ECHL: St. Cloud State Alum in the ECHL

St. Cloud State has many hockey players who have gone on to play at the professional level, including eight players currently in the ECHL.

Chase Brand (2019-23) – Forward Chase Brand spent four seasons at St. Cloud State, where he played in 117 games. Brand had 14 goals and 20 assists for 34 points. He had 63 penalty minutes and a +4. Brand ended his career as a Husky with 82 shots and 35 blocks. He had two power play goals, two shorthanded goals, and two game-winning goals. Brand scored a shorthanded goal in the NCHC Frozen Faceoff semifinals, which eventually became the game-winning goal against Minnesota Duluth. Brand was a part of the Husky team that won the NCHC Frozen Faceoff in 2023 and also made a visit to the Frozen Four in 2021, where they lost in the final to the University of Massachusetts.

Brand transferred to Augustana University for his fifth year before he started his professional career in the ECHL at the end of the 2023-24 season. Brand has played with the Reading Royals, Adirondack Thunder, and Kansas City Mavericks in the ECHL. In 59 games thus far, Brand has four goals and five assists for nine points with 24 penalty minutes and a -4.

This season, Brand has played 52 games between the Thunder and Mavericks, where he has four goals and five assists with 24 penalty minutes and a -5.

Brand is in his second professional season, although it is still considered his rookie season as he played less than 25 games last season. This is his first season with the Kansas City Mavericks.

Easton Brodzinski (2017-22)- Forward Easton Brodzinski played in five seasons with the Huskies playing in 176 collegiate games. Brodzinski had 67 goals and 58 assists for 125 points. He had 198 penalty minutes and a +0. Brodzinski finished his time at St. Cloud State with 41 blocks and 410 shots, with 25 games where he had five or more shots. He had 26 multipoint games with one hat-trick, and he had 21 power play goals and 12 game-winning goals.

In 2021, Brodzinski was named to the NCAA Northeast Regional All-Tournament Team and was named to the NCHC All-Rookie Team in 2018. He was also named NCHC Rookie of the Week for November 12-18, 2018. Brodzinski and the Huskies were the NCHC Regular Season Champions in the 2017-18 and 2018-19 seasons.

After completing his collegiate career in the 2021-22 season, Brodzinski played in one game in the AHL with the Hartford Wolf Pack. Since then, Brodzinski has spent his time in the ECHL, where he has played for the Jacksonville Icemen, Allen Americans, and now the Tulsa Oilers. In 150 ECHL games, Brodzinski has 45 goals and 48 assists for 93 points with 162 penalty minutes and a -27. Brodzinski also got some playing time in the playoffs with the Americans and Icemen. In six playoff games, Brodzinski has two goals and three assists for five points with two penalty minutes and a -3.

Brodzinski did get an AHL call-up this season to the San Diego Gulls. In nine games with the Gulls, he had one goal with 17 penalty minutes and a -3.

This season, Brodzinski has played in 52 games between the Americans and Oilers, where he has 17 goals and 21 assists for 38 points. He has 37 penalty minutes and a -26.

Brodzinski is in his third full professional season and third season in the ECHL.

Jaxon Castor (2018-23) – Castor spent five seasons at St. Cloud State, spending his freshman season on the University’s DII Club team. Castor joined the DI team in the 2019-20 season. In 44 games as a Husky, Castor had a record of 20-16-1 with four shutouts. He faced 977 shots, where he had 889 saves and 88 goals against for a save percentage of .910 and a goals against average of 2.38. Castor finishes his career in the Huskies’ record book ranked fifth for goals against average, eighth for save percentage, and 15th for wins. Castor is also tied for eighth in shutouts for a Husky goaltender.

In the 2022-23 season, Castor led the Huskies to an NCHC Frozen Faceoff Championship appearance, where he and the Huskies shut out Colorado College. Castor became only the second NCHC goaltender and first Husky goaltender to record a shutout in the NCHC Championship. Castor also led the Huskies to an NCAA Regional final after beating Minnesota State, but the Huskies lost 4-1 in the finals to the University of Minnesota. Castor was also named to the NCHC Frozen Faceoff All-Tournament Team in the 2022-23 season. Castor was named the NCHC Goaltender of the Week for the week of January 2-8, 2023.

