Noah Cates Bio
Noah Allen Cates is an American professional ice hockey left winger for the Philadelphia Flyers of the National Hockey League (NHL). Born on February 5, 1999, in Stillwater, Minnesota, he was drafted 137th overall by the Flyers in the 2017 NHL Entry Draft after a standout college career with the Minnesota Duluth Bulldogs. Standing 6 feet 2 inches tall and weighing 194 pounds, Cates has built a reputation as a dependable two-way forward who excels at both ends of the ice.
Beyond his club duties, Cates has represented the United States in international competition, serving as an alternate captain at the 2022 Winter Olympics in Beijing. He began his NHL career in 2022 and quickly became a regular in the Flyers’ lineup, valued for his hockey sense, defensive responsibility, and quiet leadership in the locker room.
Early Life and Background
Noah Allen Cates was born on February 5, 1999, in Stillwater, Minnesota, to Jeff and Jenny Cates. Hockey runs deep in the family. His father Jeff won the 1988 NCAA Division III men’s ice hockey tournament with the Wisconsin–River Falls Falcons, while his uncle Jay played three seasons of college ice hockey with the Minnesota Golden Gophers. Growing up in Stillwater, Cates was constantly around the game and developed his earliest skills practicing in his basement with his older brother, Jackson.
The brothers played on the same childhood teams, and Noah continued to develop as a member of the Stillwater Area High School ice hockey program. His overtime goal that sent his team to the state tournament was featured on SportsCenter, an early sign of his knack for the dramatic. The following year, he produced 20 goals and 65 points in 25 games for the Ponies, drawing attention from junior and NHL scouts alike.
Rather than enroll in college immediately after graduating in 2017, Cates chose to spend time in the United States Hockey League (USHL) to add size and strength to his frame. The Omaha Lancers had selected him in Phase I of the 2015 USHL Draft, and he joined the team for the remainder of the 2016–17 season, recording two goals and five assists in 11 games.
Path to Professional Hockey
Cates opened the 2017–18 USHL season slowly but caught fire as the year went on, finishing with 21 goals and 55 points in 60 games for the Omaha Lancers, along with a plus-21 rating. That same spring, the Philadelphia Flyers selected him in the fifth round, 137th overall, of the 2017 NHL Entry Draft. The pick proved to be one of the more fruitful late-round selections in recent Flyers history.
After his USHL stint, Cates committed to the Minnesota Duluth Bulldogs of the National Collegiate Hockey Conference (NCHC), joining the program for the 2018–19 season. He made an immediate impact, scoring his first college goal the day after his debut and helping Duluth capture the 2019 NCAA Division I men’s ice hockey championship as a freshman, even finding the back of the net in the 3–0 title-game victory over UMass. He was named to the NCHC All-Rookie Team and was a finalist for NCHC Rookie of the Year.
Cates went on to earn All-NCHC honors in each of his four college seasons and was voted team captain in his final two years, becoming the first junior captain at Duluth since Adam Krause in 2014. He finished his college career with 39 goals and 99 points in 139 games, then signed a two-year entry-level contract with the Flyers on March 27, 2022, choosing to turn pro at the conclusion of his senior season.
Noah Cates Career
Early Career (2018–2022)
Noah Cates joined the Minnesota Duluth Bulldogs for the 2018–19 season and quickly established himself as one of the most consistent performers in the NCHC. During his freshman year, he moved to the top line alongside Peter Krieger and Nick Swaney, with the trio combining for 10 goals and 18 points in their first 18 games of the calendar year. He recorded his first multi-goal game on March 1 against the Miami RedHawks, earning NCHC Offensive Player of the Week honors. He finished the year with nine goals and 23 points and helped Duluth win the 2019 NCAA title.
As a sophomore in 2019–20, Cates played on a line with his brother Jackson and earned All-NCHC First Team and AHCA All-American Second Team recognition before the season was cut short by the COVID-19 pandemic. After being named Duluth’s captain for 2020–21, he shifted to center full time and was named to the All-NCHC Second Team, despite a dip in offensive production. In his senior year, Cates served as team captain again, was an All-NCHC Honorable Mention, and balanced his college schedule with a trip to the 2022 Winter Olympics before turning professional.
Philadelphia Flyers Era (2022–Present)
Cates made his NHL debut on March 29, 2022, starting on the left wing against his hometown Minnesota Wild, and scored his first NHL goal on April 5 against the Columbus Blue Jackets. He finished his first NHL stint with five goals and nine points in 16 games, earning praise from interim coach Mike Yeo for his maturity and hockey sense.
During his first full NHL season in 2022–23, Cates was one of only four rookie forwards to play all 82 games, posting 13 goals and 38 points while leading all Flyers forwards with 1,456 minutes of ice time. Head coach John Tortorella initially moved him to center to fill in for an injured Sean Couturier, and Cates eventually found chemistry on a line with Joel Farabee and Travis Konecny. He re-signed with the Flyers as a restricted free agent on July 10, 2023, agreeing to a two-year, $5.25 million contract.
