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NAHL Maryland Black Bears

Looking Ahead at the 2024-2025 Season

September 9, 2024 - North American Hockey League (NAHL)
Maryland Black Bears News Release


The Maryland Black Bears concluded exhibition play Saturday night, falling to the Philadelphia Rebels 6-3. Over the next five days, the Maryland coaching staff will construct its final roster ahead of its opening game on Friday, September 13th, as the Maryland Black Bears host the Maine Nordiques at Piney Orchard Ice Arena in an East Division Final rematch. But with a new season starting, what can fans expect?

The Black Bears saw a number of key players depart this offseason. Captain Dimitry Kebreau, forward Jesse Horacek, forward Jérémi Tremblay, defenseman Trayce Johnson, goaltender Owen Lepak, goaltender Colin Ronan, and more will not be rejoining the team. However, Maryland was fortunate enough to have eight players returning from last year's team who suited up for at least one game for the Black Bears.

Kareem El-Bashir and Luke Janus are two veteran forwards who will be returning to the team. El-Bashir was fourth in the team in points last season with 37. He played a crucial role in Maryland's 6-2 game five win over the Maine Nordiques in the 2024 East Division Final that sent Maryland to Blaine, Minnesota, by scoring two goals, including the game-winner. Luke Janus recorded 30 points and stepped his play up in the postseason, recording 11 points in 11 playoff games.

Forwards Luke Rubin and Ben Tauscher also will rejoin the team. Rubin recorded 12 points in 32 games and provided reliable speed and scoring depth for the team. Tauscher recorded 12 points in 44 games and provided grit to the team, not shying away from getting to the dirty areas and throwing the body around. A player who will be returning eyeing a bigger role will be forward David Utkin. Utkin only suited up for 14 games after joining the team late in the season but made them count, recording 10 points, including seven points in his first three games.

The Black Bears have two defensemen returning from last year, Dylan Gordon and Sebastian Brockman. Gordon was the highest-scoring defenseman on the 2023-2024 team, recording 27 points in 47 games. He stepped his game up big time in Blaine for Maryland's semi-final series against the Central Division Champion Minot Minotauros and in the championship game against the Lone Star Brahmas, recording four points in three games. Brockman recorded nine points in 42 games and is known for his physical style of play and open ice hits.

For Maryland to be successful again, they will need help from playmaking defenseman. The Black Bears saw a few defensemen (Trayce Johnson, Luke Amell) depart the team who recorded over 20 points. But there are early signs this could happen again. Despite a 6-3 loss in its second preseason game to Philadelphia, defensemen on the team stepped it up to make impressive plays. Defenseman Aiden Lawson recorded an assist on the opening for the Black Bears scored by Kareem El-Bashir by lifting the puck over two Rebels' defensemen onto the stick of El-Bashir for a breakaway. Nathan Nadeau also showed good instinct in the dying moments of the game. Seeing a flustered Philadelphia goalie not sure where the puck was. Nadeau fired the puck through a screen into the back of the net for a goal that cut the deficit to 6-3.

New players on offense will have to step up with the team's three top point scorers (Kebreau, Horacek, Tremblay) moving on to the next phase of their careers. Kieran Litterick made an impression in Maryland's 3-1 preseason loss to the Rebels on Friday by scoring on a wrist shot from the far circle, utilizing the time and space he was given. Trey Hinton showed good scoring instincts in the second preseason game for the Black Bears, tipping home a power play goal while crashing the net. This will also be a chance for Utkin and Fast to establish themselves as key role players for the Black Bears as they look for larger roles with the team.

After losing both goaltenders in Ronan and Lepak, goaltending will be an important position to watch for the Black Bears. All four goaltenders Maryland played put up solid performances, with Logan Hughes, Ethan Ramonetti, Benji Motew, and Ryan Denes all recording at least eight saves in the half-game they were given and made flashy saves in the process. Two of these four will have to step up and become a solid duo like Ronan and Lepak had done.

The Black Bears will raise its 2023-24 East Division Champions banner at the home opener on Friday, September 13th, against the team they clinched it against in the Maine Nordiques. Puck drop will be at 7:00 p.m. ET at Piney Orchard Ice Arena. All games can be streamed on NAHLTV.

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