Tragic Motorcycle Crash Claims Nic Kerdiles, Shakes SoCal Hockey Community.
The Tragic Loss of Nic Kerdiles: Remembering a Hockey Star
The Southern California hockey community is in shock and mourning after the untimely death of Nic Kerdiles, a former Anaheim Ducks forward. In the early hours of September 23, Kerdiles tragically lost his life in a motorcycle accident in Nashville, Tennessee.
Kerdiles, a talented player who grew up in Irvine, California, was a standout captain for the LA Selects’ 1994-birth-year team. He had the honor of being the only Orange County native to ever play for the NHL club. The news of his passing has left his former coach, Louis Pacella, and others who knew him well struggling to come to terms with the heartbreaking reality.
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“Nic was only 29 years old. He had his whole life ahead of him,” expressed Mr. Pacella to The Epoch Times. ”It’s devastating to think about what happened and why. He should have been at an NHL training camp right now, in the prime of his career. But that’s not how it turned out, and now he’s gone.”
According to a preliminary investigation by Nashville police, Kerdiles ran a stop sign while riding his motorcycle at around 3:30 a.m. Central time. He collided with a BMW sports-utility vehicle at an intersection in a residential area of north Nashville. Neither driver showed signs of impairment, and no charges were expected.
Kerdiles was transported to Vanderbilt University Medical Center, where he tragically passed away.
“Nic was always such a kind-hearted and intelligent person. It’s hard to believe something like this could happen to him,” shared Christian Rendino, a former teammate from the LA Selects. “When you see someone who was a leader on a successful team, you expect nothing but success for them. But what hurts the most is thinking about his family. He was incredibly close to his sisters. I used to spend time at their house, and you could see the strong bond they had.”
Born in Lewisville, Texas, Kerdiles spent his early childhood in France before his family moved to Irvine, California. He is survived by his father Michel, mother Nathalie, and sisters Marine and Mailys.
Early reports of his death focused on his former engagement to reality television personality Savannah Chrisley, which Mr. Pacella found inappropriate.
“That’s not who Nic was. He was more than just a hockey player. He was an exceptional young man with so much potential. He was looking forward to the next chapter of his life,” Mr. Pacella emphasized.
The hockey community, including former Ducks coach Dallas Eakins, expressed their grief and support. Eakins, who coached Kerdiles in the Ducks’ American League farm team, posted a heartfelt message on social media from Australia, where he was representing the NHL Coaches Association.
“I am absolutely heartbroken by this news,” wrote Eakins. “Nic was an amazing kid who always prioritized others. He had a positive impact on his teammates, friends, and family. May his kind soul rest in peace.”
Kerdiles left the LA Select ’94s, a team that regularly competed in USA Hockey’s national championship tournaments, at the age of 16 to join the U.S. National Team Development Program in Ann Arbor, Michigan. He excelled there, winning two gold medals in the under-18 World Championships, before playing two successful seasons at the University of Wisconsin.
Selected by the Ducks in the second round of the 2012 NHL draft, Kerdiles played in a total of three regular-season games and four Stanley Cup playoff contests for Anaheim in 2017 and 2018. He recorded one career point, an assist in the 2017 Western Conference final playoff series against the Nashville Predators.
In 2018, the Ducks traded him to the Winnipeg Jets in exchange for forward Chase De Leo. However, Kerdiles only appeared in three games for the Jets’ American League affiliate, the Manitoba Moose, during the 2018-19 season.
Due to recurring concussions, Kerdiles made the difficult decision to retire from hockey. He had found success as a real estate agent in Nashville, but there were reportedly challenging times along the way.
T.J. Sneath, another former LA Selects teammate who continues to play professional hockey, maintained a close friendship with Kerdiles over the years. They last spoke just a couple of weeks ago.
“I know he had been dealing with mental struggles, but he seemed to be doing better in recent months,” shared Sneath with The Epoch Times. “This time last year, he was going through a tough time mentally. I reached out to him more frequently after his career ended because I knew he would be in a difficult headspace. He did struggle, but like everything else in his life, he found a way to overcome it. He always found a way to make things work.”
Mr. Pacella, who considers Kerdiles a part of his family, reflected on their first meeting during tryouts for the 2004 team representing Southern California in the prestigious Brick Invitational tournament in Edmonton, Alberta.
“He was wearing a green roller hockey jersey, and he wasn’t the best player, but he had the biggest smile on his face, and he loved it,” reminisced Mr. Pacella. “He worked incredibly hard and made the team. Throughout that season, he went from being the weakest player to one of the most highly sought-after 16-year-olds in California.”
Everything changed for Kerdiles when he experienced a growth spurt, reaching over 6 feet tall and fully developing his skills.
“After that, his career skyrocketed, and everyone looked up to Nic as the standard-setter,” added Rendino, Kerdiles’ former teammate. “When we needed a crucial goal or a game-changing play, Nic was the one we relied on. He was our leader, our go-to guy. We all followed Nic, without a doubt.”
Ironically, Kerdiles himself remained unimpressed by his own success.
“Nic was a prodigy from a young age, but he never let it get to his head,” said Sneath. “That’s what I admired and respected about him. He treated everyone with respect, and it made you want to do the same for him.”
How has the loss of Nic Kerdiles impacted the hockey community in Southern California?
Med to be in a good place recently,” Sneath said. “It’s devastating to think that he’s gone now. We were not only teammates but also close friends. I will miss him greatly.”
The loss of Nic Kerdiles has sent shockwaves through the hockey community in Southern California and beyond. His talent and potential were evident from a young age, and he had a promising career ahead of him. But more than his accomplishments on the ice, Kerdiles will be remembered for his kind-hearted nature and the positive impact he had on those around him.
As the community continues to mourn this
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