Bradly Nadeau became the fourth University of Maine player in its hockey history to be selected in the first round of the National Hockey League draft when the Carolina Hurricanes chose him with the 30th overall pick.
The 5-foot-10, 161-pound center from St. Francois-de-Madawaska, New Brunswick, joined winger Paul Kariya (4th overall, Anaheim, 1993), defenseman Shawn Anderson (5th, Buffalo, 1986) and winger Barrett Heisten (20th, Buffalo, 1999) as a first-round pick.
Nadeau led the Penticton Vees to their second straight Fred Page Cup championship awarded to the British Columbia Junior Hockey League playoff winner.
He led the league in scoring with 113 points on 45 goals and 68 assists in 54 games and added 35 points in 17 playoff game courtesy of 17 goals and 18 assists.
Nadeau was chosen the Most Valuable Player for the regular season and the playoffs.
Logan Horn, the director of prospect coverage for thehockeywriters.com, a website devoted to coverage of the National Hockey League, called Nadeau the “best Junior A player in Canada” and felt he was worthy of a first round selection.
Junior A players are amateurs who don’t get paid while Major Junior players are considered professionals in the eyes of the NCAA because they receive financial stipends. That makes them ineligible to play college hockey in the United States.
In his mock draft, Horn had Nadeau being selected by the 2021-22 Stanley Cup champion Colorado Avalanche with the 27th pick.
Horn wrote that Nadeau’s game is “pretty well-rounded.”
“But his speed and shot clearly stand out. His wrist shot and one-timer are both NHL-caliber and are good enough that I am comfortable saying he is one of the five best shooters in the draft and I don’t think he’s number five,” he wrote.
“Nadeau is a threat on the rush no matter what part he’s playing because his speed, shot and hands make him a dangerous on-puck presence. But he is also a slippery skater and has a knack for finding open space with his smart off-puck routes,” he added. “His skating skill is most clear in his acceleration and top-speed which allow him to take advantage of his opponents in ways that most players aren’t quick enough to do.”
Nadeau and his brother and Penticton linemate Josh are expected to give the Black Bears a significant boost offensively.
UMaine was 44th among 61 Division I teams in scoring with an average of 2.56 goals per game. The Black Bears were also 34th on the power play at 18.9 percent.
