KALAMAZOO, Mich. – Five Western Michigan hockey alums have made National Hockey League opening night rosters, with Wade Allison, Ronnie Attard, Paul Cotter, Jordan Oesterle and Mattias Samuelsson starting the 2022-23 seasons off in the Show.
 
Both Allison (2016-20) and Attard (2019-22) will start the season with the Philadelphia Flyers. Allison, a second-round draft pick of the Flyers in 2016, has played in 15 NHL games in his career after making his debut during the 2020-21 season. Attard, also a Flyers' draft pick, made his NHL debut last season after he helped lead Western Michigan to one of the best seasons in program history and earning his second AHCA All-American honors. He ended up laying in 15 games with two goals and two assists.
 
Cotter also made his NHL debut last season with Vegas, playing in seven total games and scoring two goals. He had a strong season in the AHL with the Henderson Silver Knights with 34 points on 19 goals and 15 assists in 59 games.
 
Oesterle (2011-14) is set to embark on his ninth NHL season and second with the Red Wings. He played in 45 games last season with Detroit, posting eight points on two goals and eight six assists, and has played in 297 career games in the NHL.
 
Samuelsson (2018-20 starts the season with the Buffalo Sabres for the first time in his career. He made his NHL debut back during the 2020-21 season and appeared in a career-best 42 games last season. The second-round draft pick is still searching for his first career NHL goal but had 10 assists for the Sabres last year.