Young Panthers add experience in 24-year-old forward Cade Kowalski

By Thomas Becker 

The UPEI Panthers are adding some needed experience to the roster.

Coming into the 2023-24 season, the Panthers will have just six players—Kaleb Pearson, Jonah Capriotti, Kurtis Henry, Ian Smallwood, Daylon Groulx, and Logan Kelly-Murphy—with Atlantic University Sport (AUS) experience, so they're hoping new recruit Cade Kowalski can be another veteran voice for his younger teammates. 

Kowalski may not have AUS experience either, but the Morden, Manitoba native makes up for it having spent the last three seasons in the United States playing Division I hockey in the NCAA for the Ferris State University Bulldogs. 

"I feel like I'm in a bit of a different situation than the other incoming players having played at the highest level collegiately in the NCAA," Kowalski said. "I think I can benefit the Panthers a lot over the next two seasons. Being an older, experienced guy, I believe I can be a strong voice in the locker room and help instill a winning culture early in the season." 

Panthers head coach Forbes MacPherson said Kowalski showed interest in UPEI's Master of Business Administration in Global Leadership program from the beginning of the recruitment process, and with the team searching for more leadership to accompany a young nucleus, the fit just seemed right.

"Cade is a very strong student, and as we had further discussions, we realized this was a perfect fit for both of us," MacPherson said. "Having played at a very high level for the past three seasons, Cade brings a ton of experience and leadership. We'll be a young team next year, and although he will be new to our team, he will be leaned on."

The 24-year-old forward, who describes himself as a two-way player with a reliable 200-foot game, played 60 games across three seasons with the Bulldogs, where he put up four goals and three assists. Before that, Kowalski played in the Saskatchewan Junior Hockey League (SJHL) from 2017-19, scoring 126 points (33G, 93A) in 112 games between the Weyburn Red Wings and the Flin Flon Bombers.

As an older player with a veteran mindset, Kowalski is already looking ahead to the season and trying to figure out what it will take for this young team to exceed expectations. 

"Honestly, my expectations are quite high for the team. We have strong goaltending returning and coming in, with the same going for our defensive corps. Our forward group will need to gel quickly so the offence can fire from the first puck drop," said Kowalski on his quick assessment of the roster.

"We'll have to be a team that outworks the opponent every shift. I expect some growing pains, but I'm confident we'll find ourselves in the win column more often than not and make a strong push in the playoffs."