Report: Former Wisconsin hockey star Nic Kerdiles dies as result of motorcycle crash

Former NHL player and Wisconsin hockey star Nic Kerdiles reportedly died due to a motorcycle crash this week, according to a report from TMZ.

“Nashville PD tells us Kerdiles passed away early Saturday morning as a result of injuries sustained following an accident around 3:30 AM,” the report said. “When they say he ran through a stop sign in a residential area north of central Nashville.”

Kerdiles drove his motorcycle and reportedly struck the driver’s side of a BMW. There were no signs of impairment from either party, per TMZ’s reporting via local authorities.

Kerdiles played in the NHL from 2014-19 with the Anaheim Ducks. He spent only two seasons at Wisconsin before turning pro.

While at Wisconsin, he led the Badgers as a freshman to the Broadmoor Trophy as the WCHA playoff champion and was recognized as the MVP of the 2013 WCHA Men’s Ice Hockey Tournament.

In April of 2014, Kerdiles signed a three-year entry-level contract with the Ducks and made his professional debut in the AHL later that year in the Calder Cup playoffs with the Norfolk Admirals.

Kerdiles bounced around the minors while in the Ducks’ system. He played three NHL games in Anaheim.

“With the NHL draft being here in Nashville this week, it has me reminiscing on my draft day in 2012!,” Kerdiles wrote in an Instagram post from June.

“It was such a special moment getting to celebrate with my family on being selected 36th overall in the 2nd round by my hometown team the @anaheimducks. I will never forget the moment I got to hug my family and put that NHL jersey on for the first time.”