Still ineligible for NCAA play 10 weeks and 16 games into the 2025-26 season, freshman goalie Shika Gadzhiev will ‘pursue other hockey opportunities’, Miami said in a brief press release on Thursday.
Gadzhiev was left in limbo by college sports’ governing body until late November, but the RedHawks’ camp was optimistic he would secure eligibility quickly after he passed an in-person high school equivalency in person in Slovakia two weeks ago.
“Miami and Gadzhiev have actively worked for many months to try and get (Shika) cleared by the NCAA for competition, but despite those efforts, he currently remains ineligible for Division I hockey,” the two-paragraph release read.
Gadzhiev was considered the favorite to win the starting job in net this season after leading USHL Muskegon to a Clark Cup championship. Fortunately for Miami, Matteo Drobac has stepped in played every minute this season, posting a 10-6 record including a pair of shutouts and a .900 save percentage.
Montreal-based director of scouting Jerome Berube reported on X that Mathis Langevin from Rimouski of the QMJHL has left that team and will join Miami, and North Dakota beat writer Brad Schlossman reposted his tweet.
Langevin, who turns 20 next month, backstopped Rimouski to the 2024-25 Gilles-Courteau Trophy final, which Oceanic lost, 4-games-to-2. Langevin posted a 1.57 goals-against average and a .944 save percentage in 18 games during that run.
This season, Langevin has an .891 save percentage and a GAA of 3.74 in 10 games as that team’s backup. The three-year QMJHL veteran recorded a .912 save percentage in 20 regular season games last season between Acadie-Bathurst and Rimouski.
VFG reached out to Miami coach Anthony Noreen early Thursday evening but he said he wouldn’t comment at this time beyond the released statement.
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