After spending four years with Cornell men’s hockey, senior forward and captain Alex Rauter is moving on to the pros.
The New Jersey native is shipping off to Atlanta, where he will join the ECHL’s Gladiators, an affiliate of the Boston Bruins. The ECHL is one step below the AHL, which is considered the primary developmental league for the NHL.
“I actually don’t know anybody on the [Gladiators],” Rauter said. “[There’s] not a single guy I’ve ever played with before.”
In his four seasons at Cornell, Rauter totaled 20 goals and 23 assists in a total of 93 games played. In his final two seasons he played in all but one of Cornell’s games.
In his final season in the carnelian and white, Rauter was among the most instrumental leaders on a team that produced one of the program’s best seasons in history. Named a captain prior to the season along with junior Mitch Vanderlaan, Rauter became one of the faces of Cornell men’s hockey throughout the year.
Head coach Mike Schafer ’86 reflected on the senior’s growth and progress on and off the ice after the team’s season-ending loss to Boston University in the NCAA Tournament.
“[Rauter is] a guy that had to work hard … just to make sure he [could be] a part of our program,” Schafer said. “To a guy who’s our captain and representing our program. That’s a hell of a story.”
The loss to B.U., coupled with a defeat at the hands of Princeton in the ECAC semifinal, represented a bitter end to Rauter’s collegiate career, but the senior expressed his excitement to move on to a new experience.
“It’s kind of exciting, obviously a sad end to my college career, not the result we wanted,” Rauter said. “But that’s kind of how it goes. I’m looking forward to meeting [my new teammates].”
Rauter is eligible to join the team on Saturday.