Merrick Madsen

October 2020- While once a promising goalie prospect, unfortunately Madsen’s career seems over due to hip injuries/issues. The Coyotes did not tender him an offer making Madsen an unrestricted free agent. After struggling mightily last year, it seems as though he will retire from pro hockey. Keith Duggan

October 2019- Returning from hip surgery and the Coyotes suddenly deep with goalie prospects, Madsen has been assigned to Rapid City of the ECHL to begin 2019-20. Keith Duggan

July 2019- Expected to play this past season in the ECHL, Madsen instead found himself playing a good chunk of it in the AHL for Tucson, where he stepped up and showed some solid promise. He split the crease with Hunter Miska, playing 11 games before Hill returned to the team after an extended stay in the NHL. His stat weren’t fantastic but Madsen played behind a very young Tuscon team. After Hill returned, Madsen was back in the ECHL, where he finished the campaign. He didn’t seem like the same netminder when he came back to Norfolk and then it was announced that Madsen had an injured hip which required surgery. The Coyotes expect him to back-up Hill in Tucson this coming season but are anxious to see how he returns from this hip surgery. Some goalies actually get more mobile and flexible after hip surgery so it will be interesting to see. As of right now though his future seems cloudy. Keith Duggan

November 2018- Madsen has gotten off to a strong start to his pro career so far. Starting the campaign in the ECHL with Norfolk, in two starts he only gave up one goal. With Adin Hill dealing with a lower-body injury in Tucson, Madsen was called up to the AHL club where he mostly backed up Hunter Miska. With Miska being recalled to the Coyotes, Madsen took over number one goalie duties. Appearing in back-to-back games he posted shutouts in both games, his second and third starts in the AHL. Keith Duggan

April 2018- With Harvard’s season over and Madsen completing his senior year, he has signed a two-year, entry-level contract with the Coyotes. He went 10-10-3 this past season with a .2.27 GAA and .918 save percentage along with three shutouts in 24 games with the Crimson. His numbers were solid but Madsen did look pedestrian in some games, seeing him compete with junior Michael Lackey for time in the crease at times. Nerveless he leaves Harvard as one of it’s best netminders of all-time, having set the school record for best save percentage, second in shutouts, third in wins and fifth in GAA. Madsen will have some stiff competion at the next level though with Adin Hill and Hunter Miska putting together excellent season’s in the AHL and could begin 2018-19 in the ECHL. Keith Duggan

June 2017- Madsen’s rights have been traded to the Arizona Coyotes along with Nick Cousins for prospect Brendan Warren and a 2018 fifth-round draft pick. An upcoming senior who has been a two-year starter for Harvard, Madsen posted outstanding stats this past season (GAA of 2.11 and .923 save percentage) while racking up a school record of 28 wins, along with a 16-game winning streak which was also a program record. He was named a finalist for the Mike Richter Award, given to the most outstanding goalie, and a Walter Brown semifinalist (best American-born college hockey player in New England). Madsen has been named one of three captains for the Crimson going into the 2017-18 season. He gives the Coyotes more prospect depth in goal, a area they have been lacking in. Keith Duggan

September 2016 – No one has been able to consistently predict the success of goalies, let alone college goalies, meaning Merrick Madsen could very well be a future starter in the NHL. The 6’5 Ivy leaguer is coming off a dominant campaign in which Madsen was able to post an impressive .931 save percentage through 29 games. Madsen isn’t an overly athletic goalie, however he moves around the crease well enough that his size does the majority of the work when it comes to stopping pucks. The 21-year-old math major is heading into his third season with Harvard in which he will look to improve upon his already stellar numbers. The problem for Merrick will be fitting into the Flyers system as the cupboards are currently chock full of up-and-coming netminders including the likes of Carter Hart, Anthony Stolarz, and another former Ivy league net minder in Alex Lyon. Long-term, Madsen may not be a fit in Philly, but I do think there is still a chance he carves out an NHL career elsewhere. Brennen York