The Jacksonville Icemen have announced that they have signed rookie forwards Josh Nodler and Michael Gildon for the 2024-25 season.
Josh Nodler recently concluded his senior season at Bowling Green State University. Throughout his collegiate career, he showcased his skills on the ice, contributing a total of 15 points (5 goals, 10 assists) in 36 games at Bowling Green and was tied in point production with the third-ranking player on the team. Before his time at Bowling Green, Nodler played a season at the University of Massachusetts (UMass), where he recorded five points in 27 games during his junior year.
Prior to UMass, Nodler spent three seasons at Michigan State University from 2019 to 2022, accumulating a total of 34 points (13 goals, 21 assists) as a forward for the Spartans. Originally hailing from Oak Park, Michigan, Nodler was drafted by the Calgary Flames in the fifth round of the 2019 NHL Entry Draft. Throughout his collegiate years, Nodler played a total of 162 games, scoring 20 goals and providing 34 assists, accumulating a total of 54 points.
Michael Gildon just finished his college career at Ohio State University. During his time with the Buckeyes from 2019 to 2024, Gildon accumulated 38 points (12 goals, 26 assists) in 118 games. After graduating, he made his professional debut with the Worcester Railers (ECHL) last spring, playing in three games. Originally from Plano, Texas, Gildon was part of the U.S. Hockey National Development Program for two seasons. In the 2017-18 season, he achieved 35 points (12 goals, 20 assists) in 61 games with the U17 team, leading them to a gold medal. Subsequently, he contributed 45 points (18 goals, 27 assists) to the U18 team in 2018-19, resulting in a bronze medal for his team.
The Icemen will kick off the 2024-25 season by facing the Florida Everblades on Saturday, October 19th.
