(The bittersweet time where we bid adieu to the overage players from the Maryland Black Bears who go on to embark on their next chapter in life and hockey. Players are listed by games played with the Black Bears. All photos by Jon Pitonzo, FOHS Media)
Kareem El-Bashir (163 GP, 33g, 48a, 81pts): A three year Black Bears and local product, El-Bashir grew up with the Black Bears and was able to complete the majority of his junior career with Maryland. A player that could be used in any situation, El-Bashir was able to blend into any situation on the ice and succeed. With two big runs in the playoffs in two of his three seasons, El-Bashir was a big force to help Maryland to back-to-back East Division titles.
Dylan Gordon (104 GP, 12g, 45a, 57pts): Coming from the OHL, Gordon’s talent was on display from the start. With solid skating combined with a devastating hip check, Gordon commanded the ice from the blue line. His vision of the ice helped start plays from the defensive zone, while his veteran leadership helped his teammates on the ice to get the best results.
Luke Janus (102 GP, 26g, 38a, 64pts): Leaving home for the first time in his career, Janus came to Maryland last season with big aspirations to play his way to the next level. A big second half of the season last year helped propel the Black Bears to the Robertson Cup final. Building off last season, Janus’ leadership by example was a big boost to the new Black Bears in the line-up. While various ailments limited him to 44 games, Janus set a career high in goals and points in ‘24-25.
Sebastien Brockman (98 GP, 7g, 14a, 21pts): A second generation Black Bear, Brockman followed his brother Jacob into the organization, but had a different style to his play. A big-bodied presence, Brockman was not afraid to mix it up physically, but also had the ability to make a big move offensively when called on. Brockman was also looked upon as a leader on the team, coaching up his teammates shift-by-shift.
Tyler Stern (78 GP, 19g, 35a, 54pts): After being acquired from Philadelphia, Stern’s hard-nosed play endeared him to the Black Bears faithful. After the Robertson Cup run last season, Stern went to training camp in the USHL before returning to Maryland and taking over the captaincy of the team. Leading by example, Stern’s time in the East Division was a huge help to the rest of the team experiencing the division for the first time.
Isac Nielsen (55 GP, 25g, 26a, 51pts): In his first season in North America, Nielsen left a big mark on the Black Bears team. With a team-leading 25 goals in 2024-25, Nielsen needed very little time to adjust to the smaller ice surface. Nielsen also netted two goals and five points in his four playoff appearances, though the team came up short of their goal.
Sebastian Speck (25 GP, 7g, 16a, 23pts): Coming over mid-season, Speck adapted very quickly to the Black Bears group. Bringing leadership from being a captain in Oklahoma, Speck jumped into a big role as an unofficial part of the leadership group. Even with him getting off to a solid start to his time in Maryland, Speck was also a big cheerleader for his teammate with vocal positive reinforcement throughout the games.
Travis Bryson (12 GP, 1g, 5a, 6pts): Another mid-season acquisition, Bryson’s tenure was unfortunately hampered with injuries that never let the Maryland fans see his full potential on the ice. Even with that, Bryson was able to help his teammates off the ice while showing improvement throughout his tenure with Maryland coming from the South Division.
Clutch And Crab Hockey 