Landon School

Maryland hockey has recently returned to the spotlight after the 2025 NHL Draft. The Carolina Hurricanes selected center Christian Cerrato, a Fallston native, with the 49th overall pick. Cerrato could soon join another recent Maryland player, Patrick Giles, as the state’s hockey talent continues to surge. Cerrato stood out for his strong Big Ten performance as a Penn State rookie. He earned a spot on the Big Ten All-Freshman Team and had a case for having the best freshman season. Cerrato had the fourth most points, tied for third in assists and won the third most faceoffs across the entire conference. The Athletic ranked NHL teams' needs at center before the draft and described a Hurricanes upgrade as “sorely needed.” Carolina used their second pick in the draft on Cerrato and took him as their top center. Cerrato could make his debut as soon as this upcoming season. Patrick Giles made his start at the Landon School with two seasons of strong play. In 19 career games as a freshman and sophomore, he totalled 34 points and averaged a goal per game. Giles left Landon in 2017 and spent the remainder of his high school career playing for the U.S. National 17U and 18U teams. He played for Boston College for the following four years. Giles made his NHL debut with the Florida Panthers on Oct. 12, 2024 against the Buffalo Sabres. The 25-year-old became the first NHL player born in Maryland since Jeremy Duchesne in 2010. He played nine games for Florida before a midseason trade to the San Jose Sharks. Giles made history when the Panthers won the 2025 Stanley Cup, becoming the first player born in Maryland to play for a championship team. The future of state hockey talent looks even more promising. Archbishop Spalding High School has been a recent source for some of Maryland’s top hockey talent. The Cavaliers had an impressive 19-11-1 record, ranking as the program’s best in the regular season over the last ten years. They entered the MIAA postseason with the potential for three consecutive titles on the line. Mount Saint Joseph High School provided the most challenging test for Archbishop Spalding. The Cavaliers won the first two of four matchups before only scoring three goals in the following two games. Those regular-season struggles in scoring meant the defense would have to be at its best for a championship rematch. Archbishop Spalding goalie Evan Snyder ‘25 stepped up in the biggest game of the season. After a rocky first quarter with both teams tied at two, Snyder became impenetrable with a three-quarter shutout. Archbishop Spalding made MIAA history with a 4-2 win and became the first school to win three consecutive championships since Calvert Hall from 2008 to 2010. Snyder won the MIAA Athlete of the Year award for the A conference and joined teammates Caleb Young, Connor Sweeney and Grant Wanner as Cavalier representatives on the all-conference team. Snyder signed to play in the United States Premier Hockey League on May 21. He joined the Charleston Colonials, a member of the league’s Southeast Division. In the team’s official announcement, head coach Matt Reid described his feelings toward adding Snyder. “We are excited to get Evan into the program, he’s a big goalie and a leader. He’s been on the radar for years,” Reid said. 277 USPHL players have official commitments for the next level of hockey. Destinations range from AHCA programs, NCAA schools and even professional independent leagues. Maryland players are across the country on six different teams.