Jackson Cates
{{Short description|American ice hockey player}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=September 2023}}
{{Infobox ice hockey player
| name = Jackson Cates
| image =
| image_size =
| caption =
| birth_date = {{birth date and age|1997|9|28}}
| birth_place = Stillwater, Minnesota, U.S.
| height_ft = 6
| height_in = 0
| weight_lb = 190
| position = Center
| shoots = Left
| league = AHL
| team = Rockford IceHogs
| prospect_team =
| prospect_league =
| former_teams = Philadelphia Flyers
| ntl_team =
| draft = Undrafted
| career_start = 2021
| career_end =
}}
Jackson Cates (born September 28, 1997) is an American professional ice hockey center who is playing with the Rockford IceHogs in the American Hockey League (AHL). He has previously played with the Philadelphia Flyers of the National Hockey League (NHL).
Early life
Cates was born on September 28, 1997, in Stillwater, Minnesota.{{cite news |title=Flyers sign forward Jackson Cates from University of Minnesota-Duluth |url=https://www.nhl.com/flyers/news/flyers-sign-forward-jackson-cates-from-university-of-minnesota-duluth/c-323612516 |access-date=April 23, 2021 |work=NHL.com |publisher=National Hockey League |date=April 13, 2021}} He played ice hockey for the Stillwater Area High School Ponies, a tenure which included two state tournament appearances in 2014 and 2016. His career totals of 57 goals and 63 assists, for a total of 120 points, was the highest in school history, and at the end of his senior year, Cates was given the Herb Brooks Award, bestowed annually on the state tournament player who best demonstrates the values and traits exemplified by Herb Brooks.{{cite news |last1=Groskreutz |first1=Stuart |title=Hockey: Jackson Cates signs contract with Philadelphia Flyers |url=https://www.hometownsource.com/stillwater_gazette/free/hockey-jackson-cates-signs-contract-with-philadelphia-flyers/article_3f3f1fcc-9cb6-11eb-91e9-dbaa7b93ca60.html |access-date=April 23, 2021 |work=The Stillwater Gazette |date=April 13, 2021}}
Playing career
=Amateur=
Cates played junior ice hockey with the Waterloo Black Hawks of the United States Hockey League. He scored a hat trick with the team on January 28, 2018, in a 7–3 rout of the Cedar Rapids RoughRiders.{{cite news |last1=Nelson |first1=Jim |title=USHL hockey: Cates has hat trick as Waterloo routs Cedar Rapids, 7-3 |url=https://wcfcourier.com/sports/hockey/blackhawks/ushl-hockey-cates-has-hat-trick-as-waterloo-routs-cedar-rapids-7-3/article_d5762195-fead-5715-b761-d9e3816dfd53.html |access-date=April 23, 2021 |work=The Waterloo-Cedar Falls Courier |date=January 28, 2018}}
Cates originally committed to play hockey at Michigan Tech, but decided to sign a National Letter of Intent with the University of Minnesota Duluth in August 2017 so that he could play alongside his younger brother.{{cite news |last1=Wellens |first1=Matt |title=College men's hockey: Stillwater's Cates brothers bringing offense to UMD in 2018-19 |url=https://www.duluthnewstribune.com/sports/4438782-college-mens-hockey-stillwaters-cates-brothers-bringing-offense-umd-2018-19 |access-date=April 23, 2021 |work=Duluth News Tribune |date=April 29, 2018}} In his junior season, Cates posted 27 points (11 goals and 16 assists) in 28 games with the Bulldogs.
=Professional=
On April 13, 2021, the Philadelphia Flyers of the National Hockey League (NHL) signed Cates as a college free agent to a two-year entry-level contract with an average annual value of $925,000.{{cite news |last1=Hall |first1=Jordan |title=Flyers sign a college free agent, who is the brother of a prospect |url=https://www.nbcsports.com/philadelphia/flyers/flyers-sign-college-free-agent-jackson-cates-brother-prospect-noah-cates-entry-level-contract |access-date=April 23, 2021 |publisher=NBC Sports Philadelphia |date=April 13, 2021}} Due to COVID-19 restrictions, Cates was required to quarantine after arriving in Philadelphia before he could skate with the team.{{cite news |last1=Barkowitz |first1=Ed |title=Five minutes with Flyers prospect Jackson Cates. Will we see him with the big club soon? |url=https://www.inquirer.com/newsletters/flyers/jackson-cates-philadelphia-flyers-minnesota-duluth-20210415.html |access-date=April 23, 2021 |work=The Philadelphia Inquirer |date=April 15, 2021}} Cates made his NHL debut on April 23, 2021, in a game against the New York Rangers.{{cite news |last1=Hall |first1=Jordan |title=A center prospect will make his NHL debut tonight for Flyers |url=https://www.nbcsports.com/philadelphia/flyers/flyers-rangers-game-47-2021-season-live-stream-lineup-storylines-game-time-jackson-cates-nhl-debut |access-date=April 23, 2021 |publisher=NBC Sports Philadelphia |date=April 23, 2021}}
