Chase Bradley is Chasing The Dream
By Kendall Silva
Feb 18, 2025
Rookie left-winger Chase Bradley made his debut in the AHL and NHL all within his first season with the Colorado Eagles. Starting off strong, he has put up nine goals and four assists for the Eagles in 39 games.
Bradley chose to pursue his hockey goals with the University of Connecticut after high school to gain invaluable experience to better his pursuit of a career at the pro level. Throughout his three years with the Huskies, he was able to add 25 goals and 26 assists to his resume.
“I thought I just needed more time to develop, and I think college is a great route and great opportunity for that,” Bradley said. “You get four years of all-day hockey, so it was definitely one of the best choices I made.”
The three-year stint Bradley had in Connecticut helped him prepare for his introduction into the AHL and NHL. Although playing in the NCAA feels pretty similar to him, the game has its differences. “I think it is a pretty similar game, especially the division that I was in, Hockey East. I think it’s a big physical game mixed with some skills, so I think that it was a perfect fit,” Bradley said. “But speed is definitely different, guys hold on to pucks a little more here to be able to make some plays.”
Bradley was originally drafted by the Detroit Red Wings in the seventh round of the 2020 NHL Entry Draft, but ultimately signed with the Colorado Avalanche, all before stepping a skate on to AHL ice. However, the Eagles fans have made the impact to make that move a blessing. “The best fans in the league,” Bradley said. “Loud every game…and it’s like a sixth player out on the ice.”
Hockey has always been a staple in Bradley’s life, in big part to his father and siblings who paved the way for his introduction to the sport and love of the game. “My dad played growing up until high school and I’ve got two other siblings,” Bradley said. “It was a lot of street hockey, a lot of fights so, I would say they were definitely an impact on me.”
Bradley has had an extensive career in hockey, so it was a hard choice on what his favorite memory has been so far, but ultimately, his first playoff win with the University of Connecticut came out on top. “It’s hard to pick, but my freshman year at UConn we won our first playoff game in school history. I think that was a pretty cool moment, for the staff especially, for everything they did for all of us throughout the years,” Bradley said. “And then especially for the guys, the amount of work we put in to get to that point. It was an unbelievable feeling.”
Getting to play two games with the Avalanche is not something Bradley takes for granted and has made it an experience he can use to drive himself to be able to get back up to the NHL. “It was an amazing experience, wouldn’t trade it for the world obviously. I got to learn a lot when I was up there. So, I will take that for what it was and use it to motivate me.” Bradley’s ‘why’ is pretty clear, brotherhood. Sport is a beacon for bringing people together, whether that be the fans or the players themselves. Rallying around a common goal has the power to make the most unlikely of people come together. “The brotherhood. You get to meet a lot of people along the way, whether it’s coaching staff, players, or even fans,” Bradley said. “I think that’s the best part of the game, and I think it’s a major reason why I play it.”
