After four seasons living in Manitoba alternate Moose captain Cole Maier is taking his talents to Germany to play in the DEL with the Nurnberg Icetigers on a one-year deal. He was signed by the organization back in 2018-19 after he spent four seasons at Union College.
Photo Credit: Colby Spence (Illegal Curve)
Maier dealt with some injuries this season so he was limited to 52 games but he still produced 15 goals and 12 assist.
His biggest goal of the 2022-23 campaign came in game 2 of their five-game playoff series with the Admirals as he tied the game 2-2 with 52.2 seconds left to send it to OT. Manitoba would go on to win the game which gave them a series split to start the playoffs.
The NJ product embraced his time in Manitoba. On what he learned after being in the Keystone province:
“Feels so much like home. You do learn so much about it. For me I guess, being from the States, how big of a role hockey plays in Winnipeg. Seeing the Jets games close by and everything. How passionate the fan base is and how much they really do love hockey here.”
The 27 year old will have a chance to face his former teammate Leon Gawanke who also signed in the DEL with Adler Mannheim. In addition to Gawanke there are a bunch of former Thrashers/Jets draft picks or guys who played for the Moose currently playing in Germany and who are familiar names around these parts including:
Julian Melchiori
Zach Redmond
Spencer Machacek
Nolan Zajac
Ryan Olsen
JC Lipon
Skyler McKenzie
Hayden Shaw
Emile Poirier
