Currently, in the fight for a playoff spot, the Wheeling Nailers have signed 5’9 forward Mason Salquist, who recently finished his season at St. Cloud State University.
Mason Salquist had an unusual start to his career, being cut from the Fargo Force in the USHL three times, but he never gave up. Salquist then started his junior career in the NAHL with the Janesville Jets. In 24 games with them he had two goals and ten assists for 12 points with eight penalty minutes.
Salquist then went on the play almost three seasons in the USHL with the Fargo Force. In 92 games, he had 25 goals and 26 assists for 51 points with 36 penalty minutes and a plus/minus of +6. He also got to play in nine playoff games, where he registered one goal and two assists with a +3. Salquist was an assistant captain in his final season with the Force.
After completing his junior career, Salquist joined the Huskies at St. Cloud State University, where he spent all four of his collegiate seasons. In 145 games with the Huskies, Salquist had 16 goals and 24 assists for 40 points with 57 penalty minutes and a +1. Salquist finished his career as a Husky with three multi-point games, along with two powerplay goals, one shorthanded goal, one empty netter, four game-winning goals, and one game-tying goal. He had 71 shots, blocks, and 200 shots in four games where he had five or more shots. Salquist also found a lot of success in the faceoff dot, with the Huskies winning 1187 faceoffs and losing 909. This season with the Huskies, Salquist went 367-275 in the faceoff dot, helping lead the Huskies to one of the top 20 faceoff win percentages in NCAA Division I hockey.
During his time at St. Cloud, Salquist was named the NCHC Rookie of the Week in the 2021-22 season and also won the NCHC Frozen Faceoff Championship with the Huskies in the 2022-23 season. Salquist was an assistant captain for the Huskies in the 2024-25 season.
Salquist joined former St. Cloud teammate Jaxon Castor in Wheeling and has now played in two games with the Nailers. Salquist has played in two games with the Nailers now where he has one assists and a +1. He has changed positions with the Nailers having played left wing on the fourth line in his first game and left wing on the second line in his second game.
Salquist and the Nailers will be back in action at home against the Cincinnati Cyclones. Their series will start on Friday, March 28, and will continue on Saturday, March 29, for Black and Gold night before wrapping up on Sunday, March 30. Puck drop will be at 7:10 pm ET on Friday and Saturday and 4:10 pm ET on Sunday.
ITR 39: Conference Finals – Inside The Rink
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