(Photo: Sun Devil Athletics)
Arizona State hockey had its hopes of a conference and national title frozen early on in the 2025 National Collegiate Hockey Conference Tournament. However, that does not mean that 2024-25 was not a strong season, or that there is not more to come in the 2025-26 campaign.
Ending with a 21-14-2 (16-10-1 NCHC) record in 2024-25, the Sun Devils entered the NCHC tournament with high hopes. However, after handily taking care of Minnesota Duluth in the quarterfinals, the No. 3 seed Denver Pioneers sent them packing.
ASU showed significant talent in its inaugural season in its new premier conference, finishing No. 15 in the NCAA rankings. Despite ending last year second in the regular season NCHC standings, the team placed No. 4 in the conference’s preseason media poll.
This can be in part due to the losses ASU has had since the conclusion of last season.
Leading the Lines
Looking into the offense, the No. 14 Sun Devils will no longer have former senior forward Ryan Kirwan, who led last year’s team in points (39) and goals (26), and 2024-25 graduate forward Lukas Sillinger, the team leader in assists (30).
ASU will also be without the 2025 team MVP. Then-graduate forward Artem Shlaine was second in points for ASU and signed an AHL contract with the Texas Stars in July.
Despite these losses, there is still plenty of talent for ASU to get the biscuit in the basket this upcoming year.
The Sun Devils have some now-NHL talent rostered for the 2025-26 season. A fan favorite returner, sophomore forward Cullen Potter will enter his second year with ASU after being drafted 32nd overall in the 2025 NHL Entry Draft by the Calgary Flames. That pick made him the seventh true Sun Devil to be drafted to the NHL, and the first player to go in the first round for the program.
Last season, Potter scored 22 points in 35 games, 15 points during NCHC play, and netted 13 goals, making him second in the conference for that category among rookies. He earned several honors, such as being selected to the NCHC All-Rookie Team and being awarded as the Sun Devil Rookie of the Year. That recognition has continued, as Potter was selected for the 2025 NCHC Preseason All-Conference Team.
Another NHL draft pick who will be wearing the maroon and gold this year is freshman forward Ben Kevan, who was recently selected 63rd overall by the New Jersey Devils. The California native has played with the Des Moines Buccaneers in the USHL and joined Potter this summer on Team USA in the U-18 World Junior Championship.
The Sun Devils will be led by forward co-captains senior Bennett Schimek and junior Kyle Smolen. Schimek was top-10 in the NCHC in points in 2024-25 with 37 and appeared in all but two games. In the 2024-25 season, Smolen recorded 30 points, 30 blocks (the most among ASU forwards) and a 12 plus-minus second on the team behind junior defenseman Anthony Dowd, who had a 13.
ASU will also have some other newcomers on the forward lines. Senior forward Johnny Waldron is transferring in from Miami after earning a spot on the NCHC All-Conference Team and leading the Redhawks in apples.
2024-25 graduate Noah Beck has played his last game in Mullet Arena. However, the same is not true for his brother Jack. Jack played last year for the Wheeling Nailers, where he earned a point per game. In 2021, he was a sixth-round NHL draft pick for the Flames; however, his rights were waived. Jack enters ASU with three seasons of NCAA eligibility and will be unable to play the first six games of this upcoming year for each game he played following his 22nd birthday.
With a mix of NHL-drafted talent, team leaders, transfers and newcomers, the forwards for the Sun Devils can carry ASU to another successful season offensively.
Along the Blue Line
Noah Beck was a key factor for ASU last year. The Canadian got in front of 43 shots through his final campaign and has since signed a one-year deal with the San Jose Sharks. In addition to him, 2024-25 senior defenseman Ethan Szmagaj will not be back in Mullet after winning the team’s respected Iron Man award last season.
Without them, the Sun Devils will look to sophomore defenseman Brasen Boser. Boser was second on the team in blocks in 2024-25, totalling 60, only sitting behind then-senior defenseman Ty Murchison. Boser played all 37 games last season, including a 5-3 win over eventual national champions No. 1 Western Michigan, when he had a season-high seven blocks.
Boser will be along the blue line with freshman defenseman Richard Baran, who earned 26 assists in 54 games with Des Moines last season, and sophomore defenseman Sam Court, who only missed one game in his freshman campaign due to injury while blocking 38 shots.
ASU could use these three as a strong core to keep the puck away from the net. However, good defensive chemistry will be needed with each pairing to support what is an unknown goalie situation for the Sun Devils.
Between the Pipes
Head coach Greg Powers is entering his eleventh season in the role for ASU after earning his 300th career win last year. He will have a tough decision to make, and potentially experiment with, on who will be between the pipes in Tempe.
ASU lost then-senior goaltender Luke Pavicich last season after Pavicich recorded a 2.60 goals against average, .909 save percentage and a 13-9-0 record. His sub, Gibson Homer, has since left to join the No. 11 North Dakota Fighting Hawks.
Powers announced Monday that senior Connor Hasley will start the season in the crease, with the starting spot being “his to lose.” The Bentley transfer led the NCAA with 11 shutouts last year while boasting a .925 save percentage and 1.96 goals against average.
Freshman Samuel Urban will back up Hasley after spending the last three years in the USHL with the Sioux City Musketeers. The 20-year-old posted a .899 save percentage last year with a 2.96 goals against average.
Challengers
The Sun Devils had a rough welcome to the NCHC. Last year, the team started 0-3-0 in conference play after losing a series to then-No. 8 Colorado College and splitting a series against the Omaha Mavericks. They eventually ended with a great conference record, in part because of a historic road sweep of then-No. 1-ranked Denver.
The Sun Devils also got some assistance from their home-ice advantage, going 11-6-1 in Mullet Arena last season.
They will be looking to repeat regular season success in 2025-26, starting with the NCHC opener on the road vs. Miami on Oct. 31.
Last year, ASU lost to the Tigers three times. The Sun Devils will be chasing revenge, starting the season series at the Mullet on Nov. 7 and 8. Colorado College was the first team out in the U.S. College Hockey Online rankings, receiving 68 votes in the preseason poll.
Later in the month, ASU will face former goalie Gibson Homer and North Dakota on the road.
The Sun Devils went 1-1-0 in a solo home series against the NCHC champions, Western Michigan Broncos, last year. They will have the same tough test in mid-February, this time, making the trip to the northeast.
The final regular season game in front of the Inferno will be against Omaha on Feb. 21, with the regular season finale coming on the road against No. 4 Denver on the 28th.
Outside of NCHC play, the Sun Devils will host No. 5 Penn State as their home opener on Oct. 3, a game where Mullet will be rocking to try and stop superstar and expected future first overall pick Gavin McKenna.
ASU will also make its Ice Breaker Tournament debut against Notre Dame on Oct. 10 and host the Desert Hockey Classic in early January.
With a tall task in conference play, some key holes to fill from last season’s leaders and an unknown situation between the pipes, year two in the NCHC for the Sun Devils will be an interesting one to watch. Still with high expectations and lots of potential in the four lines, expect Mullet to be jam-packed in Tempe.
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