Arizona State Navigates Roster Shakeups, Youth Movement Amid NCHC Playoff Push
The Arizona State Sun Devils are in the thick of a playoff push, but they’re doing it with a roster that’s looking thinner by the week.
Senior forward Johnny Waldron is no longer with the team, head coach Greg Powers confirmed, making him the third skater to depart mid-season. Waldron had just notched his first goal of the year in a marquee matchup against then-No.
4 North Dakota on January 23. But after being a healthy scratch the next game and then missing an open practice, his exit became official.
He’s since signed with the Toledo Walleye of the ECHL, beginning his professional career.
That brings Arizona State’s available skater count down to 20 - a significant drop from the 25 they started the season with. Alongside Waldron, freshmen Justin Cloutier and Austin Zemlak have also left the program, while freshman forward Jack Beck and sophomore Cullen Potter are out for the season due to injuries.
“It’s not ideal,” Powers said. “But we still like what we have and we’ll get through it.”
That’s been the mindset for a team that’s had to adapt on the fly. With the roster stretched thin, Powers has just one healthy scratch available on any given night.
Last Friday, that was junior defenseman Anthony Dowd. On Saturday, freshman Braxton Whitehead sat out after picking up an injury, adding another layer of uncertainty heading into this weekend’s series against St.
Cloud State.
Powers didn’t give an update on Whitehead’s status but emphasized the need to strike a balance in practice - staying sharp without pushing so hard that more injuries occur.
“You have to manage the week appropriately,” Powers said. “You don’t want to lose anybody else in practice, but you can’t let off the gas too much. You still have to practice hard - just harder, shorter, and more direct.”
Even with the setbacks, the Sun Devils have found ways to keep the offense humming. Since losing Potter, they’re averaging 3.5 goals per game over their last four contests.
The issue, though, has been on the other end of the ice. Defensive lapses have led to an average of 5.25 goals allowed per game during that same stretch - a stark contrast that’s put pressure on their young lineup to mature quickly.
Without Potter anchoring the top line, ASU has struggled to close out games. In the third period of their last four, they’ve been outscored by nine - a trend that’s become a concern as the postseason nears.
That said, the youth movement has brought some silver linings. Freshman forward Sam Alfano has stepped up in a big way, tallying seven points in his last five games. He’s one of several young players who’ve been thrust into bigger roles earlier than expected - and they’re responding.
“Obviously, we want more wins,” Powers said. “But you have to look at the positives. These kids are getting great development opportunities for us in a really tough league, and it’s going to pay off.”
This season marked a shift in roster construction for Powers. After leaning heavily on experienced transfers in past years, he brought in 11 freshmen, giving the Sun Devils a roster with 18 underclassmen and just 10 upperclassmen. That youth has kept them competitive in the NCHC, even as the schedule tightens and the stakes rise.
And the road ahead doesn’t get any easier. Two of ASU’s final four series are away matchups against top-10 teams - No.
4 Western Michigan and No. 9 Denver.
The margin for error is razor-thin, but the opportunity is still very real.
“Our freshman core is getting a lot of reps and touches in big moments and important games,” Powers said. “We want them to come back with that mindset next year - that we can lean on them and they want us to lean on them. The fact that we’re right there within striking distance still - it says a lot about the group.”
Despite splitting their recent series with Colorado College, the Sun Devils held steady at No. 29 in the NCAA Percentage Index. In the NCHC standings, though, they dropped to eighth out of nine - just one point ahead of last-place Omaha and three points behind fifth-place Miami.
The top eight teams make the conference tournament, and with Omaha idle this week, ASU has a chance to climb the standings with a strong showing against sixth-place St. Cloud State.
“It’s so tight in our league right now,” Powers said. “There’s still so much opportunity. We think with a really good weekend, we’re right back in the conversation for home ice - and with a really good weekend, we will be.”
In a season marked by attrition, Arizona State isn’t backing down. They’re leaning into their youth, trusting their depth, and keeping their eyes on the postseason. The road may be bumpy, but the destination is still within reach.