After finishing with the worst record in program history, the Miami RedHawks came into the offseason needing a major roster overhaul. Second-year head coach Anthony Noreen has brought in transfers, freshmen, and returning players, and it’s already clear that a lot of players have taken big steps forward.
Related: David Deputy & Shika Gadzhiev Talk Joining Miami Hockey
I had the chance to watch practice this past Wednesday, where the new-look RedHawks showed signs of that reset starting to take place. With the home opener set for Oct. 3-4 against Ferris State, here are my early takeaways and Wednesday’s practice standouts.
Forwards
- Freshman forward Kocha Delic was one of the clear standouts on Wednesday. Shifty and quick with the puck, he’s got a dangerous wrister, makes plays in tight, and was very vocal with teammates on the ice. His defensive game has also improved from last season with the Ontario Hockey League’s (OHL) Sudbury Wolves, with plenty of stick lifts to win pucks back. He looks like a top-six player, most likely on the top power play unit, and he trimmed down eight pounds this offseason (198 to 190).
- Freshman forward Ilia Morozov, only 17, looks the part of a future NHL Draft pick (projected first to third round in 2026). He scored a slick wrist shot goal on a two-on-one in a three-on-three drill, showing his long reach, stride, and ability to dangle at 6-foot-3. He’s a strong passer, too, though he’ll need to adjust to the physical side of college hockey, given that he is very much a 200-foot player. He added four pounds this offseason (196 to 200), including some noticeable muscle, and will be the youngest player in college hockey this season.
- Freshman forward Justin Stupka looked quicker than he did last season with Sioux City in the United States Hockey League (USHL). He brings size at 6-foot-2, 205 pounds, and showed improvements defensively at practice on the back-check. He projects to be a depth center option this season.
- Freshman forward Bradley Walker looks like he’ll bring some toughness to the lineup. He was physical along the boards all practice long and forechecked hard. He projects as a bottom-six player who gives 100% effort every shift. Noreen has said before that he is a guy you just want in your locker room.
- Sophomore forward John Emmons showed strides in his defensive game on Wednesday. Strong on the backcheck and forechecking for turnovers, he looks like a candidate for a penalty-killing role.
Noreen loved his effort last season despite starting out low on the depth chart, and he’s pushing for ice time again this season. Most likely, he’ll slot into a third or fourth-line role. - Sophomore forward Casper Nassen looked slimmer, faster, and a more well-rounded winger. At 6-foot-4 with a long stride, he scored in a three-on-three drill. He dropped 15 pounds in the offseason (214 to 199) and looks set for a top six role with power play minutes.
- Sophomore forward transfer Nick Mikan brings size and toughness. At 6-foot-4 and 220 pounds, he’s physical and not shy about throwing his weight around. He even got a little chippy with Walker during practice in the corner. Coming off an injury-shortened season at St. Thomas, where he only played five games, he dropped nine pounds in the offseason (229 to 220) and should be the team’s enforcer.
- Sophomore forward transfer Ryan Smith from Quinnipiac is undersized at 5-foot-9, 180 pounds, but makes up for it with speed and effort. He had a nice stick lift on Delic during a drill to keep the puck in the offensive zone, showed a relentless forecheck, and looks like a bottom-six forward who can kill penalties but still play physical despite his size.
- Junior forward transfer Matteo Giampa from Canisius University stood out for his speed and hands on Wednesday and was overall the most-impressive forward. He blew past a defender to score a slick backhand-to-forehand goal on Matteo Drobac, then later tapped in a goal off a pass in tight during a three-on-three drill. With his skill, he looks like a lock for the top six and power play.
- Junior forward transfer Doug Grimes from Boston University looks stronger after putting on muscle, now at 213 pounds (up from 205). His 2024-25 season was cut short in January due to injury, limiting him to 15 games, but he’s healthy now. He’s a hard forechecker and looks like a bottom-six forward who can provide depth scoring.
- Graduate forward transfer Max Helgeson from Alaska-Anchorage is a fast, physical forechecker who isn’t afraid to go to the net. He’s willing to screen goalies, tip pucks, and battle in the paint, all seen on Wednesday. He looks versatile enough to play anywhere in the lineup.
Defensemen
- Freshman defenseman Ryder Thompson was the most impressive on the back end. He was quick to pucks, broke them out clean, and made crisp passes in all three zones. He stayed vocal, used his body to protect pucks, and showed off a heavy and accurate slap shot from the blue line. He looks mobile and could step right into a top four role as a freshman.
