Greetings, Storm fans! The weather is getting warmer and the days longer. That means we're making our way into the season's home stretch.
Not only is the Clark Cup Playoff race in full swing; Division I conference postseasons are already or soon to get under way for many teams, and the Stanley Cup Playoff push is kicking into high gear.
In this Storm Alumni Spotlight, we'll update you on the progress of more Tri-City alums, including one who recently achieved his dream by debuting at hockey's highest level.
Carter Mazur, Detroit Red Wings/Grand Rapids Griffins (Storm years: 2018-2021)
The Jackson, Michigan native and Little Caesars AAA product made his NHL debut in a Detroit home game against Utah on March 6. It was an incredible night for Mazur, a childhood Red Wings fan whose hometown is approximately an hour from Detroit.
Unfortunately, Mazur's debut lasted two shifts after a first period upper body injury. Reports from Detroit media have indicated the right-shot forward is "going to miss some time." Mazur became the 37th Storm alum to appear in the NHL.
Prior to his call-up, Mazur saw twenty games of action with Detroit AHL affiliate Grand Rapids. The 2002-born player produced eight goals and seven assists for 15 points with the Griffins during 2024-2025. He put up 11 points in his last 11 games at the AHL level before joining Detroit.
Injuries have played a big role in Mazur's season. He also sat between October 19 and January 18 with an upper-body injury in Grand Rapids.
Mazur spent all of last year in the AHL, where he registered 17 goals, 20 assists, and 37 points in 60 games with the Griffins. An impressive spring 2023 six-game stint at Grand Rapids began Mazur's professional career – he notched three goals and three assists for six points in those first six pro contests.
A former assistant captain at the University of Denver, Mazur put together a notable two-year (2021-2022, 2022-2023) collegiate career. He recorded 75 points in 81 total games with the Pioneers and won a national championship during his freshman campaign in 2022. Mazur also turned heads at the 2021-2022 World Junior Championship, where he put up seven points in five appearances with Team USA.
Mazur joined the Storm during 2018-2019, appearing in one game. He spent the next two full seasons in Kearney, putting up 26 goals and 31 assists for 57 total points across 98 regular season contests. Forty-four of those points came during 2020-2021, his final year with the Storm. Mazur additionally contributed two points in three 2021 playoff games against Fargo.
Drafted by Detroit after that final Storm season in 2021, Mazur was a third round selection at number 70 overall.
Cole McWard, Abbotsford Canucks (Storm years: 2017-2021)
Another key member of the 2020-2021 Tri-City squad, McWard debuted in the NHL with Vancouver on April 6, 2023, one day after signing with the Canucks as a free agent. He scored his first career NHL goal two days later in a home matchup against Calgary. McWard has appeared in six total NHL games, the last being on November 28, 2023 against Anaheim.
McWard has spent all of this season at Vancouver's AHL club in Abbotsford, where he's produced five goals and 16 assists for 21 points in 52 games. The 2001-born player notched 17 points in 57 appearances with that team last season.
The right-shot player signed with Vancouver soon after finishing his sophomore year (2022-2023) at Ohio State, when McWard helped his team to an NCAA Regional Final appearance. He was one of the top Buckeye defenseman scorers that year, logging 21 points across 39 contests. In his first campaign at Ohio State, McWard produced 16 points in 36 games.
McWard enjoyed a noteworthy Storm career. He appeared in four different seasons and 149 career matchups. The St. Louis, MO area native put up 23 goals, 34 assists, and 57 points while wearing a Tri-City uniform. He also registered 101 career penalty minutes. McWard's best statistical year in Kearney was 2020-2021, when he produced 14 goals and 19 assists for 33 points in 52 contests.
Benji Eckerle, Arizona State Sun Devils (Storm years: 2018-2020)
In a 101-game Tri-City career that spanned two seasons, Eckerle put up 20 goals and 31 assists for 51 points with a +21 rating. The left-shot forward also contributed two goals in six 2019 Storm playoff games. The Northville, Michigan native advanced to Arizona State after that final 2019-2020 season in Kearney.
Now in his fifth year with the Sun Devils, Eckerle is competing as a graduate student while working on a Masters of Legal Studies degree. The 1999-born player finished his bachelor's degree in psychology last May. Eckerle was the only member of ASU's hockey team to be enrolled at the University's Honors College during the 2023-2024 school year.
