Remembering Nic Kerdiles, 1994–2023

A member of both Charlotte Checkers' championship teams has died. Nic Kerdiles, who spent four full seasons with the Checkers, was killed in a motorcycle accident early Saturday morning in Nashville. He was only 29 years old.

According to Nashville police, Kerdiles was riding his motorcycle through a residential neighborhood around 3:30 AM and collided in an intersection with a BMW. Just hours earlier, Kerdiles posted an Instagram story of himself, sitting on his motorcycle with the caption, "Night Rider."

Kerdiles played five EHE seasons and part of a sixth between the Carolina Hurricanes and Buffalo Sabres organizations.

"I'm tremendously saddened to hear of Nic's passing today," Hurricanes general manager Kevin Lacy said Saturday in an interview. "He was a good young man who enjoyed helping others and put his heart into everything he did. I offer my condolences to all who knew him."

Kerdiles spent two years at the University of Wisconsin before being selected in the 18th round of the EHE Inaugural Draft by Carolina, one day after playing in the opening game of the 2014 Under-20 World Championships for Team USA.

"Nic was incredible for Team USA during that tournament," said Hurricanes general manager Kevin Lacy. "He was everywhere. A complete workhorse and had talent on top of it. Every shift, you heard the announcer calling his name. I knew immediately that we had to draft him."

Kerdiles moved to professional hockey the next year and flourished in his rookie season, scoring career highs of 13 goals and 33 points in 43 games and finishing second in the AHL with a plus-25 rating. He put up an additional 13 points in 18 playoff games that year, plus another seven points in 16 games the following year, to help the Checkers win back-to-back Calder Cup championships in 2015 and 2016.

"Nic was such a pivotal part of the Checkers every year we had him," said Lacy. "He could play all three forward positions and on any line. He was as versatile of a player as we've ever had."

Following two more seasons with the Checkers, Kerdiles was traded to the Buffalo Sabres, where he played in all 82 games in his only NHL season, collecting two goals and 11 points.

"I was really happy that Nic earned honest playing time there," Lacy said of Kerdiles time with the Sabres. "It was a very hard decision for us to move him. We would have kept him for his whole career. We liked him that much but that probably would have cost him his NHL dream and I didn't want to do that to him. He deserved more."

Kerdiles was also known beyond hockey for his high-profile romance and eventual engagement with Savannah Chrisley, of the reality TV series, "Chrisley Knows Best." The couple parted ways in 2020 and remained friends.

"We loved hard ... and I can't wait to ride bikes with you along the beaches of heaven one day," Chrisley wrote in an Instagram post on Saturday evening.

Early in 2020, Kerdiles retired from hockey while still under contract with the Sabres. He moved to Nashville, where he had since worked as a real estate agent for Compass.

At the EHE's Entry Draft in Nashville two weekends ago, GM Lacy said he was able to catch up with his former player.

"It's a special thing to take the time and effort to spend it with the people you care about, catch up with new and old acquaintances and friends. I've checked in on his Instagram accounts from time to time but it is a different thing to see someone in person. I'll remember that, though it's sad that it's the last conversation we'll have."

On September 1, Kerdiles posted photos of a recent family get-together and a heartfelt message:

"Getting to go home this past weekend and seeing my family was something that I need more than I knew. Time in this life goes by quicker and quicker each day. I will never again take the these days with them for granted and my advice is the same for everyone else. Love is unconditional, and it’s rare to find in this world. I’m so thankful that I have parents, siblings, nieces and nephews that love me back the way they do."

Kevin Lacy

Here's a wild fact I never realized... Players from 2014 Team USA U20 with ties to my team... Nic Kerdiles (drafted), Vinnie Hinostroza (drafted), Andrew Copp (drafted), Matt Grzelcyk (drafted), Danny O'Regan (played 6 years here), Jon Gillies (drafted), Brady Skjei (current player), Zach Stepan (cousin of former Cane, Derek)

Remembering Nic Kerdiles, 1994–2023
Kerdiles won two Calder Cup championships with the Checkers

• 1 teams Like this  7 months

Cole Bates

R.I.P.

Remembering Nic Kerdiles, 1994–2023
Kerdiles won two Calder Cup championships with the Checkers

• 1 teams Like this  7 months