HAMILTON – With the beginning of the professional hockey seasons this week, Colgate men's ice hockey has 21 alumni playing in various professional leagues around the world. Of the 21 alumni playing professionally, 12 of them are playing for teams located in the United States and Canada.
All five players that graduated in 2016 will begin their first full season of professional ice hockey. One former Raider is currently on a NHL roster to open up the season.
As of Friday, Oct. 14, Chris Wagner is on the Anaheim Ducks opening day roster for the second consecutive season, the lone Raider to start the 2016-17 season on an NHL Roster. Last season, Wagner had four goals and two assists for six points in 43 games played between the Anaheim Ducks and Colorado Avalanche.
The Raiders also boast three players on American Hockey League (AHL) rosters with their opening day on Friday. Class of 2016 graduate
Mike Borkowski begins his first full season in the AHL with the Grand Rapids Griffins, an affiliate of the Detroit Red Wings. After scoring 13 goals and 22 points with the Raiders in his senior season, Borkowski had another two goals and an assist in 12 games with the Binghamton Senators in 2015-16.
Two players that have cracked NHL rosters in their careers are make up part of the Raiders' AHL trio. Ryan Johnston and
Kyle Baun, who each left following the 2014-15 season, also are playing in the AHL. Johnston will suit up for the St. John's IceCaps where he tallied 12 assists in 37 games as well as playing in three games for the Montreal Canadiens during the 2015-16 season.
Baun will begin his second full season with the Rockford Ice Hogs, the affiliate of the Chicago Blackhawks. Baun has played in five career NHL games, and last season tallied a goal and eight assists for the Ice Hogs in 43 games.
Seven more former Raiders will begin the 2016-17 season on ECHL rosters. Tylor and
Tyson Spink '16 recently inked contracts with the Toledo Walleye for the upcoming season. They are joined in the ECHL by
Kevin Lough '16 on the Adirondack Thunder,
Darcy Murphy '16 on the Tulsa Oilers, Mark Dekanich '08 with the Reading Royals, Spiro Goulakos '15 on the Greenville Swamp Rabbits and John Lidgett '15 with the Alaska Aces.
Daniel Gentzler '15 will also be continuing his professional career as he begins a second season with the Macon Mayhem of the Southern Professional Hockey League where he tallied 12 goals and 25 assists for 37 points in 48 games last season.
One former Raider will be competing in the Kontinental Hockey League (KHL) as Thomas Larkin '13 will is in his second season with Medvescak Zagreb. Currently, Larkin has a goal and an assist in 18 games.
The Raiders also have eight other alumni competing in various leagues around Europe.
Back in Hamilton, the 2016-17 edition of the Colgate men's ice hockey team returns to action Friday night against the Connecticut Huskies at Class of 1965 Arena at 7 p.m.
| Player |
Team |
League |
| Chris Wagner '12 |
Anaheim Ducks |
NHL |
| Kyle Baun '15 |
Rockford Ice Hogs |
AHL |
| Mike Borkowski '16 |
Grand Rapids Griffins |
AHL |
| Ryan Johnston '15 |
St. John's IceCaps |
AHL |
| Mark Dekanich '08 |
Reading Royals |
ECHL |
| Spiro Goulakos '15 |
Greenville Swamp Rabbits |
ECHL |
| John Lidgett '15 |
Alaska Aces |
ECHL |
| Kevin Lough '16 |
Adirondack Thunder |
ECHL |
| Darcy Murphy '16 |
Tulsa Oilers |
ECHL |
| Tylor Spink '16 |
Toledo Walleye |
ECHL |
| Tyson Spink '16 |
Toledo Walleye |
ECHL |
| Daniel Gentzler '15 |
Macon Mayhem |
SPHL |
| Thomas Larkin '13 |
Medvescak Zagreb |
KHL |
| Rob Brown '04 |
Bietigheim-Bissingen SC |
DEL-2 |
| Kyle Doyle '04 |
EV Landshut |
Oberliga |
| David McIntyre '10 |
EV Zug |
NLA |
| Adam Mitchell '05 |
Straubing Tigers |
DEL |
| Nick St. Pierre '09 |
Krefeld Pinguine |
DEL |
| Kyle Wilson '06 |
Eisbären Berlin |
DEL |
| Cory Murphy '01 |
Växjö Lakers HC |
SHL |
| Austin Smith '12 |
HC Innsbruck |
EBEL |
