Shika Gadzhiev, Muskegon Lumberjacks (Photo credit: Muskegon Lumberjacks)

Miami Completes Goalie Trio, Signing Ben Motew

Originally posted on The Hockey Writers
By Matthew Buhrmann | Last updated May 28, 2025 5:20 PM ET

The Miami RedHawks have rounded out their goaltending trio for the 2025-26 season, finalizing their group with the addition of 20-year-old Benjamin Motew from the North American Hockey League (NAHL). With Matteo Drobac and Shika Gadzhiev already signed, the RedHawks have an athletic tandem in net heading into the upcoming season.

Motew, a native of Glencoe, Illinois, stands 6-feet and weighs 185 pounds. The left-catching goalie isn’t the biggest presence in goal, but he makes up for it with his quick reflexes and lateral movement. His athleticism allows him to cover ground fast, making him tough to beat in tight.

Key save in the dying seconds of the second period!!

Big Save Ben Motew was the 1st star last night stopping 38/39

This one is your @Conexus_CU Save of the Game. pic.twitter.com/KKqD9cFZoo
— Humboldt Broncos (@HumboldtBroncos) March 13, 2024

Earlier in his career, Motew began with Highland Park YHA before moving on to the Chicago Mission at the 15U, 16U, and 18U levels in the High-Performance Hockey League (HPHL). By the 2022-23 season, he had stepped into junior hockey, playing for the Humboldt Broncos in the Saskatchewan Junior Hockey League (SJHL), where he started making a name for himself.

His first SJHL season saw him play 27 regular-season games, posting a 2.73 goals-against average (GAA) and a .906 save percentage (SV%). In the playoffs, he elevated his play with a 2.18 GAA and a strong .934 SV%. He stayed consistent the following season, finishing the regular season with a 2.74 GAA and a .915 SV%, followed by another solid playoff run with a 2.49 GAA and .932 SV% over 14 games.

Wild one in Flin Flon but how about this save by Ben Motew of @HumboldtBroncos? Wow @theSJHL pic.twitter.com/uFNhYwpdM9
— Jamie Neugebauer (@Neugsie) April 5, 2023

In 2024-25, Motew took the leap to the NAHL, splitting time between the Maryland Black Bears and Corpus Christi IceRays over the season. He played 25 games with Maryland, putting up a 2.43 GAA and .911 SV%, before heading to Corpus Christi, where he played 12 regular-season games with a 3.40 GAA and .895 SV%. But when the playoffs hit, he flipped the switch, finishing with an outstanding 1.64 GAA and .949 SV% across eight games. Despite his great performance, Corpus Christi was swept by the Lone Star Brahmas.

Though the NAHL often flies under the radar in the junior hockey world, it continues to prove itself. The Junior Hockey News ranked it as the fourth-best junior league in North America, placing it just ahead of the Quebec Maritimes Junior Hockey League (QMJHL)—a true testament to the level of competition Motew has gone through on his way to Miami.

Athletic Trio With Question Marks

With Motew now in the mix, Miami has put together a talented goaltending trio all known for their quickness and ability to react fast. Gadzhiev looks like the frontrunner to claim the top job in my opinion, but there will be competition as the season unfolds.

The biggest concern with this group is their youth. They’ve shown plenty of talent at the junior level, but stepping into the National Collegiate Hockey Conference (NCHC) is a whole different challenge.

Either way, this is a good situation for Miami to be in. They’ve got three talented goalies, and I think all of them have the potential to make an impact at the college level. Now it’s just a matter of seeing who steps up and how they handle the jump.