PHILADELPHIA — After three strong seasons with the University of Notre Dame hockey program, junior Cole Knuble has signed his Entry Level Contract with the Philadelphia Flyers. The two-year entry-level contract is set to begin with the 2026-27 season as announced by the organization Tuesday afternoon. The Grand Rapids, Michigan native finishes his Irish career with 90 points in 106 games played (30-60-90).
“The memories and friends I made at Notre Dame will last a lifetime,” Knuble said, reflecting on his three seasons in South Bend. “I have grown so much as a player and a person over the last three years and am forever grateful for my experience.
“With that being said, I have decided to take the next step in my dream of playing in the NHL and join the Flyers organization. I couldn’t be more excited for the opportunity and for the future,” he added.
Since his first season with the Irish, the forward has routinely ranked among the top scorers both within the team and the Big Ten conference. After being one of two Irish rookies to post 20-plus points in 2023-24, Knuble led the team in points as a sophomore en route to Big Ten Conference postseason honors as a Second Team honoree. His second campaign with the Irish saw him recognized as a Hobey Baker Memorial Award nominee as he registered 39 points in 34 games played. His 39 points in a season, as well as his 27 helpers, was the most by an Irish skater since the 2017-18 season.
Most recently, Knuble served as an alternate captain for the Irish throughout the 2025-26 season and combined for 31 points off nine goals and 22 assists. For the second consecutive year, he led the team in assists while his 31 points as a junior ranked third on the team.
He also spent some time internationally this past season as he was selected to compete at the Spengler Cup as a member of the U.S. Collegiate Selects team. His squad finished runners-up at the annual event with Knuble recording an assist in the championship game.
“As a program and staff we are so excited for Cole to realize a dream and sign his first NHL contract,” Catalino Family Head Hockey Coach Brock Sheahan said. “Cole has consistently been a driving force for our team the last three years, and I know that he is ready to take his game to the next level.”
Knuble came to Notre Dame following a stint with the Fargo Force of the USHL in which he was named recipient of the Curt Hammer Award, presented annually to the player who ‘distinguishes himself both on and off the ice through the course of the season by demonstrating outstanding performance, leadership, pride, and determination’. He carried those traits into his Irish career, being heavily involved in the community and serving in various leadership capacities on the team and campus community in addition to his list of accomplishments on the ice.
“I am proud of the person and player that he is today, and wish him the best of luck in his professional career,” Sheahan concluded.
Knuble ends his Irish career averaging just under a point per game, having laced up his skates in 106 contests for the Irish over his three-year span. He will report to the Flyers’ American Hockey League affiliate, the Lehigh Valley Phantoms, for the remainder of the 2025-26 season.
