2024-25 Season in Review
A Year of Grit, Growth and Milestones
After posting a 34-32-4-2 record and securing seventh place in the AHL’s Pacific Division, the Tucson Roadrunners clinched a Calder Cup Playoff berth for a franchise-record third straight season. It marked Tucson’s fifth postseason appearance in nine seasons and continued a trend of consistent success under Head Coach Steve Potvin.
The Roadrunners pushed the second-seeded Abbotsford Canucks to the brink in their best-of-three First Round series, earning their first playoff win since 2023 and coming within one game of advancing to the Second Round for just the second time in team history.
While the season didn’t end in a championship, it was defined by resilience, growth, and memorable moments. Several players reached career milestones, promising prospects took major steps forward, and the team battled its way into the postseason for the fourth time in as many seasons with Potvin behind the bench.
From statement wins and standout performances to milestone moments and breakout campaigns, here’s a look back at the highlights from the Roadrunners’ 2024-25 season.
The Mayor of Tucson:
The 2024-25 campaign was a breakout year for forward Cameron Hebig, affectionately known as “The Mayor of Tucson” as the team’s longest-tenured player. In his fifth season with the Roadrunners, the 28-year-old fan favorite from Saskatoon, Saskatchewan posted a career-high 47 points (26g, 21a) over 67 games—leading the team in goals and finishing second in total scoring.
Hebig’s 26 goals doubled his previous career best, while his 21 assists also marked a personal high. He tallied a team-best four multi-goal games, and on January 3, recorded his first career hat trick in a 6-3 win over Texas. In addition, Hebig was one of only two Roadrunners to notch goals in four straight games (Jan. 11–20) and one of just two to post an eight-game point streak this season. He also joined a short list of Tucson skaters to score both a shorthanded and power-play goal during the campaign.
His stellar season earned him his first AHL All-Star selection and a two-way NHL contract midseason—further proof of his impact both on and off the ice.
Hebig also etched his name into the Roadrunners record book. On March 28 against the San Diego Gulls, he played in his 280th career game with Tucson, passing former defenseman Dysin Mayo to become the franchise’s all-time leader in games played.
And games played isn’t the only place he ranks among the franchise greats. Hebig now sits third all-time in goals (63), seventh in assists (70), and third in total points (133)—firmly cementing his legacy in Southern Arizona.
Career-High Seasons:
Hebig wasn’t the only Roadrunner to enjoy a career-best season in 2024-25. Several Tucson skaters hit new personal milestones and played key roles in the team’s postseason push.
In his first season wearing the “C,” forward Austin Poganski delivered a captain’s campaign to remember. The 29-year-old from St. Cloud, Minnesota, set career highs across the board with 15 goals, 26 assists, 41 points, and a +15 rating in 71 games. His +15 was the second-best on the team, while he ranked third in assists, fifth in total points, and sixth in goals. Poganski also helped spark the offense early—he scored in the opening minute of a game three times and tallied Tucson’s first goal six times, the second-most on the team. Not bad for a player who joined the Roadrunners on a professional tryout just one season ago. He also missed only one game all year.
Just two Roadrunners dressed for all 72 games this season: forward Egor Sokolov and defenseman Robbie Russo. For Sokolov, the 2024-25 campaign was another example of his consistency and offensive punch. In his fifth AHL season—and first with Tucson after being acquired in a trade with the Belleville Senators for Jan Jeník last summer—the 25-year-old winger from Yekaterinburg, Russia hit the 70-game mark for the third straight year and reached the 20-goal plateau once again. He finished with a career-high 22 goals to rank second on the team, along with 44 points (third on the team) and four game-winning goals (tied for second). Sokolov was a regular contributor on special teams, tying for the team lead in power-play goals (7) and ranking third in multi-point games (9) and power-play points (14).
On the blue line, second-year pro Max Szuber took a major step forward in his development. The 22-year-old from Opole, Poland built on his strong rookie season with a career-best 25 assists and 32 points in 65 appearances. He also matched his seven-goal output from last year and netted his first career power-play goal on March 12 against Ontario. Szuber led all Roadrunner defensemen in goals and ranked second among the group in assists, points, power-play points (13), and multi-point games (4). He finished the regular season on a high note, riding a career-long seven-game point streak into the finale with a goal and six assists in that stretch. It was also the longest point streak among Tucson blueliners this season.
Playoff Performers
After standout regular seasons, Roadrunners alternate captains Travis Barron and Ben McCartney stepped up again in the postseason. Both recorded three-point games during Tucson’s first-round series against the Canucks—joining Rochester’s Kale Clague as the only AHL skaters to do so in the opening round. Their three points led the Roadrunners in playoff scoring.
Barron opened the series with a goal and two assists in Game 1, marking both his first career playoff goal and first multi-point playoff performance. McCartney followed with two goals and an assist in Game 2, notching his first postseason goal along with his first multi-goal and multi-point playoff outing.
