We understand that most of you come here for football, but Notre Dame has a devoted fan base for its hockey program. A lot of NHL players have come through the program, and many of them even have found great success at hockey’s highest level. And it’s unlikely any of them forget that they once donned the Gold and Blue.
For the 2023-24 NHL season, there are seven former Irish on rosters at the start. That’s three fewer than the start of each of the past two seasons. But be on the lookout for the 24 players with Notre Dame connections currently in the AHL or even the four in the ECHL. For now, here’s who you can watch in NHL uniforms:
This is the third straight season in which Cole has begun the season with a new team, and this is his eighth NHL stop. The 78 games he played with the Tampa Bay Lightning in 2022-23 were his most in a season since he appeared in 81 games in 2016-17. He recorded 17 points and 61 penalty minutes.
Evans is entering his fourth full season with the Habs and his fifth season overall. He took a step back in 2022-23 as his 19 points were 10 fewer than the previous season. Of those 19 points, only two came from goals.
Gilbert split last season between the Flames and their AHL affiliate. He has played parts of four seasons in the NHL but has yet to last a full season at that level. He has seven points in 48 career NHL games.
Lee is entering his 12th season with the Islanders and his sixth as their captain. In 2022-23, he played in all 82 regular-season games for the first time in four years. It was also his first time since then in which he reached the 50-point mark.
Palmieri is in his fourth season with the Islanders and third full season with them. He tied for the team lead with five points in the Islanders’ lone playoff series. The regular season saw him match his previous season points total of 33.
Peeke has missed only two games over the past two seasons with the Blue Jackets. Now in his fifth season with the team, he has accumulated 34 points in 195 games. He has yet to appear in the playoffs in his career.
This is the 10th season in which Rust has appeared on the Penguins’ roster. He played 81 games in 2022-23, the most of his career. He surpassed the 40-point mark for the fourth straight season.
Story originally appeared on Fighting Irish Wire