When Morgan Frost was placed in COVID-19 protocols on December 15, 2021, Cates was promoted to Philadelphia for their road game against the Montreal Canadiens.{{cite news |last=Carchidi |first=Sam |title=With Flyers' Morgan Frost in COVID-19 protocol, Oskar Lindblom moved to second line, Jackson Cates promoted |url=https://www.inquirer.com/flyers/flyers-frost-covid-19-lindblom-yeo-montreal-20211215.html |work=The Philadelphia Inquirer |date=December 15, 2021 |access-date=December 17, 2021 |url-access=limited}} He scored his first NHL goal in that game, putting the Flyers up 2–1 in an eventual shootout loss.{{cite news |last=Han |first=Giana |title=Flyers drop shootout decision to Montreal, 3-2, at an empty Bell Centre |url=https://www.inquirer.com/flyers/flyers-canadiens-covid-jackson-cates-covid-montreal-20211216.html |work=The Philadelphia Inquirer |date=December 16, 2021 |access-date=December 17, 2021 |url-access=limited}}
On September 11, 2023, he was signed to a professional tryout (PTO) contract by the New York Islanders and spent time with the team during their preseason training camp.{{cite web |last1=Luscher |first1=Rachel |title=Four Takeaways: Lou Lamoriello's Season-Opening Press Conference |url=https://www.nhl.com/islanders/news/four-takeaways-lou-lamoriellos-season-opening-press-conference |website=NHL.com |access-date=September 13, 2023 |date=September 11, 2023}} Released from his tryout with New York, he began the 2023–24 season on a PTO with AHL affiliate, the Bridgeport Islanders, on October 12.{{cite web| url = https://twitter.com/AHLIslanders/status/1712528791778574408 | title = Bridgeport sign Jackson Cates to PTO | publisher = Twitter | date = October 12, 2023 | accessdate = October 12, 2023 | author = Bridgeport Islanders }} After scoring one goal in 12 games with the team, he was released from the PTO on December 7.{{cite web |title=Thursday's Transactions |url=https://apnews.com/sports/sports-transactions-hockey-b7671267ee4810e67c784dc175379975 |website=AP News |access-date=December 10, 2023 |date=December 7, 2023 |quote=BRIDGEPORT ISLANDERS — Released F Jackson Cates from a professional tryout contract (PTO).}} He continued in the AHL, signing a PTO with the Rockford IceHogs, affiliate to the Chicago Blackhawks, on December 12, 2023.{{cite web| url = https://twitter.com/goicehogs/status/1734264379745374452 | title = IceHogs announce roster moves | author = Rockford IceHogs | date = December 12, 2023 | accessdate = December 12, 2023 | publisher = Twitter }}
Player profile
Scott Sandelin, Cates' coach at the University of Minnesota Duluth, referred to him as "a really smart skater who can make plays", and emphasized Cates' 200-foot game, power play, and penalty kill abilities.
Personal life
Cates is the older brother of Noah Cates, who was selected by the Flyers in the fifth round of the 2017 NHL entry draft.
Career statistics
| border="0" cellpadding="1" cellspacing="0" style="text-align:center; width:60em;" | ||||||||
| bgcolor="#e0e0e0"
! colspan="3" bgcolor="#ffffff"| ! rowspan="92" bgcolor="#ffffff"| ! colspan="5"|Regular season ! rowspan="92" bgcolor="#ffffff"| ! colspan="5"|Playoffs | ||||||||
| bgcolor="#e0e0e0"
! Season ! Team ! League ! GP !! G !! A !! Pts !! PIM | ||||||||
| 2016–17
| USHL | 56 | 11 | 10 | 21 | 8
| 8 | 2 | 1 | 3 | 0 |
| bgcolor="#f0f0f0"
| 2017–18 | Waterloo Black Hawks | USHL | 57 | 33 | 30 | 63 | 18
| 8 | 2 | 2 | 4 | 2 |
| 2018–19
| NCHC | 39 | 8 | 6 | 14 | 14
| — | — | — | — | — |
| bgcolor="#f0f0f0"
| 2019–20 | Minnesota Duluth Bulldogs | NCHC | 29 | 8 | 15 | 23 | 6
| — | — | — | — | — |
| 2020–21
| Minnesota Duluth Bulldogs | NCHC | 28 | 11 | 16 | 27 | 4
| — | — | — | — | — |
| bgcolor="#f0f0f0"
| 2020–21 | NHL | 4 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 0
| — | — | — | — | — |
| 2021–22
| AHL | 37 | 2 | 8 | 10 | 2
| — | — | — | — | — |
| bgcolor="#f0f0f0"
| 2021–22 | Philadelphia Flyers | NHL | 11 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0
| — | — | — | — | — |
| 2022–23
| Philadelphia Flyers | NHL | 5 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0
| — | — | — | — | — |
| bgcolor="#f0f0f0"
| 2022–23 | Lehigh Valley Phantoms | AHL | 65 | 11 | 12 | 23 | 18
| 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 2023–24
| AHL | 12 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 6
| — | — | — | — | — |
| bgcolor="#f0f0f0"
| 2023–24 | AHL | 50 | 11 | 14 | 25 | 8
| 4 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 |
| 2024–25
| Rockford IceHogs | AHL | 64 | 9 | 7 | 16 | 24
| 7 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 2 |
| bgcolor="#e0e0e0"
! colspan="3"|NHL totals ! 20 !! 1 !! 1 !! 2 !! 0 ! — !! — !! — !! — !! — |
References
{{reflist}}
External links
- {{Ice hockey stats}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Cates, Jackson}}
Category:American men's ice hockey centers
Category:Bridgeport Islanders players
Category:Lehigh Valley Phantoms players
Category:Minnesota Duluth Bulldogs men's ice hockey players
Category:Sportspeople from Stillwater, Minnesota
Category:Philadelphia Flyers players
Category:Rockford IceHogs (AHL) players
Category:Ice hockey people from Washington County, Minnesota
Category:Undrafted National Hockey League players
Category:Waterloo Black Hawks players