What are only pipe dreams for some, Noah Cates experienced in only a few months.
Since the calendar flipped to 2022, the Stillwater native has competed for the United States at the Beijing Olympics and wrapped up a successful stint with Minnesota Duluth that included a national championship in 2019 and pair of seasons as captain.
Now, Cates has graduated to the NHL after signing with the Flyers.
And the forward's first game? In front of family and friends on Tuesday at Xcel Energy Center against the Wild.
"I think more after this season, I'll take some time and reflect and decompress a little bit," said Cates, a fifth-round draft pick by Philadelphia in 2017. "It's been really crazy and a lot. But this is what you live for. I'm young. I'm ready. It's kind of what you dream of. You can't complain."
Only days ago, Cates was still suiting up for the Bulldogs.
But after UMD was eliminated by Denver on Saturday in an NCAA regional final to miss out on a fifth consecutive trip to the Frozen Four, Cates signed a two-year, entry-level contract with the Flyers on Sunday — this after he played four games at the Olympics where he scored a goal as an alternate captain.
"Obviously kind of a whirlwind," said Cates, who was expecting his UMD teammates to be at Xcel Energy Center for his NHL debut. "It happened pretty quick. Obviously disappointing that my four years at Duluth are over. It was an awesome four years with all the memories and people up there that are so special to me. Just closing the page pretty quickly coming down here, it made it — not going to say hurt any less — but I kind of turned the page a little quicker. That was kind of nice."