In his three professional seasons, Castor has played for the Florida Everblades, Atlanta Gladiators, and Wheeling Nailers. He has also spent time in the AHL with the Charlotte Checkers and Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins. In the ECHL, Castor has played in 30 games, where he has a record of 15-10-2. Castor has faced 802 shots, saving 711, and has allowed 91 goals, giving him a save percentage of .887 and a 3.11 goals against average. In eight playoff games with the Nailers, Castor has a record of 4-3-1 with one shutout. After facing 242 shots, Castor saved 221 and allowed 21 goals for a save percentage of .913 and a goals against average of 2.73. In the 2023-24 season, Castor won the ECHL Kelly Cup with the Florida Everblades.

This season, Castor has played in 12 games for the Nailers, where he has a record of 5-6-1. On 344 shots faced, Castor has allowed 45 goals and made 299 saves for a goals against average of 3.76 and a .869 save percentage.

The 2024-25 season is Castor’s third professional season and second season with the Wheeling Nailers.

Kyler Kupka (2019-24)- Forward Kyler Kupka spent five seasons with the Huskies, where he played in 145 games. Kupka had 32 goals and 53 assists for 85 points in that time with 38 penalty minutes and a plus/minus of +19. He finished his career with 19 multipoint games and 41 blocks with two game-winning goals, two game-tying goals, nine power play goals, three empty-netters, and one shorthanded goal. He had 218 shots, including five games where he had five or more shots.

Kupka was named a Hobey Baker Nominee in the 2023-24 season. In the 2020-21 season, he had one goal and one assist against Minnesota State in the Frozen Four Semifinals to help the Huskies make it to the finals. Kupka had a goal in the Huskies 5-4 loss against Quinnipiac in the 2021-22 NCAA Regional Semifinals. The Huskies and Kupka also won the NCHC Frozen Faceoff in the 2022-23 season.

Kupka has since played in the ECHL with the South Carolina Stingrays, playing in 58 games where he has 29 goals and 28 assists for 57 points with 33 penalty minutes and a plus/minus of +24.

On an AHL callup to the Calgary Wranglers, Kupka played in 12 AHL games where he had two assists with two penalty minutes and a -3.

With the Stingrays this season, Kupka has played in 51 games where he has 27 goals and 26 assists for 53 points with 33 penalty minutes and a +24.

The 2024-25 season is Kupka’s first full season playing professionally and with the South Carolina Stingrays.

Micah Miller (2018-23) – Forward Micah Miller spent five seasons with the Huskies, playing in 171 games where he had 29 goals and 42 assists for 71 points with 58 penalty minutes and a +33. Miller ended his time as a Husky with eight multipoint games, along with five shorthanded goals, four game-winning goals, and four empty netters. He had 302 shots during his career and had 13 games where he had five or more shots.

Miller scored the game-tying goal against Boston University in the 2020-21 NCAA Regional semifinals and scored in the Regional Finals against Boston College. Miller’s four shorthanded goals in the 2021-22 season were the third-most shorthanded goals for a single player in program history. Miller was an NCHC Defensive Forward of the Year Finalist in the 2022-23 season. Miller and the Huskies were the NCHC Regular Season Penrose Champions in the 2018-19 season, and they were the NCHC Frozen Faceoff Champions in the 2022-23 season. Miller is tied for fourth all-time for games played with St. Cloud State and wore an “A” with the Huskies in the 2022-23 season.

Since starting his professional career, Miller has spent time in the AHL with the Tucson Roadrunners and Hershey Bears. But he has spent the majority of his time in the ECHL with the Atlanta Gladiators and South Carolina Stingrays. In seven AHL games, Miller has one assist and a -2.

In 129 ECHL games, Miller has 44 goals and 46 assists for 90 points with 40 penalty minutes and a +8. This season with the Stingrays, Miller has played in 66 games where he has 21 goals and 28 assists for 49 points with 14 penalty minutes and a +29.

The 2024-25 season is Miller’s third professional season and first with the South Carolina Stingrays.

Patrick Newell (2015-19) – Forward Patrick Newell spent four seasons with the Huskies, where he played in 145 games, had 38 goals and 82 assists for 120 points, with 16 penalty minutes and a +66. Newell completed his time as a Husky with 26 blocks and 289 shots, including 12 games where he had five or more shots. He had 32 multipoint games along with eight power play goals, two shorthanded goals, one empty-netter, and nine game-winning goals. He finished his career tenth amongst Huskies players in assists.

