Nolan Walker
Center Nolan Walker of Anchorage finally reaped a reward for his breakout season in the ECHL.
The second-year pro on Monday night made his American Hockey League debut, skating for the Cleveland Monsters, the affiliate of the NHL’s Columbus Blue Jackets, in a 5-2 loss to the visiting Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins. Walker fired one shot on goal and earned an even rating.
The promotion for Walker, 25, stemmed from his production for the ECHL-leading Kansas City Mavericks, who have already clinched a spot in the Kelly Cup playoffs and own 10 more points than any other club on the 28-team circuit two steps below the NHL. The AHL is one tier below the NHL.
With 31-32—63 totals in 58 games for Kansas City, Walker is tied for third in the ECHL in goals and tied for eighth in points. That’s a startling improvement from his rookie ECHL season, when he went 15-26—41 in 68 games for the Newfoundland Growlers.
Walker, who played his college hockey at St. Cloud State, last season was promoted from Newfoundland to the AHL’s Toronto Marlies three times, but never played a game with NHL Toronto’s affiliate.
Prior to his promotion to Cleveland, Walker furnished Kansas City a goal and an assist in an 8-3 win over Rapid City last Friday, and he assisted on the game-tying goal in a 5-4 shootout loss to Rapid City on Saturday.
He is currently one of two Alaskans in the AHL. Goaltender Isaiah Saville of Anchorage plays for the Henderson Silver Knights.
Saville and the Silver Knights have endured a rough stretch. Saville on Sunday stopped 21 of 28 shots in an 8-3 loss at Abbotsford that dropped him to 1-5-0 in his last six decisions. Henderson has gone 6-15-0 in its last 21 games and been shut out six times in that span. Saville is 6-10-1 with a 3.28 goals-against average and .890 save percentage.
In the ECHL, winger Cam Hausinger of Anchorage last week was traded to the Indy Fuel by the Florida Everblades. Hausinger, who was a 21-goal scorer for ECHL Wheeling two seasons ago, last season made his AHL debut and played 10 games on that circuit, five for Milwaukee and five for Iowa. He also scored his first AHL goal.
🚨 WELCOME TO INDY CAM 🚨
Cam Hausinger scores his first goal for the Fuel and it comes against his first-ever ECHL team. 1-0 Fuel 🔥 pic.twitter.com/4Gn5CytPW7
— Indy Fuel (@IndyFuel) March 19, 2024
But he’s struggled offensively this season, with 5-6—11 totals in 45 games for Florida. Hausinger, 25 and a third-year pro, had an assist in his Indy debut last Friday.
Forward Tanner Schachle of Wasilla helped trigger ECHL Orlando to a 6-5 comeback overtime win at South Carolina on Friday. Orlando trailed 5-1 after two periods before Schachle’s goal 87 seconds into the third period kicked off a run of five unanswered goals. Schachle’s former UAA teammate, Alex Frye, delivered the OT dagger for his second goal of the game.