March 7, 2025

Ferris State hockey captain Kaleb Ergang embraces leadership role for Bulldogs

There is a great deal of pride for a hockey player to have the captain’s letter stitched into his jersey, reflecting the role of a team leader.

Kaleb Ergang, a senior forward from Spruce Grove, Alberta on Ferris State University’s hockey team, is posting a solid season on the ice for the Bulldogs with a career-best 20 points on six goals and 15 assists through 33 games this season for the right-shooting scorer and playmaker.

This season, that 20-point total ranks him as the team's third-leading scorer behind sophomore Cole Burtch, with 25 points, and junior forward Caiden Gault, with 23.

Leadership matters for these Bulldogs.

Junior defenseman Travis Shoudy is the Bulldog captain, named to that role last spring. Ergang, senior defenseman Nico DeVita, senior forward Nick Nardecchia are the assistant captains.

Whether it's a "C" for captain or an "A" for alternate captain on the chest of a player’s hockey sweater, being a captain is bigger than goals and assists.

"Being a captain on this team means a lot to me, and it is more than just having a letter on my jersey," he said. "Knowing that my teammates trust me in a role like this is a great responsibility that I am honored to have on this team. I believe that being a leader on this team means it is my job to be someone my teammates can look up to on and off the ice. Being respectful on and off the ice is something that I pride myself on, and having a strong attitude is what I try to do every day."

Ergang accepts that leadership responsibility enthusiastically.

"I am blessed to be a captain for this organization, and it is something I will never take for granted."

The Bulldogs are 13-18-3 this season overall and 12-13-1 in the Central Collegiate Hockey Association standings as they prepare for the CCHA Mason Cup Playoffs this weekend at St. Thoams.

Ferris State closed the regular-season last week against Northern Michigan, honoring head coach Bob Daniels in celebration of the decorated career of the 33-year Ferris State hockey coach retiring at the end of the season.

Ferris State has gone 7-3-1 in its last 11 contests entering postseason play.

"When we are playing well, we are all on the same page," said Ergang, who has 48 career points on 18 goals and 30 assists. "We truly play together as a group and all five players on the ice at the time know what we are trying to accomplish. Off the ice, we are holding each other accountable but also staying positive. It is important that we don't get too high or too low and that is when we are at our best."

The 5-foot-10 forward's outlook as a senior reflects his growth since his freshman year.

"When I look back at my freshman year and compare it to where I am now, I would say that I have grown a lot mentally more than anything. Throughout my underclass years, I had a lot of ups and downs, and mentally, I wasn't strong enough to stay even quite yet," said Ergang, who played hockey at the junior level for the Whitecourt Wolverines of the Alberta Junior Hockey League where he was one of the team's top scorers. "These last two years, I have worked a lot on the mental side of the game and have grown as a person and player. With age comes more knowledge and experience and I feel I am a lot wiser than I was my freshman year."

Ergang is grateful to the teammates and coaches he has been surrounded by as a Bulldog.

"My current and prior teammates, as well as coaches and staff, have guided me to becoming a man throughout my four years here," he said.

As Ergang's career winds down, though he is no hurry for it to end, he reflects fondly on his initial attraction to Ferris State, which started with a conversation with longtime associate head coach Drew Famulak.

"After initially talking with coach Famulak, I was able to look into what Ferris State has to offer academically and athletically," Ergang said. "Ferris was a school that was on my radar due to the history of its hockey program. When I got offered to play here, it was a no-brainer for me."

The Bulldogs still have work to do on the ice, but with graduation coming up, Ergang does have to keep an eye on his future – beyond college hockey.

"I am a Business Administration major, and I am scheduled to graduate in the summer of 2025," he said. "I chose this program because it has such a wide variety of options that can come because of it. After hockey, I hope to use this major and feel confident about entering the business world after attaining this degree."