Alumn-ICE Report: March 4, 2025
Blake Christensen
Photo Courtesy: Emily Pflugrath/Wenatchee Wild
A proud second-year member of the Western Hockey League, the Wenatchee Wild are continuing a celebrated WHL legacy that dates back to Edmonton, Alberta in 1996, continuing in Cranbrook, British Columbia and Winnipeg, Manitoba. These are the organization’s WHL alumni, including alumni from the Kootenay and Winnipeg ICE, making news in American pro hockey this week:
NHL
SAM REINHART, 2010-15 (62 GP, 33-31-64) – After going into the 4 Nations Face-Off with 600 career points, rose above that mark with two assists this past week for the Florida Panthers. His power play assist last Tuesday helped get the offense started in a 4-1 win at the Nashville Predators, and he assisted on the game-winner in the third period Thursday in a 4-3 win over the Edmonton Oilers.
BRAYDEN McNABB, 2006-11 (60 GP, 4-12-16) – Has only one point since the midseason break, with a goal last Monday in a 5-2 Vegas Golden Knights loss at the Los Angeles Kings, but reached the 800-game plateau with 21 shifts and 18:32 of ice time in Sunday’s 2-0 win against the New Jersey Devils.
AHL
CHASE WHEATCROFT, 2021-22 (48 GP, 7-16-23) – Notched a point in his only appearance of the weekend, with an assist to close out the Texas Stars’ 4-0 win Sunday against the Chicago Wolves.
CALE FLEURY, 2014-18 (34 GP, 6-15-21) – Posted his first three-assist game in his 323rd pro appearance Friday in the Coachella Valley Firebirds’ 6-5 win at the San Diego Gulls.
NOAH PHILP, 2015-17 (37 GP, 11-9-20) – Picked up an assist with 18 seconds left in the first period of the Bakersfield Condors’ 3-2 win last Wednesday at the San Jose Barracuda.
MICHAEL MILNE, 2018-22 (50 GP, 10-9-19) – Added two goals for the Iowa Wild, starting with a second-period goal last Wednesday in a 6-4 home win against the Chicago Wolves. He added another goal in Friday’s 5-4 overtime win at the Milwaukee Admirals, also in the second period.
JACK FINLEY, 2021-22 (26 GP, 9-9-18) – Scored in back-to-back games this past weekend in a pair of Empire State rivalries for the Syracuse Crunch. His second-period goal Saturday jump-started the offense in a 4-3 shootout victory at home against the Rochester Americans, and his goal and assist highlighted a 5-4 overtime loss at the Utica Comets the following day.
CARSON LAMBOS, 2021-22 (50 GP, 4-8-12) – Set up the game-winner Friday with the primary assist on Graeme Clarke’s overtime goal in a 5-4 Iowa Wild win at the Milwaukee Admirals.
CONOR GEEKIE, 2019-24 (10 GP, 1-3-4) – Notched an assist in a 4-3 Syracuse Crunch overtime win against the Rochester Americans.
BRETT DAVIS, 2016-19 (15 GP, 1-2-3) – Added the game-winner tag to his first AHL goal Friday in the third period of a 3-2 Calgary Wranglers win against the Abbotsford Canucks.
ECHL
BRILEY WOOD, 2022-24 (56 GP, 18-21-39) – Scored goals in both Utah Grizzlies games at the Tulsa Oilers this past weekend, as well as a goal Wednesday at the Kansas City Mavericks – his goal at Kansas City was one of the lone highlights in an 8-3 loss, while his goals against the Oilers both came on the power play in an 8-3 win Friday and a 3-2 loss Saturday.
ISAAC JOHNSON, 2019-20 (21 GP, 4-9-13) – Helped to turn the Tahoe Knight Monsters‘ game around Friday in a 3-2 win over the Allen Americans – his goal with 12:19 remaining erased a 2-1 Allen lead, before assisting on former Wild standout Slava Demin’s goal 2:30 into overtime for the win.
JON MARTIN, 2011-16 (37 GP, 1-9-10) – Posted a third-period assist in the Kalamazoo Wings’ 5-4 overtime win Friday against the Iowa Heartlanders.
GRAHAM SWARD, 2022-24 (28 GP, 1-6-7) – Registered his first point in a month, with an assist in the Norfolk Admirals’ 3-1 Saturday night win at the Trois-Rivieres Lions.
ELI LIEFFERS, 2015-18 (5 GP, 1-1-2) – Earned his first pro assist Friday for the Wheeling Nailers, helping out on an empty-netter with a second to go in a 3-1 win over the Adirondack Thunder.
GAGE ALEXANDER, 2017-18 & 2019-22 (4-1-0, 2.81) – Made 24 saves Saturday to lead the Reading Royals to a 5-3 win over the Maine Mariners.
Also on Wenatchee’s alumni list are the standouts from its Junior A era (2008-2023) – these players laid the foundation for the WHL’s future success in the Wenatchee Valley. These are Wenatchee’s Junior A alumni who are making news in American pro hockey this week:
KYLE MAYHEW, 2016-17 (54 GP, 9-39-48) – Excelled in a pair of Fort Wayne Komets home rivalries this past weekend, starting with an assist in Friday’s 7-2 win against the Indy Fuel. He racked up three first-period assists the following night in a 5-4 overtime win against the Kalamazoo Wings.
CHARLIE COMBS, 2015-17 (47 GP, 16-19-35) – Made four appearances in a busy week for the South Carolina Stingrays and picked up three points – his two assists included one on a Connor Moore game-winner last Wednesday in a 4-3 victory at the Florida Everblades. His goal Monday touched off the scoring in a 5-1 win at the Orlando Solar Bears.
BRENDAN HARRIS, 2013-17 (32 GP, 11-21-32) – Had three assists over two Jacksonville IceMen home games, with an assist Friday helping to get the scoring started Friday in a 5-4 overtime loss to the Savannah Ghost Pirates.He added a pair of helpers the following night in a 4-0 win against the Greenville Swamp Rabbits.
TROY LOGGINS, 2013-14 (45 GP, 17-10-27) – Opened the new month in style with a pair of assists in Saturday’s 2-1 Tahoe Knight Monsters win against the Allen Americans.
BLAKE CHRISTENSEN, 2015-16 (33 GP, 8-12-20) – Racked up four points over three games this past week for the Kalamazoo Wings, with a goal Friday to even things up with 5:35 left in a 5-4 shootout win at home against the Iowa Heartlanders. He scored another third-period goal the next night in a 5-4 overtime loss at the Fort Wayne Komets, before pitching in a pair of assists in Sunday’s 5-4 overtime win against the Komets.
STANISLAV DEMIN, 2016-18 (34 GP, 1-5-6) – Made his first goal of the season count, headlining the Tahoe Knight Monsters’ 3-2 overtime win against the Allen Americans with the game-winning goal 2:30 into overtime.
MICHAEL BULLION, 2014-15 (10-13-2, 3.51) – Made 19 saves Friday in the Worcester Railers’ 6-4 shootout loss to the Savannah Ghost Pirates.
