APRIL 14 • 2022 | 41

SPORTS

S

ometimes dreams don’t come true.
Josh Nodler, who made a verbal 
commitment to play hockey for 
Michigan State University 
when he was a sophomore at 
Berkley High School, is leaving 
Michigan State after three 
seasons.
Nodler, an assistant team 
captain this season, entered 
the NCAA
’s transfer portal 
early this month. The 5-foot-
10, 195-pound junior forward 
from Oak Park has two years of collegiate 
eligibility remaining.
It didn’t take long for Nodler to generate 
interest from other college hockey programs 
after he made his decision to leave Michigan 
State.
He said he heard from a couple of 
Division I schools a few days after he 
entered the portal.
“I’m disappointed things didn’t work out 
at MSU because I’ve been an MSU hockey 
fan my whole life, but I have to do what’s 
best for my career,
” he said.

“I thought about going into the portal 
after this season a little bit during the 
season, but my main focus was on helping 
our team. After the season was 
over, I gave the portal a lot of 
thought.
“It was a tough decision to leave 
MSU, and it’s tough to pinpoint a 
specific reason for the decision, but 
hopefully a new place, a change 
of pace will help advance my 
development to the next level.
”
The next level is the pros. 
Nodler was selected by the Calgary 
Flames in the fifth round (150th overall) of 
the 2019 NHL draft after an outstanding 
season with the Fargo Force of the United 
States Hockey League, the top junior league 
sanctioned by USA Hockey. Nodler had 42 
points in 54 games with the Force.
Next season will be Nodler’s last as a 
Flames draftee.
“If the Flames don’t sign me, I’ll 
essentially be a free agent,
” he said.
The ticking clock on his time in the 
Flames organization is one reason why 

Nodler decided to leave Michigan State. He 
needs to make a splash next season.
Nodler, named Michigan State’s Rookie 
of the Year as a freshman, had 34 points 
in 99 games for the Spartans over three 
seasons.
He played in every Michigan State game 
during his time with the Spartans and 
didn’t hurt his team with penalties. He was 
whistled just three times for six minutes.
Nodler was on a roll at the start of this 
season with 11 points in Michigan State’s 
first 13 games. But then he slumped, with 
just one point from Nov. 19 through Feb. 25.
He finished the season with seven goals 
and eight assists for 15 points in 36 games 
in his most productive year as a Spartan.
He had three goals and five assists in 36 
games as a freshman and three goals and 
eight assists in 27 games as a sophomore.
While those aren’t eye-catching scoring 
numbers, Nodler was one of the Michigan 
State’s best centers each season and an 
excellent faceoff man.
Michigan State didn’t exactly set the 
world on fire in the standings during 
Nodler’s time there.
The Spartans were a combined 34-60-
5 in those three years including 12-23-1 
this season, a year in which MSU lost 
all six games it played against arch-rival 
Michigan.
A computer science major, Nodler has 
been a star in the classroom at Michigan 
State, earning winter Big Ten Academic 
All-Conference honors three times. He 
had a perfect 4.0 grade-point average as a 
freshman.
Nodler won the team’s Amo Bessone 
Award as a sophomore. The award is for 
athletic and academic achievement along 
with community involvement.
As Nodler contemplates the next stop 
on his hockey journey a few days before 
his 21st birthday (April 27), he’s looking 
back on what he calls “a positive college 
experience” during his time at Michigan 
State.
“I had a ton of fun and made a lot of 
good memories with my teammates,
” he 
said. “The academics and social life have 
been great.
” 

Send sports news to stevestein502004@yahoo.com.

MICHIGAN STATE UNIVERSITY

Calgary Flames draftee Josh Nodler of Oak Park 
leaves the Michigan State hockey team after 
three seasons.

So Long, Spartans

STEVE STEIN CONTRIBUTING WRITER

MICHIGAN STATE UNIVERSITY

Josh 
Nodler

Josh Nodler was strong in the faceoff circle during his three seasons on the Michigan State 
hockey team. He was 310-263 on faceoffs this season.