Rookie defenseman Artem Duda also made an early impact. The 21-year-old scored his first career playoff goal in Game 1 and added an assist in Game 2—making him the only Roadrunner to tally points in multiple games during the series. He also led all Roadrunner defensemen in playoff scoring.
Fellow blueliner Montana Onyebuchi and Hebig each recorded their first career playoff point with an assist in Game 1.
In net, Roadrunners goaltender Jaxson Stauber shined in the 2025 Calder Cup Playoffs, starting two games for Tucson in their first-round series against Abbotsford. He recorded a playoff career-high 38 saves in Game 2 for his first postseason win. It was the most saves by a Roadrunners goalie in a playoff game in franchise history. He followed that up with another stellar outing in Game 3, stopping 34 shots, including 19 in the first period alone. Over the final two games of the series, Stauber stopped 72 of 77 shots, finishing the series with a 1-1 record, a 2.61 GAA and a .935 SV%. He has made 34 saves or more in all three of his career playoff starts.
Roadrunners Take Flight to the NHL
Through their continued development in the AHL, several Roadrunners made meaningful contributions at the NHL level during the 2024-25 campaign.
Second-year pro Josh Doan graduated to the NHL after making Utah’s roster out of training camp and continued seasoning in the AHL. The 23-year-old Scottsdale native recorded one goal and one assist in nine games before being assigned to Tucson on October 29. He thrived in the AHL, tallying 26 points (11g, 15a) in 28 games before being recalled to Utah on January 10. Doan finished his first full NHL season with 19 points (7g, 12a) in 51 games.
Similar to Doan, Kailer Yamamoto began the season with Utah and was reassigned to Tucson in late October. He quickly emerged as one of the top offensive threats in the AHL, finishing the regular season as the Roadrunners’ scoring leader with 56 points (20g, 36a) in just 54 games. He also led the team in assists, multi-point games (15), and tied for the lead in power-play production with 16 points (7g, 9a). Yamamoto was recalled to Utah on March 26 and contributed three points (2g, 1a) in nine NHL appearances before returning to Tucson for the Calder Cup Playoffs.
Just two days after Yamamoto’s recall, goaltender Matthew Villalta earned his second career NHL call-up—his first with Utah—on March 28. The 25-year-old made his NHL debut on April 14 and earned his first win with 28 saves in Utah’s 7-3 victory over the Nashville Predators. In Tucson, Villalta led the team with 43 starts—second-most in the AHL—and went 18-22-3-4 with a 3.03 goals-against average and .905 save percentage. He also posted a career-high four shutouts, tied for sixth in the league.
Villalta’s goaltending partner, Stauber, also spent time in both leagues. After starting the season with the Roadrunners, Stauber was recalled by Utah on November 20. He made six NHL appearances in 2024-25, going 2-1-1 with a 3.26 GAA and .892 SV%. His Utah debut was a milestone moment—he stopped all 29 shots he faced in a 6-0 shutout win over the Vegas Golden Knights on November 30, marking both the first shutout of his NHL career and the first in Utah franchise history. With Tucson, Stauber appeared in 21 games, recording a 12-7-2 mark with a 3.14 GAA and .897 SV%.
Rookie defenseman Maveric Lamoureux made his NHL debut this season. The 21-year-old from Laval, Quebec was called up to Utah on Oct. 23 and recorded three points (1g, 2a), a +3 rating, and 42 penalty minutes across 15 NHL games. He scored his first-career NHL goal in his fourth game on Oct. 30 in Utah’s 5-1 victory over the Calgary Flames. The 6-foot-6, 196-pound blue liner returned to Tucson in mid-January and notched 13 points (2g, 11a) in 42 AHL games this year. Lamoureux also posted the second-longest point streak by a Roadrunners defenseman this season, collecting six points (2g, 4a) across five straight games.
Next Wave of Talent
Including Lamoureux, six Roadrunners made their AHL debuts during the 2024-25 season: forwards Julian Lutz, Miko Matikka, and Noel Nordh and defensemen Hudson Wilson, Duda and Lamoureux.
Noel Nordh, 20, was the youngest player on Tucson’s season-opening roster. He impressed early, leading the team in preseason scoring with four points (2g, 2a) in just two games. Nordh appeared in the first two games of the regular season against the Colorado Eagles before being reassigned to the Ontario Hockey League’s Sault Ste. Marie Greyhounds.
Julian Lutz, 21, spent the full campaign with Tucson and tallied 13 points (2g, 11a) in 47 games. Both of his goals came in the second half of the season, and he appeared in all three of Tucson’s Calder Cup Playoff games.
In his first full AHL season, 22-year-old forward Sam Lipkin led all Roadrunner rookie forwards with 15 points (10g, 5a) across 56 games. His 10 goals were the most among Tucson rookies, and he posted two separate multi-game point streaks during the year.
