Charlotte Checkers all the boxes for Gaber

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This article was published 05/04/2024 (908 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

Only days after the final game of his college hockey career Riese Gaber is looking ahead to establishing himself in the pro ranks.

The University of North Dakota captain is expected to sign his first pro contact Friday morning, a two-year American Hockey League pact with the Charlotte Checkers.

The Checkers are the top farm team of the NHL’s Florida Panthers.

“It was pretty quick,” said the 24-year-old Gilbert Plains product by phone from Charlotte, N.C., Thursday. “As soon as our season ended, I was on the phone with my advisor and we were figuring out what was the best place for me to go. Ultimately, I had a lot of familiarity being at Florida’s (development) camp last year.

“I knew the coaching staff here in Charlotte and some of the players and I think it’s important to go to a place that you feel wanted, and I think they really did a good job of expressing their interest.”

Gaber, who was never drafted, was not concerned about being unable to secure an NHL contract as a high-profile free agent right out of the college ranks.

“Obviously, age is a significant factor as guys get older because teams are gonna be looking to dish out NHL contracts to younger guys, unless they believe they’re really worth it,” said Gaber. “But I’m happy with what I got.”

Gaber sustained an upper-body injury in UND’s 4-3 loss to Michigan in an NCAA regional semifinal on March 29 and is currently undergoing medical testing to determine whether he can be cleared for active duty.

“I knew the coaching staff here in Charlotte and some of the players and I think it’s important to go to a place that you feel wanted, and I think they really did a good job of expressing their interest.”–Riese Gaber

The Checkers are third in the Atlantic Division and likely to qualify for the post-season.

Gaber is leaving behind a storied legacy in Grand Forks.

Since joining the Fighting Hawks in 2020, 5-8, 170-pound right-winger has scored 64 goals and 129 points in 142 games.

Gaber had 18 goals and 34 points in 40 games during his fourth and final season but was eligible to return for a fifth season, if he had chosen to, since his career began during the COVID-19 pandemic.

“It was in my head that (returning) was an option but at the end of the day, I was comfortable with with my career at UND and I figured it was time to move on and especially after deciding to eventually come back for my fourth year,” said Gaber. “I kind of said this would be my last one and I was ready to turn pro.”

Awards season: The WHL player-of-the-year nominees were unveiled Thursday and Strathclair’s Conor Geekie is in the running for the top prize after being named the best player in the Central Division.

The 6-4, 197-pound centre led the Swift Current Broncos to a division title and a playoff berth for the first time since the team’s WHL Championship run in 2018.

Geekie’s plus-51 rating was first in the WHL and his 1.80 points per game output was fourth, which helped to earn him a spot on the Central Division first all-star team. Geekie scored 43 goals, including 20 with the Wenatchee Wild before a mid-season trade, and 99 points in 55 regular-season games.

Geekie will competing with forward Zac Funk of Prince George Cougars (B.C. Division); forward Jagger Firkus of the Moose Jaw Warriors (East Division); and forward Berkly Catton of the Spokane Chiefs.

Meanwhile, two Manitobans are up for the league’s defenceman-of-the-year honours.

Winnipegger Hudson Thornton of the Prince George Cougars (B.C. Division) and Dominion City’s Denton Mateychuk of the Moose Jaw Warriors (East Division) are up against Carter Yakemchuk of Calgary Hitmen (Central Division) and Graham Sward of Wenatchee (U.S. Division).

The 20-year-old Thornton scored 18 goals, including six on the power play, one shorthanded and three game-winners, and also added 56 assists in 2023-24.

Mateychuk, an 19-year-old first-round pick of the NHL’s Columbus Blue Jackets, piled up 17 goals and 58 assists for 75 points in 52 games.

Ste. Anne’s Raygan Kirk, the recently crowned MVP of the NCAA Women’s Frozen Four championship, received another accolade Thursday.

The 23-year-old Ohio State goaltender, who backstopped the Buckeyes to their second national title in three years last month, was named to the all-U.S. College Hockey Online’s second all-American team.

mike.sawatzky@freepress.mb.ca