Photo Credit: Getty Images/Len Redkoles
The young Bulldogs product in Noah Cates has become quite the stud in his collegiate career with the Bulldogs. For the 2021-22 season, he amassed eight goals, and 11 assists for a total of 19 points in 28 games played. It appeared he continued his success from the 2020-21 season, where he tallied five goals and chipped in 14 assists for a total of 19 points in 28 games played in a weird Covid-19 season, but he was inconsistent at times.
Cates has hockey smarts and is a strong competitor. He is a thin but a very agile skater who needs to improve his jump, but Cates has gotten stronger as weighs 190 pounds at the moment. Cates is a highly skilled player that can shoot the puck well in tight areas.
Noah being named to Team USA at the Beijing Olympics is quite the honor for a young man in search of an ELC (Entry-Level-Contract) for the Flyers, following his collegiate career at season”s end.
Captain Cates of the Bulldogs could very well compete for the National Championship once again. Noah decided to return to the Bulldogs, as opposed to signing an Entry-Level-Contract with the Flyers in the offseason. The Flyers were inclined to ink him to a deal, but Noah wanted to win another title.
Hopefully, Noah Cates will pan out the way the Flyers envision him to. Cates cannot be forgotten by some as a winger for the orange and black in the future, and neither can his brother Jackson. With that being said, both Noah and Jackson Cates have the heart, the will, and the strength to make it at the NHL level. Fortunately, the Flyers do not have to rush their development (If they choose to sign Jackson Cates as a Free Agent in the future), and they can take their time learning the game the right way. Noah could even earn an Entry-Level-Contract (ELC) with the Flyers at year’s end.
Pat Nagle
Nagle, is a well traveled netminder that saw time with the Reading Royals earlier in the season. He is the ECHL’s 5th all-time league leader in victories with 198.
The well versed Nagle, moves post to post rather well, has a 7-2-3 record with a 2.58 GAA, and .927 Save Percentage with the Royals on the season. In addition, he is 7-0-3 with a 2.37 GAA, and a .911 Save Percentage for the Phantoms this season.
He has developed into a leader for this young Phantoms club. Nagle moves post to post well, and snares pucks with his good glove hand.
Ivan Fedotov
Fedotov would skip the AHL to play in the NHL next season, if the Flyers are able to sway him to come to North America. Most teams, to include the Flyers, would approve of this and he could easily be a backup for the prized Carter Hart next season. He’s arguably playing well in the second best league in the World (KHL), but temper the expectations on Fedotov, as the orange and black would love to have his services here in North America. However, Fedotov at the moment does not want to leave Russia.
This towering prospect in Fedotov stands at 6’8 and weighs 203 pounds. He was found by former Flyers General Manager Ron Hextall in the 7th round of the 2015 NHL Draft. Since being drafted by the Flyers; the now 25-year-old Fedotov has made his way up the ranks in Russia. He is now playing in the KHL (Kontinental Hockey League), which is not only Russia’s top league, but it’s arguably the second toughest league in the World. This season Fedotov has spent time with CSKA Moscow and he has posted a 14-10-2 record, a 2.00 GAA (Goals Against Average), with a .919 SV% (Save Percentage). Moreover, Fedotov also is credited with two shutouts. Simply put, he is kicking butt, and deserves this honor to be play for his home country of Russia in the Olympics.
Matej Tomek
Matej Tomek will play for the Slovakian team at the Olympics. It’s great to see Tomek playing solid hockey in the Czech league, while posting an 13-10 record, 2.75 GAA, and a .902 Save Percentage.
Tomek is a classic butterfly goalie, and he has great size for a goaltender. He stands at 6’3 and weighs 183 pounds. Aged 24-years-old, Tomek struggle to find his game a bit in North America, but he seems to have found a niche in the Czech League.
The Schedule
