the Canadiens in overall scoring. The forward recently had a five-game goal streak, tallying five goals and seven points from Dec. 31, 2024 to Jan. 10, 2025.
Cole Caufield - 18th Badger to reach 100 NHL goals#BadgersintheBigs pic.twitter.com/Y2QksYJSth
— Wisconsin Hockey (@BadgerMHockey) January 1, 2025
Another former Badger who recently reached an important milestone in his professional hockey career is Luke Kunin, who skated in his 400th NHL game on Jan. 2. The forward currently has 10 goals and 17 points in 45 games played this season, with his 10 goals ranking fifth on the roster.
Congrats on 400 games, Luke! 👏 pic.twitter.com/CaO5Wq69YX
— San Jose Sharks (@SanJoseSharks) January 3, 2025
On Dec. 31, Dylan Holloway and Ryan Suter, the pair of former Badgers playing for the St. Louis Blues, had the memorable experience of participating in the NHL's 2024 Winter Classic, an outdoor game played against the Chicago Blackhawks at Wrigley Field. At the Winter Classic, Holloway notched one goal and an assist as the Blues charged past the Blackhawks, 6-2. The forward has 15 goals and 32 points in 44 games played, setting career highs in all scoring statistics. Defenseman Suter has one goal and nine points in 44 games played, ranking fifth among defensemen on the team in points.
We, 4-1, really enjoyed that goal. #stlblues #WinterClassic pic.twitter.com/RG9Flu2JPz
— St. Louis Blues (@StLouisBlues) December 31, 2024
Chicago Blackhawks forward Craig Smith, who spent the majority of December on injured reserve, also got to participate in the Winter Classic. Smith has six goals and 11 points in 30 games played this year.
📍 Wrigley Field pic.twitter.com/9nf4xu182n
— Chicago Blackhawks (@NHLBlackhawks) December 31, 2024
With five goals and 16 points in 36 games played, L.A. Kings forward Alex Turcotte has career highs in both statistics.
Turc gets things started in Winnipeg! pic.twitter.com/GjDf3d7xPp
— LA Kings (@LAKings) January 11, 2025
Boston Bruins forward Trent Frederic has six goals and 13 points in 45 games played, most recently lighting the lamp in the Bruins' 6-4 loss at Toronto on Jan. 4.
TRENT TIES IT UP pic.twitter.com/aTUYNHWNLB
— Boston Bruins (@NHLBruins) January 5, 2025
Former Badger defensemen have also been impressive on the blue line.
In the West, the Dallas Stars' Brendan Smith has three assists in 16 games played while the Edmonton Oilers' Ty Emberson has six assists in 41 games played.
In the East, the Toronto Maple Leafs' Jake McCabe has one goal and 11 points in 36 games played, while the New York Rangers' K'Andre Miller has two goals and seven points in 36 games played. Ryan McDonagh of the Tampa Bay Lightning has one goal and 14 points in 41 games, and he leads the team with a plus-22 rating.
Magical pass, magnificent finish 🪄 pic.twitter.com/mws4QdproC
— Toronto Maple Leafs (@MapleLeafs) January 5, 2025
Wisconsin alumni have also been getting recognition as the NHL announces its First and Second Quarter-Century Teams for each of its clubs. Of the rosters announced so far, goaltenders Brian Elliott and Curtis Joseph were respectively named to the St. Louis Blues and Toronto Maple Leads Second Teams and defenseman Ryan Suter was named to the Minnesota Wild's Second Team.
The best of the Blues 🎶
— NHL (@NHL) January 1, 2025
Here's the Quarter-Century Team for the @StLouisBlues! #NHLQCTeam
Read more ➡️ https://t.co/KnZSoXnUhH pic.twitter.com/GsSLLOooVI
Former defenseman Chris Chelios was also honored at the Winter Classic, participating in a ceremonial puck drop with other Blackhawks legends.
Legends in house 🏠 pic.twitter.com/VF8VYFaDq8
— Chicago Blackhawks (@NHLBlackhawks) December 31, 2024
AHL and ECHL Updates
Wisconsin has multiple alumni at the AHL and ECHL levels that have also been having stellar seasons.
Cameron Hughes who plays for the Texas Stars, the AHL affiliate of the NHL's Dallas Stars, was recently named the League's Player of the Week after tallying four goals and eight points in his last three games. The forward has 15 goals and 31 points in 32 games played this year and ranks fourth on his team and 18th in the League in points.
Hughes news! 👑
— FloHockey (@FloHockey) January 13, 2025
With EIGHT points in just THREE games, Cameron Hughes has been named the AHL Player of the Week!#AHL #TXStars #Hockey #TexasHockey pic.twitter.com/GH8JMwifIg
Forward Carson Bantle has been a goal-scoring machine for the ECHL's Toledo Walleye, racking up 11 goals and 12 points in 20 games played. Though he's spent the majority of the year with the Walleye, Bantle has played six games in the AHL for the Grand Rapids Griffins, most recently being called up on Dec. 18.
bants said WEEEEEEEEE (then chaos ensues) @BantleCarson https://t.co/Pjay5hkCXs pic.twitter.com/Z8VUbxtlgW
— Toledo Walleye (@ToledoWalleye) January 6, 2025
Forward Mathieu De St. Phalle has 12 goals and 30 points in 34 games played for the ECHL's Wheeling Nailers. His 34 points rank fourth on the roster and his 12 goals are tied for second most on the team.
🚨 DSP WITH THE RESPONSE 🚨
— Wheeling Nailers (@WheelingNailers) January 1, 2025
Matty De St. Pahlke answers Reading's goal right away and makes it a 3-1 game at the start of the 2nd!
🚨 Matty De St. Phalle
🍎 Jack Beck
🍏 Chris Ortiz#ForgeTheFuture pic.twitter.com/RqDIgIdmAv
Center David Silye has three goals and nine points in 32 games played with the AHL's Calgary Wranglers, most recently scoring on Jan. 3 in the Wranglers' 4-2 win over the Manitoba Moose.
TOP 🧀 pic.twitter.com/Z5E1GnCinQ
— Calgary Wranglers (@AHLWranglers) January 4, 2025
In 16 games played for the ECHL's Iowa Heartlanders, Kyle McClellan, the 2024 Mike Richter Award winner for NCAA goaltender of the year, has eight wins and a .878 save percentage.
Fuel burned out — we brought the blaze AND the brooms! 🔥🧹#GoLanders🦌 #DefendTheForest pic.twitter.com/hD0JmSstk6
— Iowa Heartlanders (@GoHeartlanders) December 8, 2024
Forward Roman Ahcan and defenseman Corson Ceulemans are teammates on the Cleveland Monsters, the AHL affiliate of the Columbus Blue Jackets. Ahcan ranks sixth on the roster with seven goals (10 points total) in 36 games played this year, while Ceulemans has two goals and seven points in 33 games played.
the one you've been waiting for.....CORSON WITH THE BULLET 💥💥💥
— Cleveland Monsters (@monstershockey) December 7, 2024
🍎: Sillinger & Malatesta pic.twitter.com/m5bntkg45q
