Photo Credit: Kelsey Lee-Violet Turtle Photography

Nick Cardelli is a forward who is known for how tenacious he his on the forecheck. Academically, the new forward for Eric Lang’s group is just as hard working. While recovering from shoulder surgery, the second he has had in his time in college hockey he came to AIC.

At AIC he is a one-year MBA student living with some as we speak, he said “it’s a little different than your normal undergrad program, these past seven weeks I’ve had class Wednesday and Thursday from 6-9 pm.” Lives with Brian Rigali, Luka Maver, and Chris Dodero. They will all finish their degrees this summer and move on to the professional hockey ranks. After AIC, Nick he is open to new possibilities in the business field. Cardelli choose AIC in part because he entered the portal and Lang and the staff reached out early. He knew guys like Dodero, and Rigali, “ our junior paths kind of crossed” he is good friends with former captain Parker Revering.

Cardelli said that Revering said that, “he really said that this would be a good fit for me personally.”

On his new Head Coach Eric Lang “from what I see he gets the most out of his players and that’s what attracted me the most, playing for someone who is really intense, he wants to move you on to the next level wherever that may be.”

He came to AIC in January to finish his final bachelors classes, transferred the credits them back to Bemidji State to finish his undergraduate degree 1523 miles away. His advisor was helpful and helped him get his schooling figured out and plan to get his degree. Cardelli graduated on time with his bachelors degree. He praised him for helping him navigate the final semester of undegraduate work.

Cardelli added on what he has to bring.

“ I think just being the leader on and off the ice, I’ve had two shoulder surgeries the last two years , I think that being the older guy in the locker room can help me be a veteran presence in the locker room.”

His Head Coach, Eric Lang says of Cardelli

“Nick has an incredulous work ethic who takes his off-ice as serious as his is on ice he’s got an infectious personality and people naturally gravitate towards him him.”

On the chance Cardelli will have, Lang added that “Nick is going to have an incredible opportunity with us he’s my type of player he has a great motor great brain and a willingness to stick his nose in battles.”

What stands out about Cardelli off the ice to Lang and what encouraged the staff to talk to him was the fact that “ Anytime we have players in our program adamantly come into the office and say we need him to be a part of our program we know we can’t miss that was the exact case for Nick.”

Lang also took the time to credit Bemidji State, and their head coach, Tom Serratore for developing Nick. Cardelli noted that everyone at his former school, upon him going into the portal was more concerned about him graduating and getting to the next step than anything else. Lang said “ I think the first thing that is evident you look at his track record for success. It’s an outstanding hockey family Both Tom and Frank are two coaches when they are speaking you’re listening with both ears.From a distance you can see that Coach Serratore gets the absolute most out of his players.”

To close, here is a key point from Lang about Cardelli. Lang loves to talk about “players recruiting players.” This is where it started.

Lang said “Nick has played with a lot of our players in junior hockey inside that report he’s an outstanding leader,elite hockey player, and a guy that can make a big contribution.”

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