Duda led all Roadrunners rookies with 29 points (6g, 23a), the 10th-most by a rookie in team history and third among first-year defensemen. The Moscow, Russia native ranked third in points among Tucson defensemen and tied for second in goals. He led all team blueliners with a +15 rating—second-best among all Roadrunners skaters—and fourth among rookie defensemen leaguewide. It also marked the highest single-season plus/minus by a rookie defenseman in Roadrunners history. Duda ranked third among Tucson defensemen in multi-point games (4), power-play points (8), and tied for first in multi-assist games (4). He and Szuber were the only Tucson defensemen to record a three-assist performance this season.
Milestones and Career Marks
The 2024-25 season was filled with memorable milestones across the Roadrunners roster, from promising rookies to seasoned veterans.
Four Tucson skaters recorded their first career AHL goals during the year: Lamoureux, Duda, Lipkin and Lutz.
On the veteran side, defenseman Kevin Connauton reached two major benchmarks, skating in his 400th career AHL game and 800th professional contest overall—spanning 360 games in the NHL and 440 in the AHL. Fellow blueliner, Russo, played in his 600th AHL game and tallied his 300th career point, while Sokolov hit the 200-point plateau and appeared in his 300th career game.
Barron also celebrated a milestone with his 300th professional game played, while a quartet of Roadrunners—Ryan McGregor, Curtis Douglas, McCartney, and Villalta—all reached the 200-game mark in their AHL careers. Villalta added another highlight by earning his 100th career professional victory.
Among younger contributors, Szuber appeared in his 100th AHL game, while McCartney and Hunter Drew both reached the 100-point milestone in their professional careers.
Veteran forward Andrew Agozzino added another impressive accomplishment to his resume by reaching 600 career points as a pro.
Douglas also recorded his 500th career penalty minutes and took over the franchise record for penalty minutes with 384 in a Roadrunners sweater.
The Heavy Weight Champs:
The Roadrunners dropped the gloves 37 times during the 2024-25 season, with Douglas leading the way in nine bouts. Onyebuchi and Drew were close behind with eight fights each, while Barron had four, respectively.
Drew paced the team with 134 penalty minutes, tying a career high. Douglas followed with 117, while Onyebuchi rounded out the trio with 112. Despite their physical presence, all three delivered some of their most productive offensive seasons to date.
Drew’s 15 goals and 29 points were his second-highest single-season totals, behind only his 17-goal and 38-point campaign with San Diego in 2021-22. He recorded nine multi-point performances—third-most on the team—including three in his final seven games. He also led the team with four unassisted goals.
Douglas reached double digits in goals for the second time in his AHL career, finishing the season with 23 points (10g, 13a) in 63 games—his most productive campaign since posting 34 points with Toronto in 2021-22. The 6-foot-9, 242-pound native of Oakville, Ontario, also recorded a career-high four-game goal streak from March 11–16, scoring five times in that span. He became just the second Roadrunner this season, alongside Hebig, to score in four consecutive games. Douglas’ impact extended beyond the ice as well. He was named Tucson’s IOA/American Specialty AHL Man of the Year for his leadership and community involvement, highlighted by his March Mullets 4 Mental Health fundraiser.
Onyebuchi matched career highs in goals (3), assists (7), points (10), and game-winning goals (1), while setting a new personal best with 88 shots. The 25-year-old from Dugald, Manitoba, also became the franchise’s all-time leader in penalty minutes by a defenseman, passing Dakota Mermis with 257 in his first two seasons with Tucson.
Mascot on a Mission
Arizona’s favorite mascot, Dusty, made more than 100 community appearances since June 2024, becoming a fixture at local events and a proud ambassador for the Roadrunners throughout the season.
His busy schedule kicked off with Tucson Comic-Con in August and continued with community staples like the Hunger Walk in September and the Making Strides Against Breast Cancer Walk in October. In November, Dusty helped promote youth hockey at the Jr. Roadrunners Mouthguard Clinic and wrapped up the year at the Arizona Bowl in December—where he met his idol, Snoop Dogg.
In 2025, Dusty kept the momentum going. He celebrated local art and culture at the Downtown Jazz Festival in January and promoted literacy during February and March with visits to elementary schools for Love of Reading Week. On Valentine’s Day, he delivered special surprises to fans around Tucson.
Dusty also joined Roadrunners players at the MiKid event in April, a ball hockey day for children receiving behavioral health services. He also made two special visits to Diamond Children’s Hospital with Roadrunners players and remained a constant presence at all home games and team-organized events. That included 12 official Watch Parties for away games—nine hosted at Cold Beers & Cheeseburgers.
The Fans Of Tucson:
The 2024-25 season was not only memorable on the ice, but also in the stands. Roadrunners fans packed Tucson Arena all year long, with a total attendance of 148,615 and an average of 4,128 fans per game. The team set new records for weekend crowds, including the two highest-attended weekends in franchise history—March 15–16 drew 11,202 fans, followed by April 18–19 with a remarkable 12,382. In fact, four of the top five largest single-game gates in team history occurred this season. Over the final six weekend home dates alone, Tucson welcomed 33,841 fans—an average of 5,640 per night—showcasing the city’s growing support and passion for Roadrunners hockey.
