Bradly Nadeau, who signed a three-year entry level contract with the National Hockey League’s Carolina Hurricanes last Sunday after an outstanding freshman season at the University of Maine, said his desire to play at a higher level led him to his decision to leave college after only one year.
Nadeau, a first-round draft pick of Carolina and the 30th overall pick last summer, said the Hurricanes let him decide his future.
“They called me after the season and said it was up to me to make the decision (whether to stay or leave),” Nadeau said during a virtual press conference after a Hurricanes practice in the Invisalign Arena in Morrisville, NC on Thursday.
“It is better for me and my improvement as a player to be around better players and practicing with them,” said Nadeau, who played left wing at UMaine and has been practicing with the Hurricanes this week.
He said it was a “tough decision” to leave UMaine and his older brother Josh, who was his linemate and was the team’s second-leading scorer behind him by just one point.
The 5-foot-10, 172-pound Nadeau, chosen to the All-Hockey East second team and rookie team and an All-New England selection as well, tallied 19 goals and 27 assists in 37 games while brother Josh had 18 goals and 27 assists. Josh was a third team All-Hockey East pick.
Bradly Nadeau said the UMaine team that reached the Hockey East semifinals and the NCAA Tournament for the first time since the 2011-12 season was like a “family.”
But he added that you have to “move on” and do what’s best for your career to reach the ultimate goal which is to play in the NHL.
“I’m happy I got to play one year with them,” said Nadeau, who will turn 19 on May 5. “The success we had as a team helped me perform on the ice. The further you go (in the playoffs) , you face better teams and playing against good players really helped me get to where I am today.”
The Hurricanes have been stockpiling point-producing forwards this season.
They obtained seven-time 20-goal scorer Jake Guentzel in a trade with Pittsburgh and signed free agent Evgeny Kuznetsov, a four-time 20-goal scorer who had 32 points in the 2017-18 playoffs for the Stanley Cup-winning Washington Capitals.
They have also signed second round draft pick Gleb Trikozov from Russia and the University of North Dakota’s Jackson Blake, a fourth round draft choice who is one of three finalists for the Hobey Baker…
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