NAHL: Journeyman forward Cleary finds a home with Chippewa Steel

Logan Cleary has seen a lot in his more than 120 games in the North American Hockey League.

The Amherst, Ohio native, is on his third team in three years but has found a home with the Chippewa Steel. Cleary has five goals and three assists in 20 games while adding some veteran toughness to the lineup. The Steel acquired Cleary in a trade in early December from the Amarillo Wrangers, and coach Casey Mignone said it was Cleary’s physicality and tenaciousness that drew the team to the forward.

“We were looking to add a little bit of grit and sandpaper and toughness, and we identified him as a guy for that,” Mignone said.

Cleary wants to be a hard-working leader that contributes wherever he plays in the lineup. He’s taken a unique path to Chippewa Falls with 23 games in 2020-21 for the Lonestar Brahmas in the Dallas-Fort Worth metroplex before moving to the Wranglers for 78 games across two seasons before the trade.

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“I think it’s good to build relationships with different people, especially with the billet families,” Cleary said of the movement. “Coming from Texas is a different lifestyle.”

But it’s a lifestyle Cleary enjoys.

“I think when I played in Dallas there’s a lot of stuff to do in Dallas, but here in Chippewa I think it’s a good little hockey community,” Cleary said. “I’ve enjoyed it so far.”

No player on the Steel roster has played in more games than Cleary, who also has three games of playoff experience for the Brahamas from 2021. His experience on a younger team has been important to help a Steel team firmly in the playoff hunt.

“It’s just a process, you’ve got to go day by day obviously and just keep stacking up practices and practices and keep getting better every day,” Cleary said. “It’s a league of development so you’ve got to keep going.”

Cleary also committed to play collegiately for Division III Connecticut College recently. Playing in his final season in the NAHL, Cleary is pleased to have his future secure at a school with a strong academic reputation.

“I’ve always used hockey to propel me in life,” Cleary said. “It landed me at a good college so I couldn’t pass it up. I think it’ll set me up good for the future.”

Before he heads for Connecticut, Cleary is looking to help propel the Steel to the Robertson Cup Playoffs for the first time.

“I think it starts in practice here,” Cleary said. “I think the compete (level) is there. I think we try to bring it to the game night in and night out, and I think if we do that we’ll end up in the playoffs.”

Chippewa fell in a pair of games to the first-place Wisconsin Windigo last weekend in Eagle River by scores of 4-2 and 2-1. The Steel grabbed an early 2-0 lead in the first game before the Windigo scored the final four and outshot Wisconsin by a significant margin in Saturday’s one-goal loss. Mignone said success for his team will come as it is able to play more consistently throughout.

“It’s just about momentum swings and trying to hang onto it for as long as possible,” Mignone said.

Chippewa plays just six of its final 15 games at home, but two of those games are this week with 7 p.m. Friday and Saturday matchups against the Janesville Jets at Chippewa Area Ice Arena. The Steel enter play in seventh place in the Midwest Division standings with 46 points, seven behind Kenai River for the final playoff spot with one quarter of the regular season remaining.

“We’re unfortunately in a spot where these last 15 games are essentially our playoff games, and it gets tough to hear that sometimes because maybe it kind of takes away the importance of that,” Mignone said, “saying it every night this is an important game. But we’re not afraid of talking about what’s at stake, and I know sometimes some teams are maybe a little hesitant to talk about down the road and the goals.

“We’ve been pretty honest and up front about our goals from the beginning of the season, and I think it’s important for the guys to understand where we’re at (and) what’s at stake. Especially this weekend is huge for us. Just looking to find a way to get some points.”

Friday night is Teachers Appreciation Night with all teachers receiving free admission. Saturday is a jersey action with the team auctioning off its green away jerseys.

Upcoming GamesDateMatchup (Time)FridayJanesville at Chippewa (7 p.m.)Saturday Janesville at Chippewa (7 p.m.)StandingsMidwest Division Record (Points)Wisconsin Windigo28-15-1-2 (59)Fairbanks Ice Dogs26-17-5-0 (57)Minnesota Wilderness24-15-3-4 (55)Kenai River Brown Bears 25-20-2-1 (53)Janesville Jets21-18-5-4 (51)Anchorage Wolverines21-18-6-1 (49)Chippewa Steel22-21-1-1 (46)Springfield Jr. Blues21-23-1-0 (43) IN PHOTOS: Chippewa Steel host Minnesota Wilderness in NAHL battle 1-20-23 NAHL: Minnesota Wilderness at Chippewa Steel 1-20-23

J.J. Grainda (19)