Ohio State men’s ice hockey’s fifth-year defenseman Scooter Brickey looks for a pass against a Wisconsin defender in Friday’s contest at Value City Arena at the Schottenstein Center. The Buckeyes won 3-2 in overtime. Credit: Lantern Photographers
Several players from the 2023-24 Ohio State men’s ice hockey team have signed professional contracts since its season has come to a close.
The Buckeyes’ season ended in the semifinals of the Big Ten tournament March 16. Since then, there have been seven players who have committed their futures to the next level, including three who have signed for NHL teams.
The group includes five of the eight seniors who were honored on senior night March 2. Head coach Steve Rohlik said those seniors have been important to this program and have helped bring it up.
“All these guys meant a great deal to this program,” Rohlik said. “I talk a lot about putting a brick in the wall, and these guys have certainly done that.”
Michael Gildon was the first to announce his new team as the former Buckeye forward spent five years at Ohio State, where he accumulated 12 goals and 38 points in 118 games played. He signed for the Worcester Railers of the ECHL and has since played in 3 games.
“I love all the guys that I have played with for the past five years,” Gildon said.
After Gildon, former Buckeye captain and defenseman Scooter Brickey signed for the Pittsburgh Penguins of the NHL. During Brickey’s time at Ohio State, he scored 16 goals, including a 13-goal campaign in 2023-2024 that led the Big Ten in defenseman goals. He played in 77 games over two years.
Riley Hughes was the next one to turn professional as he signed for the Iowa Heartlanders of the ECHL. Hughes transferred from Northeastern in the summer of 2023 and ended up playing 23 games for the Buckeyes in his only season at Ohio State.
Cam Thiesing then signed for the New York Islanders of the NHL. Thiesing has spent three years at Ohio State, scoring 32 points in 108 games. His 2023-2024 season came to an early end as he suffered a season-ending injury before the final series of the year.
Then, on March 22, Stephen Halliday signed for the Ottawa Senators, who selected him in the fourth round of the 2022 NHL draft. Halliday has led the Buckeyes in scoring both of his two years at Ohio State.
Following the Halliday news, Mason Klee joined Gildon in Worcester. Klee spent four years with Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute before joining the Buckeyes for his final year of college. The defenseman played in 38 games and recorded 5 points in his only season in Columbus.
The most recent Buckeye to turn pro was Dalton Messina, who spent five years in Columbus. He signed for the Toledo Walleye of the ECHL. In his first week in Toledo, Ohio, Messina has recorded two goals in three games played. At Ohio State, he played in 86 games and recorded 20 points.
