An outstanding season has been put on hold for blue-chip Badger recruit Nic Kerdiles. The 6'1, 196 pound forward from the U.S. NTDP U18 team will be out for the near future due to a lower body injury. Kerdiles confirmed the injury with Bucky's 5th Quarter Saturday night.
Kerdiles has been a force for Team USA all season long and has been the teams most dynamic forward according to many scouts. Playing a schedule that includes games against D1 & D3 colleges as well as USHL teams and international competition, Kerdiles leads the U18's in goals and is second in points.
The Irvine, California native's injury comes at an unfortunate time. Just 14 days away on new years eve the Badgers will host the U18 team in an exhibition game, one that Kerdiles certainly had circled on his schedule for months.
When asked for a potential return date, Kerdiles replied, "Hopefully I'll be able to play on the 31st."
Kerdiles, who has signed his letter of intent to join the University of Wisconsin for 2012 is a projected first round draft pick by multiple scouting publications.
Future Considerations (#23), International Scouting Services (#21), MyNHLDraft.com (#23), TheScoutingReport.org (#30), The Prospects Blog (#30), Dan Sallows (#28) Copper and Blue (#22), and TSN.ca (Craig Button) (#39) all have Kerdiles as a projected first, or early second round pick.
Next fall Kerdiles will be a part of a four player recruiting class that will also include forward Morgan Zulinick (Salmon Arm, BCHL), and defensemen Eddie Wittchow (Waterloo, USHL) and Kevin Schulze (Omaha, USHL).
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