Former University of Maine All-Hockey East second team selection Bradly Nadeau is making a push to try to earn a Carolina Hurricanes roster spot during the current preseason.
Nadeau is leading the Hurricanes in goals with three, in points with four and in shots on goal with 14 through the Hurricanes’ first four preseason games.
The former first round draft pick of the Hurricanes (30th overall) scored a pair of goals in Sunday’s 4-2 win over the Nashville Predators.
He one-timed a cross-ice pass from Jackson Blake into a half-empty net on the power play. And then he roofed a quick wrist shot into the upper far corner from the right faceoff circle off a Logan Stankoven pass from behind the net.
Last season, during his first pro campaign in the minor leagues, the Saint-Francois-de-Madawaska, New Brunswick, native became just the sixth American Hockey League player since 1940 to score 30 goals before the age of 20 and only the third since 1950.
The Chicago Wolves winger led all AHL rookies in goals with 32 in 64 games and he was second in points with 58.
He was chosen to the All-Rookie team.
His 32 goals were fifth-most among all players in the AHL and his 58 points were 17th most.
He also appeared in two NHL games for the Hurricanes and picked up his first NHL point, an assist.
The 20-year-old Nadeau spent one season at UMaine (2023-24) and he and his older brother, Josh, helped lead the Black Bears to the NCAA Tournament for the first time since the 2011-12 season.
Bradly Nadeau led the team in scoring with 46 points on 19 goals and 27 assists. His 46 points were the most by a UMaine player since the 2011-12 campaign and it marked the first time a rookie scored more than 40 points for the Black Bears since the 2006-07 season.
On Cardiac Cane, a news and opinion website dedicated to covering the Hurricanes, Ben Huffman wrote that Nadeau was the team’s “first star of the night” against Nashville.
“He continues to make a push for a roster spot despite it seeming like things were pretty locked up,” Huffman said.
The Hurricanes have two preseason games left. They play the Florida Panthers on Monday night and will travel to Nashville for a 4 p.m. game Saturday.
“He scored in different ways, showcasing his one-timer on the power play and his nasty wrister in the slot,” Huffman added about Nadeau.
Nadeau’s scoring wasn’t the only part of his game that caught Huffman’s attention. The Hurricanes expert also credited Nadeau for improved decision-making and effort on defense.
Carolina opens the regular season against New Jersey at 7 p.m. on Oct. 9.
“While I still think he’s very likely to start the season in Chicago, Nadeau is making it hard for the coaches to cut him,” Huffman said.