The 2023–24 season proved more difficult. Cates was dropped from the first to the fourth line in November as his offensive production stalled, and on November 25 he fractured his foot blocking a shot against the New York Islanders, ending a 119-game iron-man streak. He missed 22 games and finished the year with six goals and 18 points in 59 games, later describing the campaign as a period of personal struggle.
Philadelphia Flyers Breakthrough (2024–2026)
After being a healthy scratch for four of the Flyers’ first five games in 2024–25, Cates carved out a role as a penalty-kill specialist and earned comparisons to Couturier for his defensive play. He later found offensive chemistry on a line with Bobby Brink and Tyson Foerster, embarking on a five-game goal streak in December and helping that trio become the Flyers’ most-used forward combination. Cates received the Gene Hart Memorial Award at the team’s end-of-season banquet as the player who best demonstrated heart throughout the year, finishing with 16 goals and 37 points in 78 games.
On June 3, 2025, Cates signed a four-year, $16 million extension with the Flyers, cementing his long-term place in Philadelphia. In 2025–26, he set new career highs with 18 goals and 47 points in 82 regular-season games, then made his Stanley Cup playoff debut against the Pittsburgh Penguins in the first round of the 2026 playoffs, scoring his first postseason goal in Game 3. He recorded one goal and three assists in eight postseason games before suffering a fractured foot in Game 2 of the second-round series against the Carolina Hurricanes, ending his postseason.
Driving Style and Strengths
Cates is widely regarded as a coach’s player whose game is built on hockey sense, defensive detail, and reliability in all three zones. He is comfortable playing both center and wing, blocks shots willingly, and has developed into one of the Flyers’ most trusted penalty killers, drawing frequent comparisons to Couturier for his two-way consistency and commitment to the harder areas of the ice.
Notable Events and Milestones
Cates scored the game-winning overtime goal for Stillwater Area High School that was featured on SportsCenter, won the 2019 NCAA championship as a freshman, served as an alternate captain for Team USA at the 2022 Winter Olympics, and netted his first NHL goal on April 5, 2022, against the Columbus Blue Jackets. He later played all 82 games as a rookie in 2022–23 and won the Gene Hart Memorial Award in 2024–25.
Noah Cates International Play
Noah Cates made his international debut with the United States at the 2019 World Junior Ice Hockey Championships in Canada, where he finished with one goal and three points in seven games while playing a prominent role on the penalty kill. He scored his lone goal of the tournament against the Czech Republic in the quarterfinals off an assist from Jack Hughes, helping the United States capture a silver medal after a 3–2 loss to Finland in the final.
At the 2022 Winter Olympics in Beijing, Cates was one of 15 college players named to the United States men’s national team and served as an alternate captain behind captain Andy Miele. Playing wing on the third line, he recorded one goal in four games before Team USA was eliminated in a quarterfinal loss to Slovakia. He had previously helped the United States to a silver medal at the 2019 World Juniors and the 2022 Olympic appearance further cemented his role as a trusted national-team performer.
Noah Cates Family
Family Background and Hockey Lineage
Noah Cates was raised in Stillwater, Minnesota, by his parents Jeff and Jenny Cates, in a household where hockey was a central part of family life. His father Jeff won the 1988 NCAA Division III men’s ice hockey tournament with the Wisconsin–River Falls Falcons, and his uncle Jay played three seasons of college hockey with the Minnesota Golden Gophers, giving Noah a deep family connection to the game.
Personal Life
Noah’s older brother, Jackson Cates, also pursued a professional hockey career and made his NHL debut with the Philadelphia Flyers in 2021. Jackson has more recently appeared with the Rockford IceHogs, the American Hockey League (AHL) affiliate of the Chicago Blackhawks. The two brothers played on the same childhood teams and later shared a line together at the University of Minnesota Duluth.
2025 Season Performance
The 2024–25 season marked a turning point for Noah Cates in Philadelphia. After beginning the year as a healthy scratch, he settled into a defensive role as a penalty-kill specialist and later found a productive offensive groove on a line with Bobby Brink and Tyson Foerster. The trio combined for 25 points in their first 15 games together, with Cates riding a five-game goal streak in December. He played 78 games, recording 16 goals and 37 points, and was recognized with the Gene Hart Memorial Award for his heart and consistency.
Building on that momentum, Cates signed a four-year, $16 million contract extension with the Flyers on June 3, 2025, a clear signal that the organization views him as a core part of its long-term plan. The deal reflected his growth into one of the team’s most trusted two-way forwards and a quiet leader in the locker room.
Looking ahead to the 2025–26 season and beyond, Cates has set his sights on continuing to develop his offensive game while maintaining the defensive reliability that has defined his career. With a stable contract, an expanded leadership role, and a clear niche on the penalty kill, he is expected to remain a fixture in the Flyers’ top nine and a candidate for increased responsibility as the team continues its rebuild.
