Max Helgeson, a 6-foot-1, 185-pound forward from Anchorage, Alaska, is set to join the Miami RedHawks as a graduate transfer for the 2025-26 season. Helgeson, who will be 25 in December, has one year of NCAA eligibility remaining. He committed to Miami in April 2025, adding veteran experience to a team expected to be young.
Over the past three seasons, Helgeson was a key player in the rebuild of the Alaska Anchorage program. He appeared in 95 games for the Seawolves, amassing 68 points with 33 goals and 35 assists. Helgeson led the team in goals during his first two seasons, and in 2023-24, he recorded a career-best 27 points (14 goals, 13 assists). During the 2024-25 season, he was third on the team with 19 points (8 goals, 11 assists) and was one of only two players to play in all 34 games. He had a season-high three assists in a game against rival Alaska Fairbanks and had a five-game point streak in February, tallying three goals and four assists.
Before his time at UAA, Helgeson played the 2021-22 season at Lindenwood, contributing to the team's ACHA National Championship win with 23 points (11 goals, 12 assists) in 16 games. Prior to that, he spent two seasons with the Kenai River Brown Bears in the NAHL, where he accumulated 85 points (37 goals, 48 assists) and wore an "A" as an alternate captain for both years. He also served as an alternate captain for two seasons at UAA and won the program's Fan Favorite award three times.
According to UAA head coach Matt Shasby, Helgeson was instrumental in revitalizing the program as a local player. Shasby expressed his support for Helgeson's decision to gain a different experience at Miami for his final year of college hockey, noting it was the right move for both Helgeson and the UAA team.
Miami RedHawks head coach Anthony Noreen's program is anticipating a number of new faces for the 2025-26 season, with the season set to commence on October 3 against Ferris State. The addition of Helgeson, along with other transfers like Kyle Aucoin from Harvard, is expected to provide valuable experience and leadership to the RedHawks' roster.
