During the Wheeling Nailers training camp in October, Olde City Sports sat down with veteran forward Jordan Kaplan and spoke on playing in the NAHL, college play, and coming into the professional ranks. Kaplan was acquired by Wheeling in trade from Worcester, along with current teammate Ryan Mahshie in mid-September.

Before heading to the professional ranks, Kaplan spent time in New Jersey with the NAHL. He dressed in 52 games for the New Jersey Junior Titans. He notched 23 goals and 33 assists, with 74 PIMS. “The NAHL was great. It's a development league for the USHL, so it's not as clean a game, which is kind of a skill guy; it's kind of a part of my game that I wanted to develop. As my career progressed, I learned how to be successful in those tighter, more challenging battles where there's not as much open ice, and how to still be effective. I think a year in the NAHL was good for me in that way, in a sense where I learned how to grind, but let my skill come through at the same time.”

Photo Credit: Stacey Gramlich/Olde City Sports Network

Taking what he learned from the NAHL, helped his game when he went to the collegiate level where the play and intensity was higher. Kaplan went on to play in the NCAA with Sacred Heart University and University of Vermont. He suited up in 107 for Sacred Heart and tallied 25 goals with 31 assist. During his lone season with the University of Vermont, he played in nine games with one goal and assist. “At Sacred Heart, we were building my first couple of years there, so it was more about just learning structure, details, and then catching up to the speed at the end. You're practicing so hard every day. It's kind of just like a nice runway into pro where you're playing hockey every day. There's less games, but they're intense games in all of them matter. So it kind of prepares you for that in a sense where, you know, if you're making a playoff push, like those game one to game 25 matters, similar in a way here that you know, they catch up whether you win or lose. So just being good every game and you also the competition and the lineup. that goes a long way as well.”

Signing the first professional contract is a dream for many players. After the season that was filled with uncertainty for many players, including Kaplan. He decided to forego the fifth year at University of Vermont and turn professional. He signed his first pro contract with the AHL Utica Comets and was assigned to the Adirondack Thunder. In the 2021-2022 season, Kaplan dressed in 65 games and notched 11 goals with 21 assists. “I signed with the Utica Comets my first year, that was cool. It was obviously a surprise after a COVID year where it was weird, like not everybody played full seasons. So I was actually supposed to go back to Vermont for that year, but just given the circumstances, I thought it was time, I was just getting to that age, it was time to go pro. Honestly, No one played pro hockey in my family before me, so it was kind of an eye opener that you were coming into pro just with numbers and contracts and just learning how to deal with all that and kind of the things you can't control. So that was a learning experience for myself as well, but it was good, and I think it was it was an important year for me, obviously, to just experience that and get through.”

In the ECHL, there is always movement, every day, every week. Most players are subject to that movement. Kaplan was no exception. In his second season, he played for Norfolk Admirals, Reading Royals, Newfoundland Growlers, and Worcester Railers. With all of that movement, Kaplan only played in 22 games that season and notched one goal and three assists. For Kaplan, it was learning the league and to go with the flow. “Well, for those that know that ECHL, there's a lot of movement on the league. And unfortunately, I got caught in a spot where you're kind of coming in for a week, helping a team out when they have injuries and whatnot, and then guys are healthy again or guys get sent down. So there's really only a certain number of spots and there was 10 phones at that time, too. So it was like when those guys come down, you gotta go find a new spot. And sometimes it's not how you play, but it's just how things shake out. And so battling through that was it was a tough year mentally for me as a challenge. But I think learning from it and just kind of working to make sure that doesn't happen again has been a huge thing for me. And just finding a spot.”

Electing to go overseas is something that players do for a multitude of reasoning. In the 2022-2023 season, Kaplan went and played for Saale Bulls Halle in the Germany3 league. He dressed in 11 games and tallied four goals and six assists. Kaplan touches on the differences that are overseas compared to North American hockey. “it's a lot, a lot more tactical. There's a lot more east west. And just like, I mean, there's a lot more control in the game in the East West, like I said, and like a lot more five man unit play. So it's just a little bit more different. Not a lot of dumping and chasing, so I think that was another thing that helped me kind of with puck possession play, was just being over there for a few months and seeing that different part of the game.”

Ice hockey was a dream for Kaplan, along with his brother Devin. Devin is currently on an NHL contract with the Philadelphia Flyers and is assigned to the AHL Lehigh Valley Phantoms. Kaplan speaks on what it is like to grow up and chase the dream with his younger brother, and it’s all about competition for the Kaplan brothers. “I was away, so just growing up, I went to boarding school and then juniors in college. So I was out of the house a while, when summers came around, we were always working out, training together, really tight, and all three of us, we were very similar people, in the sense we're competitive. We all love sports and hockey, so it's nice just hanging out with them in the summers and we try to make each other better. We're challenging each other every day. We worked out in the gym. It's, you know, we're competing there too.”

As a forward, that position has decisions to make along the lines of passing, shooting, and skating with the puck. The position is create scoring opportunities and score goals. Kaplan touches on what factors he considers when he has to make those decisions. “Honestly, I've developed as kind of as I've come into professional. I used to kind of go into game with pre-determined ideas of what I was going to do, but I think what is happening is thinking about taking what's given to you, and not trying to force plays, instead of having something predetermined in your head. Playing with your head up and seeing how it develops and making your decision from there is sort of how I've been operating the past few years and where I think it's been doing well.”

The motivation and love for the game is what gets most players to get up every day and practice and play to their hearts content. Kaplan is no different with his determination and will for the game. “I think just my love for that game, like, I don't really see it as sometimes it's tough whether you're tired or whatever, but when you think about it, I don't know, it get spoiled down, it's really just hockey and that's where I grew up wring and fun for hockey. So I try not to think about what's hard and think about what I enjoy.”

Communicating with linemates is a major thing teams must do in order to have the chemistry throughout the season, whether it be on ice or off ice. “Making sure we're always talking. To me chemistry is a huge thing, especially in this league where there's a lot of movement. I think being with a line is an advantage and just staying in contact and constant communication of, hey, this is a play I see or my tendency is, hey, I like to do this. I think that that can build kind of that chemistry and strength in a lot. “

As players get older, the pregame routine either changes, dissipates, or stays strong as it was from the very first game they ever played. “Mine varies is a bunch throughout the year as I'm getting older now, so I'll probably do a little more stretching, but I like to play sewer ball with the boys. Maybe a cup of coffee here and there. I'm not too much of a caffeine guy, but then stretch, and then it's just breathing and relaxation and just focus and trying to tap into my senses and make sure I'm here at the moment.”

- Samantha Wismer/Olde City Sports Network

- Photo Credit: Stacey Gramlich/Olde City Sports Network

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