For the second leg of my Penn State hockey midseason report card, I wanted to look at the defensemen, goaltenders, and coaching staff. I recapped the forwards on Tuesday.
Defensemen
Jackson Smith: B
Expectations were high for Jackson Smith after being drafted in the first round of the 2025 NHL Draft. While he has not set the world on fire, he has had a solid start to the season. Smith has nine points in 14 games, including three power play goals and a game-winning goal against Minnesota. His puck handling has been
an adventure at times, but some amount of turnovers will happen when you have the most ice time of any defenseman on the roster.
Mac Gadowsky: C+
Gadowsky does not have a single goal this season after scoring 16 with Army a year ago. Perhaps the higher level of competition within the Big Ten has made it more difficult for him to score. I wanted to see more offensive upside from him. Fortunately, there are still 18 games left in the regular season for him to figure it out.
Jarod Crespo: B
The veteran defenseman has been steady defensively this season, though his offensive ceiling is limited. His leadership and resilience are irreplaceable on the blue line. Hoping for a strong second half of the season for him in his final ride at Penn State.
Nolan Collins: C
Collins has played in all 16 games but he has not stood out at any point this season. I want to see more physical play from him later in the season to disrupt the opposing offense.
Nick Fascia: C+
Fascia was a key part of the Frozen Four run, filling in for an injured Carter Schade during the NCAA Tournament. He has been adequate in his role but not a gigantic step forward from a year ago. His goal late in the second period against Michigan on November 15 was vital to picking up the team’s best win of the season.
Carter Schade: C
Schade has done a good job working his way back into the lineup after his injury late last season, but he does not look like the same player he was a year ago. He has just one assist this season, though he has only taken three minor penalties.
Casey Aman: C
Schade’s partner on the blue line also has taken very few penalties this season but does not provide much offensively. Together, they are both at -3 for the season, the worst rating out of Penn State’s defensemen. Hopefully Cade Christenson can help stabilize the defensive unit when he returns.
Goaltenders
Josh Fleming: A
Fleming has started seven games so far in his freshman season and has yielded more than three goals just once. His save percentage (.929) and GAA (2.30) are impressive given the inconsistent defense in front of him most nights. For the season, he is at 0.622 goals saved above expected per game, which ranks second among Big Ten goalies. In a tournament setting where it is win or go home, Fleming has been consistent enough to give me confidence in Penn State making a run.
Kevin Reidler: B
Statistically, Reidler is the worse of the two goalies, but his one disastrous start against Michigan is making him look worse than he is. He stole a point against Michigan State on November 7 with very little offensive support, making 30 saves on 32 shots faced. His incredible third period against Minnesota on November 22 was key in picking up the road win. Fleming is more consistent, but Reidler has shown he can play to his capabilities. Allowing five goals against Clarkson and seven against Michigan bumps him down, but he is still very solid.
Coaches: B
Penn State is 11-5 this season against the No. 10 schedule, per College Hockey News. It has been a very solid start, but some of the performances have been ugly and not what we expected to see. Shaky defense is nothing new for Penn State hockey under Guy Gadowsky, though the offense has left a bit to be desired at times. Except for the Michigan State series, the team has generally been better in the second game of the series, which speaks to the staff’s ability to make adjustments.
With only one signature win this season so far (November 15 against Michigan) and multiple close calls against weaker teams, it’s hard to give the staff an A. At the same time, I don’t think I can give them any lower than a B for keeping the team in solid NCAA Tournament position at the halfway mark.
