Sun Devils Hockey Reaches Another Milestone

The Arizona State Sun Devils made history Friday night as they had their first hockey player drafted in the first round of the NHL player entry draft.

Center Cullen Potter was the last pick of the first round by the Calgary Flames. Potter is merely 17 years old and was one of six Americans to be selected Friday night.

Potter scored 13 goals and added nine assists last season for the Sun Devils. He will add a scoring punch to the Flames who were 29th out of the 32 teams in the league in scoring. The Flames are going to patient with Potter and wait for him to matriculate from Arizona State. He will not be jumping to the NHL or the minor-league affiliate right away.

Potter is known for his speed on the ice and his ability to skate around defenders. He played for the United States National U18 team last season and added four goals in nine games. The U.S. U18 team won a bronze medal in the U.S. Men's World Championships in 2025.

"I think I bring a lot of speed and I'm an electric player," Potter told Sportsnet after he was selected. "So I am super excited to get started."

He is the first college player drafted by Calgary since 2020 when they drafted Yan Kuznetzov in the second round.

No hockey player for the Sun Devils has been drafted higher than 37th before Friday night. Forward Josh Doan was selected 37th in the 2021 NHL Draft.

Speaking of Doan, he was involved in a trade from the Utah Mammoths to the Buffalo Sabres as part of the deal bringing winger JJ Peterka to Utah.

The son of Arizona Coyotes legend Shane Doan was traded along with defenseman Michael Kesserling was dealt for one of the best scoring forwards in the NHL. The deal also includes a five-year $38.5 million extension for Peterka.

Doan has not had a full season in the NHL since he was drafted. He has bounced around between the big league and the AHL. He came out like gangbusters when the Mammoths were playing Arizona as the Coyotes as she had nine points in his first 11 games.

Since there was a move to Utah, the team has sent him down to the minors more time than he would have liked. He played in 51 games last season for Utah and an additional 28 in the minors.

He is not projected to have that problem in Buffalo. They are desperate to replace Peterka with another high-scoring winger that has a strong shot from the point and is relentless on the ice. Doan only has one gear.

That gear is fast. He is a train wreck waiting to happen. He has a mighty forecheck.

This was a big move for the Sabres who have not sniffed the playoffs since 2011. With jobs on the line, there is going to be a lot of pressure on Doan to perform early.

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