NAHL Alumni Update
October 29, 2015
Another week, another lengthy list of NAHL alumni doing great things in both NCAA and professional hockey.
As a continuing feature on nahl.com this season , the alumni report will focus on all those former NAHL players who are doing great things at both the professional hockey and NCAA levels.
With close to 100 former players in the NAHL and over 600+ NAHL alumni playing in the NCAA, there will be plenty to discuss this season.
With that said, here is a look at some of the standouts this week:
Atlantic Hockey Player of the Week: Greg Gibson, Robert Morris (Amarillo Bulls)
Gibson tallied five goals in two games at Niagara last weekend. He found the back of the net twice in RMU's 3-3 tie on Friday, then recorded his first career hat trick in the Colonials' 8-2 win Saturday. Gibson's five points brought his total to eight on the season, on six goals and two assists. Gibson played in the NAHL for the Amarillo Bulls during the 2011-12 season.
WCHA Rookie of the Week: Atte Tolvanen, Northern Michigan (Minot Minotauros)
Tolvanen continued an impressive rookie campaign, ranking second among all NCAA freshmen (seventh overall) with 63 saves as Northern Michigan split a home-and-home series with No. 16 Michigan Tech. The native of Vihti, Finland turned aside 19 of 20 shots in a 4-1 NMU victory Friday – one of only two in the country last week for an unranked team against a ranked opponent (teams ranked in the USCHO.com poll were 14-2-2 vs. unranked schools). Tolvanen established a career high with 43 saves Saturday, helping keep the Wildcats close in a game they lost only 3-1 despite being outshot, 46-20.
NHL’s Chicago Blackhawks recall former NAHL Rookie of the Year, Tanner Kero
The Chicago Blackhawks announced today they have recalled forward Tanner Kero from the Rockford IceHogs of the American Hockey League. Kero, 23, has eight points (6G, 2A) in five games with the IceHogs this season. Earlier this week, the centerman was named CCM/AHL Player of the Week for the period ending Oct. 25 with three goals, an assist and a plus-5 rating over three tilts. Kero’s six goals rank third in the AHL and eight points are tied for 10th. The Hancock, Mich., native notched eight points (6G, 2A) in seven regular-season games and three points (2G, 1A) over six playoff games with Rockford in his first professional campaign last year. Prior to signing with Chicago as a free agent on April 2, 2015, Kero paced the Western Collegiate Hockey Association’s Michigan Tech Huskies with a collegiate career-high 46 points (20G, 26A) in 41 games during his senior year; he also led the WCHA in points. A 2015 Hobey Baker nominee, Kero was also named the 2014-15 WCHA Player of the Year, WCHA Outstanding Student-Athlete of the Year and to the All-WCHA First Team. Kero totaled 111 points (55G, 56A) in 153 contests over four years at Michigan Tech. Kero played in the NAHL during the 2009-10 for the Marquette Rangers and was named in the 2009-10 NAHL Rookie of the Year.
Do you know of an NAHL alum doing something special or notable at the next level? We want to hear about it! Please send us an email and let us know.
