Miami University (OH) RedHawks head coach Anthony Noreen continues to build an impressive recruiting class for the 2025-2026 season, recently securing a top USHL goaltender. Russian netminder Shikhabutdin Gadzhiev announced his commitment to the RedHawks on Thursday, making him the only goalie currently committed in the recruiting pipeline. After initially committing to the Michigan Tech Huskies of the CCHA, he decommitted earlier this month to join the NCHC instead.
Currently, Gadzhiev is putting up great numbers with the Muskegon Lumberjacks in the USHL. At 20 years old, he boasts a 2.58 GAA and an impressive .914 save percentage over 23 games this season. His save percentage currently ranks as the best in the entire USHL, while his goals-against average places him fourth. The Lumberjacks signed Gadzhiev during the 2023-24 season, where he played 38 games in his first USHL season, putting up an 18-10-0 record through the regular season and a 3-4-1 record in the playoffs.
Hailing from Makhachkala, Russia, 6″2/174lbs Gadzhiev developed as a young goaltender playing youth hockey in Slovakia, where he eventually made a name for himself in the Slovakia U16 league. In the 2022-2023 season, he earned accolades for the best GAA (1.40) and save percentage (0.951) in the Slovakia U20 league, alongside winning the Slovakia U20 Championship. With his wealth of experience, I am hopeful that Gadzhiev can become a reliable goaltender for the RedHawks in the future, especially given the team’s challenges in net this season.
In addition to Gadzhiev, Lumberjack forward David Deputy will also be joining Miami for the 2025-2026 season. Deputy has recorded 42 points in 43 games played this season between Omaha and Muskegon, consistently playing as the first-line RW and on the top power play unit.
With the current state of the program, major kudos should go to first-year head coach Anthony Noreen for revitalizing the RedHawks’ recruiting pipeline since taking the job in April 2024. The 2025-2026 class is shaping up to be quite promising, featuring standout players like (F) Kocha Delic (Sudbury Wolves), (F) Artemi Nizameyev (Tri-City Storm), and (D) Ryder Thompson (Portland Winterhawks). With the addition of an exciting young goaltender like Gadzhiev, the future certainly looks bright for Miami hockey, bringing the potential for competitive play back to Oxford even by next season.
ITR 26: 2 Nations Fighting – Inside The Rink
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