From UMass to Pro: Ufko Capitalizing on Deep Postseason Run with Milwaukee

Skating in his first nine career AHL starts coming out of Milwaukee's 2023-24 campaign, Ufko recorded a goal and five assists. However, the fun was just beginning.

Now 12 games into his first Calder Cup Playoffs, Ufko is just trying to enjoy the moment and help his new teammates succeed.

“It's definitely been a transition, but it's been fun for me,” Ufko said after his morning skate at the UW-Milwaukee Panther Arena on Tuesday. “I played my last game at school and then I came here and played my first game within three or four days, so it was really fast but it was fun… It's definitely a little faster, the guys are more talented than in college and some games happen faster, but I try not to think too much about it. I just play my game and focus on myself.”

To be sure, there's a lot to like about the rookie blueliner's game of course — the accolades and ratings from his final NCAA campaign are proof of that.

Ufko finished the season a finalist for the Hockey East Player of the Year Award, a Hobey Baker Award nominee, a Walter Brown Award semifinalist and a Len Ceglarski Sportsmanship Award winner. The UMass captain was also named a Hockey East First-Team All-Star and earned conference honors three times weekly, while setting an NCAA career high in goals (10) and finishing second among Minutemen defensemen in points (26).

That success has carried over to his playing at the professional level.

“He's just a steady guy,” said Admirals Head Coach Karl Taylor. “Obviously he played big minutes in college and played well for us at the end of the regular season and in the playoffs. He looks very comfortable with the puck, but what's surprising about him is that he defends very well. And so we are not afraid to use him in different situations. It's not like he's an attacking player. I think he defends very well and takes a lot of pride in that. And that goes back to his college coaches and his college team and how they prepared him and the minutes he played at that level.”

Indeed, running through the same program that produced Norris Trophy winner Cale Makar a few years ago, Ufko felt his game grow even more as his name was called by Nashville in the fourth round (115th overall) of the 2021 NHL Draft.

“I've always tried to be an offensive player, so going to Mass was perfect for me,” Ufko said. “With the progress they had with their defenders over the years, it was nothing. But all the staff there and the whole program really helped me. So that was something that I'm very proud of and very grateful for, and obviously I'm taking the next step now, we're still working on it. There is still room for improvement, but it is always a learning process.”

The rookie blueliner even got help while playing with 24-year-old defenseman Marc Del Gaizo, a Mass. classmate and owner of nine NHL games, three full AHL campaigns and three trips to the Calder Cup. Playoffs games.

“I had never played with him before, but he knew everything I was taught at Mass, just being there before me,” said Ufko. “Just helping out on the ice again — someone saying, 'It's going to be good, this is similar to what we did at UMass' or 'This is a little different' — it's definitely a good and helpful thing to have as a tool. He's been great, fun to play with and he's a great guy.”

“They both swing well, they defend well and I think they both complement each other,” said Taylor. “We are shaking things up, we played seven games [defensemen] less this year. So when that happens, the pairings change and it shakes everybody up… But those two guys play well together, they move the puck well and I think they enjoy being together.”

The pairing produced positive results for the Admirals and Ufko, who played big minutes in his first 12 AHL postseason outings and dished out six assists and one goal — a third-period insurance marker for Milwaukee in Game 5 of their Central Division series. Finals series against the Grand Rapids Griffins.