Former University of Maine hockey All-American Gustav Nyquist will turn 35 on September 1st.
But like fine wine, he gets better with age.
Nyquist signed a two-year, $6.37 million free agent contract with the National Hockey League's Nashville Predators last summer and is looking forward to the best season of his 13-year NHL career heading into the Stanley Cup Playoffs, which begin this weekend. Spent.
A two-time finalist for the Hobey Baker Award, given to the nation's best college player, Nyquist played in 81 of Nashville's 82 regular season games, scoring 23 goals and 52 assists for 75 points. He is the Predators' third leading scorer.
The 2021 Maine Sports Hall of Fame inductee's best last season was 54 points (27 goals, 27 assists) in 2014-15 with Detroit.
He joins Nashville's leading scorer and fellow Swede Filip Forsberg (48 goals, 46 assists, 94 points in 82 games) and fourth-leading point getter Ryan O'Reilly (26-43-69 in 82 games). They are lined up.
In addition to Nyquist, four other former Black Bears are playing on teams competing in the Stanley Cup Playoffs: Florida winger Ryan Romberg, Las Vegas defenseman Ben Hutton and Boston goaltender Jeremy Sway. Mann, Carolina winger Bradley Nadeau.
Along with the players, 1998 Maine Sports Hall of Fame inductee, former Black Bear All-American and Hobey Baker Award finalist Jim Montgomery returns to lead the Boston Bruins in his second year as head coach. It will lead them to the playoffs.
Montgomery, 54, won the Jack Adams Award as Coach of the Year last season when the Bruins set regular season records for points (135) and wins (65) and led the Bruins to second place in the Atlantic Conference. led to. The division has a record of 47 wins, 20 losses, and 15 draws this season.
The Bruins begin a best-of-seven playoff series at home against Toronto on Saturday at 8 p.m.
The 25-year-old Swayman, who won the Mike Richter Award as the nation's best goalie during his 2019-20 season with Maine, once again shared goaltending duties with Linus Ullmark.
Swayman has a 25-10-8 record this season with a 2.53 goals-against average and .916 save percentage. He has three shutouts.
He has now played in 132 career games, posting a 79-33-15 record, 2.34 GAA, .919 save percentage, and 12 shutouts.
Hatton, who turns 31 on Saturday, had two goals and eight assists in 40 games heading into Thursday's regular-season finale against Anaheim.
He has played in 508 NHL games and has 24 goals and 98 assists.
Romberg, 29, has five goals and two assists in 75 games for the Atlantic Division champion Panthers, who open a best-of-seven series against visiting in-state rival Tampa Bay on Sunday at 12:30 p.m. do. .
Romberg has played in 257 games in the NHL, recording 28 goals and 22 assists.
Nadeau, 18, was a first-round draft pick (30th overall) out of Carolina last summer and spent his freshman season on the All-Hockey East second team at the University of Maine, scoring 19 goals and leading the team with 46 points. I signed the contract earlier this month. 27 assists.
He made his NHL debut in the Hurricanes' final regular-season game on Tuesday, a 6-3 loss to Columbus.
The Hurricanes will begin a best-of-seven playoff series when they host the New York Islanders on Saturday at 5 p.m.
Nashville and Vegas, as well as other Western Conference teams, will learn their playoff opponents after Thursday's games.
