Friday Feature: Why We Love Hockey – SoCal Style
By Ed Stein
Nic Kerdiles
Born in Lewisville, TX, Nic Kerdiles moved to Irvine at the age of six. By 16, he was a member of the US National Development Team. After two years with the USNDT, he was drafted by the Ducks in round two of the entry draft (36th overall). Kerdiles didn’t sign right away, instead he went to the University of Wisconsin. Eventually, Kerdiles joined the Ducks organization after a successful sophomore year.
For the past few seasons, he has been on the cusp of making the main roster, but due to injuries or timing, has fallen just short. One distinction Kerdiles does hold is that on February 22, last year, he became the first player raised in Orange County to play for the Ducks. He is currently with Anaheim’s AHL affiliate, the San Diego Gulls.