- Freshman defenseman Shaun McEwen looks ready to make an immediate impact as a 21-year-old freshman. On Wednesday, he was fast, physical, and easily the best at shoulder-checking on the ice. Noreen has a close relationship with him dating back to their time with the Tri-City Storm, and that trust shows. McEwen trimmed down from 192 pounds to 180, giving him more mobility heading into this season. A three-year captain in Tri-City and Noreen’s first commit after taking the Miami job, McEwen looks ready to step right into an important role.
- Sophomore defenseman Michael Quinn was solid and scored a goal off a rebound in front of the net on Wednesday. Quinn could fill a bottom-pairing role this season after leading the defensive core in points last season with 12.
- Graduate defenseman Owen Lalonde has one season of eligibility left and projects to play an important leadership role in the defensive group. Lalonde’s passing stuck out to me on Wednesday, making accurate passes all practice, dishing out a few assists in the drills. Lalonde will be turning 26 near the end of the season, meaning Miami will have a 17-year-old and a 26-year-old on the same team, something pretty rare in college hockey. I expect a mobile defenseman like Lalonde to play a lot of minutes this season, likely on the first or second pairing.
Goalies
- Not many pucks got past the goalies on Wednesday. Sophomore Drobac flashed a sharp glove and closed the five-hole well, while freshman Benjamin Motew showed off his athleticism and ability to move quickly across the crease. A split between Shika Gadzhiev and Drobac remains most likely this season.
Observations
- Noreen is not messing around this season. Practice on Wednesday was intense and even the smallest mistakes stood out. He was not afraid to be vocal with his team when they happened.
- Noreen spent a lot of time coaching McEwen and clearly has a close relationship with him. Noreen has said that bringing former players in was a big part of building this roster. He wanted players he already knew and trusted, and there are five former Tri-City players on the team this season (Kyle Aucoin, Nick Donato, Vladislav Lukashevich, Smith, and Morozov).
- Noreen wants this group to be much more vocal on the ice. Last season the RedHawks struggled with communication and had trouble getting pucks out of their own end.
Roster Updates
- Ryan Seelinger will not be coming this season. Noreen saw a purpose in giving him an overage season in the USHL. He put up 33 points in 62 games last season with the Des Moines Buccaneers and will play one more season with them.
- Brecken Smith, a forward, went to Tri-City in a big USHL trade in early August. He was with the Youngstown Phantoms last season and put up 23 points over 64 games.
- Cal Huston, a defenseman, had an injury this past season and will return mid-season in November with the Youngstown Phantoms of the USHL. He’ll get another season to develop and recover before making the jump.
- Defenseman Branko Vukas of the Omaha Lancers and forward Charles Blanchard of the Cedar Rapids RoughRiders will not be coming this season either.
More News
- Expect a full roster release soon. It’s basically filled out, aside from a possible fourth goalie addition, which is what assistant coach Jimmy Spratt told me last month.
- The annual Meet the Team / Skills Competition will be held on Sept. 20, hosted by the Miami Hockey Blue Line Club. Tickets are $10 for adults, $5 for children under twelve, and free for kids under five. With so many new faces this season, it’s a great chance for fans to get familiar with the team.
- Home game times are set: Friday games at 7:05 PM ET and Saturday games at 6:05 PM ET.
- Miami will take part in two in-season tournaments this season: the Friendship Four (Nov. 28–29) and the Great Lakes Invitational (Dec. 28–29).
- Spencer Anderson, a 2009-born forward out of Thief River Falls, Minnesota, committed to Miami on Sept. 8. He just turned 16 and is already a four-star prospect according to Neutral Zone. At 6-foot-2 and 187 pounds, Anderson put up 27 points in 21 games last season with the Thief River Falls Prowlers (MNHS). Yet another Minnesota kid heading to Oxford, he’s a big addition to the much-improved recruiting pipeline.
- The RedHawks are being slept on in early NCHC power rankings, sitting ninth in every ranking I’ve seen across social media.
- Miami’s incoming group was ranked seventh in PuckPreps’ Class of 2025 rankings, a spot that feels a little arguable.
After last season’s results and being slept on across social media, this team has plenty to prove. I’ll continue rolling out updates as the roster gets finalized, as I plan to watch one more practice and catch up with Noreen before the season begins in just over three weeks.
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