Newell and the Huskies were the NCHC Frozen Faceoff Champions in the 2015-16 season and were the NCHC Regular Season Champions in the 2017-18 season. In the 2018-19 season, Newell was named the NCHC Forward of the Year and the NCHC Scoring Champion. He won the NCHC Sportsmanship Award, was a Hobey Baker Award Finalist, was named to the All-NCHC First Team, the NCHC Frozen Faceoff All-Tournament Team, and the NCAA West First All-American Team. He was named NCHC Player of the Week twice during his time as a Husky and was named the NCHC Player of the Month in February 2019.

Since going pro, Newell has played in the AHL with the Hartford Wolf Pack and has played in the ECHL with the Orlando Solar Bears and the Tahoe Knight Monsters. In 87 AHL games, Newell has 11 goals and 16 assists for 27 points with 18 penalty minutes and a -4. In 82 ECHL games, Newell has 14 goals and 37 assists for 51 points with six penalty minutes and a +5.

With the Knight Monsters this season, Newell has played in 64 games where he has ten goals and 27 assists for 37 points with six penalty minutes and a +8.

The 2024-25 season is Newell’s seventh professional season, second in the ECHL, and first with the Tahoe Knight Monsters.

Zach Okabe (2019-24) – Forward Zach Okabe spent five seasons with St. Cloud State, where he played in 176 games, registering 52 goals and 67 assists for 119 points with 81 penalty minutes and a +13. He finished his Husky career with 23 multipoint games padded with 16 powerplay goals, one empty netter, and nine game-winning goals. Okabe had 39 blocks along with 349 shots, including nine games where he had five or more shots. He became the only player in program history to register multiple natural hat tricks in his career and is tied for second in most games played with St. Cloud State.

Okabe was named the NCHC Rookie of the Week once and NCHC Forward of the Week twice. In the 2022-23 season, he received an All-NCHC Honorable Mention and was named to the NCHC Frozen Faceoff All-Tournament Team. Okabe scored the overtime game-winning goal against the University of North Dakota to send the Huskies to the 2023 NCHC Frozen Faceoff Championship, where they shut out Colorado College. He also scored in the Huskies 4-0 over Minnesota State in the NCAA Regional Semifinals. Okabe wore an “A” in his final season and won the 2023 NCHC Frozen Faceoff Championship with the Huskies.

Since starting his professional career, Okabe has spent some time in the AHL with the Cleveland Monsters before signing a contract with the Abbotsford Canucks, but has spent the 2024-25 season in the ECHL with the Kalamazoo Wings. With the Monsters, Okabe played in nine games where he had two goals and one assist for three points with two penalty minutes and a +1.

In 69 games with the Wings this season, Okabe has 18 goals and 20 assists for 38 points with 21 penalty minutes and a plus/minus of -19.

The 2024-25 season is Okabe’s first full professional season and first full season with the Kalamazoo Wings.

Jake Wahlin (2016-20) – Forward Jake Wahlin spent four seasons with the Huskies, where he played in 127 games, scoring 16 goals with 24 assists for 40 points as well as 44 penalty minutes. Wahlin finished his career with six multipoint games with 14 blocked shots, three game-winning goals, and one power play goal. He had 155 shots, along with two games where he had five or more shots.

Wahlin was named NCHC Player of the Week once during his time with the Huskies. Wahlin and the Huskies were the NCHC Regular Season Champions in the 2017-18 and 2018-19 seasons.

After finishing his collegiate career, Wahlin signed in the ECHL with the Rapid City Rush before playing in the SPHL for the Pensacola Ice Flyers. He played 37 games with the Ice Flyers, where he had 19 goals and 18 assists for 37 points, along with 18 penalty minutes and a plus/minus of +16. Wahlin also played in four playoff games with the Ice Flyers, where he had one goal and three assists for four points and a +2. Wahlin was named to the SPHL All-Rookie Team, SPHL First All-Star Team, and was named the SPHL Rookie of the Year. Wahlin and the Ice Flyers also won the SPHL Championship in the 2020-21 season.

Since coming back up to the ECHL, Wahlin has played with the Rush and the Wichita Thunder. In 280 games played, Wahlin has 47 goals and 72 assists for 119 points with 78 penalty minutes and a plus/minus of -12. Wahlin was named the Unsung Hero of the Wichita Thunder in the 2022-23 season.

In the 2024-25 season, Wahlin has played in 63 games with the Thunder, where he has nine goals and 11 assists for 20 points with 14 penalty minutes and a -5.

The 2024-25 season is Wahlin’s fifth professional season and fourth season with the Wichita Thunder.