Currently an assistant captain, Eckerle helped lead his team to the number two seed in this year's National Collegiate Hockey Conference (NCHC) playoffs. The Sun Devils are set to host Minnesota Duluth in a best-of-three NCHC first-round series the weekend of March 14-16. With an overall record of 19-13-2, Arizona State placed 12th nationally in the March 10 USCHO.com Division I Men's Poll.
Eckerle has appeared in 24 games this season, logging three goals, four assists, and seven points. It's his first year wearing a letter as assistant captain.
Last season was Eckerle's best statistically in college. He put up five goals and 15 assists for 20 points, which ranked top-five on the team.
Nico Sturm, Florida Panthers (Storm years: 2015-2016)
Florida sent shockwaves around the sports world after acquiring forward Brad Marchand from Boston during the March 7 trade deadline. Although the Marchand move grasped a ton of oxygen, and deservedly so, the Panthers quietly made a flurry of additional transactions to boost their roster in hopes of another long playoff run. Sturm was involved in one of those; he joined Florida in a March 6 trade with San Jose.
After producing seven goals and six assists for 13 points across 47 games to begin the year with the Sharks, Sturm and a 2027 seventh-round draft pick were acquired by Florida on March 6 in exchange for a 2026 fourth-round pick. Sturm debuted with the Panthers in a March 8 home game against Buffalo, logging 11:23 of ice time and three shots.
The 2024-2025 season is Sturm's seventh with time in the NHL. Florida is his fourth team; the Augsburg, Germany native has also seen action with San Jose, Colorado, and Minnesota. He won the 2022 Stanley Cup as a member of the Avalanche.
A notable member of Tri-City's 2016 Clark Cup Championship squad, Sturm contributed 14 goals and 25 assists for 39 points in 57 regular season games that year. Those 39 points tied for seventh-best on the team. Sturm also put up six points in five playoff appearances during 2016.
Following his time in Kearney, Sturm competed in three seasons at Clarkson University (2016-2017, 2017-2018, 2018-2019). He served as captain his junior year. Sturm notched 103 career points in 118 games with the Golden Knights, while producing a +47 rating. After that third collegiate season, he signed with Minnesota as an undrafted free agent. Sturm made his NHL debut in a Wild uniform on April 4, 2019.
Ryan Smith, Quinnipiac Bobcats (Storm years: 2022-2024)
The 2005-born player was a key contributor to last season's Storm offense. In 60 regular season games with Tri-City, Smith recorded a team second-best 24 goals and 14 assists for 38 points. He also led last year's squad with a +14 rating. In 32 Storm appearances during 2022-2023, Smith put up five goals and six assists for 11 points.
The Pendleton, New York native joined Tri-City after multiple seasons with the Buffalo Jr. Sabres AAA program.
Currently in his freshman season at Quinnipiac, Smith has put up two goals and two assists across 31 games. His first career collegiate goal came on January 11 in a home matchup with Princeton. Smith also scored in a January 25 home game against Yale.
A perennial national contender over the past several seasons, Quinnipiac will again look to make a run this year. The Bobcats, who won the 2023 National Championship, finished atop this year's ECAC men's standings with a 16-5-1 conference record. With an overall mark of 22-10-2, Quinnipiac placed 13th nationally in the March 10 USCHO.com Division I Men's Poll.
Smith and the Bobcats will take on Brown in a best-of-three ECAC quarterfinal series March 14-16.
---
Come see this year's Storm team battle Cedar Rapids on Friday night (March 14) at Viaero Center. Puckdrop is scheduled for 7:05 pm CT.
March 14 is Tri-City's annual Concrete Cares/Paint the Ice Game presented by Kearney Concrete. The Storm will wear special jerseys to honor children and families battling cancer. Those jerseys will be auctioned off live on the ice after the game with proceeds benefiting Concrete Cares' mission to improve the well-being of individuals who have been impacted by a cancer diagnosis.
As part of the promotional night, the Storm welcome all those who have been affected by cancer, whether themselves or others, to paint the Viaero Center ice on Thursday, March 13 from 6-8 pm CT. Participants can write a loved one's name or inspiring message.
To purchase tickets, visit stormhockey.com, call the Storm at 308-338-8144, or stop by the Viaero Center box office in-person.
