Junior hockey is the starting point for most hockey players when it comes to furthering their career. In their sixth season, the Maryland Black Bears have been lucky to have a number of college commitments to a variety of colleges. Now, they are starting to see further advancement with their alumni going into the professional ranks.
With Wilmer Skoog (Charlotte Checkers, AHL), Brad Jenion (Macon Mayhem, SPHL), Filip Jakobsson (Surahammars IF, Sweden 3rd Division), and Emil Gabrielson (Wings HC Arlanda, Sweden 3rd Division) already in the pro ranks, the Black Bears can add two more to their professional wall with Luc Salem signing with the ECHL’s Utah Grizzlies and Cooper Black signing with the NHL’s Florida Panthers.
Salem was a part of the inaugural team in 2018-19 putting up 21 points in 54 games before he went to play for the Topeka Pilots in his last junior season. Salem played four years at St. Lawrence University where he was captain in his senior season. During his four years on the Saints blue line, Salem had 18 goals and 55 points in 128 games.
Black came in during the 2019-20 season and was a big part for the Black Bears in a playoff push that was cut short due to COVID-19. Black finished with a 9-6-3 record with a 2.59 GAA and .916 save percentage. Black then moved to the USHL’s Omaha Lancers, but would move to the Odessa Jackalopes before heading to the BCHL’s Nanaimo Clippers. From Nanaimo, Black played two seasons at Dartmouth College, putting together a 18-31-9 record with a 2.82 GAA and .904 save percentage.
As more players go through the hallways of Piney Orchard, you can only hope that players who started their careers in the Maryland Black Bears uniforms will one day end up as fortunate as those prior and find their way to professional hockey contracts.
Clutch And Crab Hockey 