When most kids go to college it’s about how far they can get from home. When you’re good at hockey, the priorities are different.

Noah Cates, from Stillwater, Minnesota, goes to school only 150 miles away at Duluth, but was a package deal with his older brother Jackson. Last year, their first at the program, they won a national title. Noah was drafted by the Flyers in the fifth round in 2017 and Jackson joined him at development camp last June.

These days, it’s just Noah. Jackson is out of the lineup for the University of Minnesota Duluth Bulldogs with a collarbone injury. There’s a chance he comes back if they get far enough in their quest for a repeat. Noah moved from left wing to center to try to help mitigate the loss.

“It’s definitely an adjustment, more responsibility defensively and with this time of year, playoffs and everything, you tighten it up even more,” he said. “It’s kind of a critical time of year to have that good defensive structure and mindset. Have to really dial it in and focus on the defensive side and not worry too much about offensive production or things like that.”

You’d have to go back to their USHL days, when Noah played for the Omaha Lancers and Jackson the Waterloo Black Hawks, to find them on different teams.

It might happen again next season.

In his sophomore season, the 21-year-old Noah Cates has 14 goals and 31 points in 32 games for a team that’s ranked fifth in the nation and primed to make noise as they look to head back to the Frozen Four in Detroit. There are rumblings that the Flyers are interested in signing him because he’s made so many strides in his development.

“I think I’ve grown a lot here,” he said. “The biggest thing is my strength and confidence, with the puck and without it, also having the strength to do something with it if I do find some space. Skating has been a big thing for me as well. That’s kind of been a key focus for these past couple years and I think I’ve developed pretty well here at Duluth and getting a little stronger and ready for that pro game.”

Is that something he’s thinking about in the short-term?

“You gotta keep that in the back of your mind,” he said. “You can’t really be too worried about it or these opportunities with playoffs and everything will kind of pass you by if you’re worried about that. There’s a good culture around Duluth with guys being in the present because we have a lot of guys who will have that opportunity (to turn pro) at the end of the year. They’re not one foot in, one foot out. It’s our culture here that we know we develop good players, but we’re all in when we’re here.”

He has another team to worry about first. This weekend the Bulldogs’ regular season ended with a 6-1 victory over St. Cloud State. In the first round of the NCHC playoffs they’ll host Miami (Ohio) weekend.

It’s the first step toward a repeat of Cates’ best career moment so far.

“Definitely the national championship last year,” he said. “Going to World Juniors, getting so close, it was tough coming up short in that gold medal game but kind of got right back at it two or three months later, back at it in Buffalo (for the Frozen Four) and ending up on top that time was so special. You don’t get too many opportunities to win championships. To do it with my brother and my family was there, it was just so special and such a fun group to do it with.”

Cates and others in the NCHC are the focus of this week’s prospect report with insight from Russ Cohen of sportsology.com and author of “Sticks and Stones: How College Hockey Prepares You for Life.”

* statistics as of Saturday, March 7.

Noah Cates, left wing/center, University of Minnesota Duluth Bulldogs (NCAA)

Age: 21

Height/weight: 6-foot-2, 190 pounds

Acquired: 2017 fifth-round pick (137th overall)

This season: 34 games, 14 goals, 19 assists

The skinny: One of the perceived deficiencies in Cates’ game was his skating and he seems to have addressed that this season. He’s matured to the point where it sounds like there may be a contract waiting for him when his season is over. Whether he takes it or goes back to school for a third year will be his prerogative.

Cohen’s take: “He’s reached the mountain top in college hockey with Minnesota Duluth and he told me he wants to win another championship. He has top-nine offense but was asked to play a defensive role last season and flourished. He’s been put more in an offensive role and is averaging a point-per-game this season.”

Wade Allison, right wing, Western Michigan University Broncos (NCAA)

Age: 22

Height/weight: 6-foot-2, 205 pounds

Acquired: 2016 second-round pick (52nd overall)

This season: 26 games, 10 goals, 13 assists

The skinny: This is the last kick at the can for Allison, who wanted to stay one more year to A. recover from his torn ACL, which happened more than a year ago and B. try to compete for an NCAA championship. It hasn’t been a stellar season for the Broncos, but anything can happen in the playoffs. Allison hasn’t had a great year himself, missing more time with a couple injuries, but he’s healthy (enough to play) these days.

Cohen’s take: “He has the feel of a bottom-six player now that he is still having a knee issue for two seasons now. His fast wrist shot has gotten him some goals just not as many as he used to get. He has the will and the body to be an NHLer and I think the Flyers will sign him even if he never gets higher than the AHL. He’s a great guy to have in the organization.”

Bobby Brink, right wing, Denver University Pioneers (NCAA)

Age: 18

Height/weight: 5-foot-8, 164 pounds

Acquired: 2019 second-round pick (34th overall)

This season: 28 games played, 11 goals, 13 assists

The skinny: Brink hasn’t played since Valentine’s Day with an injury, but reportedly isn’t expected to be out long-term. The diminutive winger had a six-game point streak going when he left the lineup and had been getting better and better. For his performance in January, three goals and six assists in eight games, he was named NCHC Rookie of the Month. If he’s able to make a playoff return it should cap off a solid year.

Cohen’s take: “The 18-year-old freshman was more than holding his own this season at the University of Denver before an injury put him on the shelf. He has the skill and speed to play with top-six talent, but he has to get physically stronger to get to the next level. He has a goal scorer’s touch.”

Gavin Hain, left wing, University of North Dakota Fighting Hawks (NCAA)

Age: 19

Height/weight: 6-feet, 196 pounds

Acquired: 2018 sixth-round pick (174th overall)

This season: 28 games, 2 goals, 8 assists

The skinny: Hain has been a role player for the Fighting Hawks, the second-ranked team in the USA Today/USA Hockey Magazine weekly poll. It’s hard to tell what his upside might be because coach Brad Berry has had him in a defensive role. He’s performed well there.

Cohen’s take: “Injuries have held back his production this year. North Dakota could use his strong all-around play. He’s strong on his skates, has a low center of gravity and nice, easy release on his wrist shot. He’s been very effective in a shutdown role this year. The 19-year-old sophomore will probably need two more years in college and some AHL to see if he’s more than a potential NHL 4th liner.”

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Dave Isaac joined the Courier-Post in April 2012 after covering the Flyers for three seasons elsewhere. Contact him on Twitter @davegisaac or by email at disaac@gannett.com.

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