[1] He played ice hockey for the Stillwater Area High School Ponies, a tenure which included two state tournament appearances in 2014 and 2016.
His career totals of 57 goals and 63 assists, for a total of 120 points, was the highest in school history, and at the end of his senior year, Cates was given the Herb Brooks Award, bestowed annually on the state tournament player who best demonstrates the values and traits exemplified by Herb Brooks.
[5] On April 13, 2021, the Philadelphia Flyers of the National Hockey League (NHL) signed Cates as a college free agent to a two-year entry-level contract with an average annual value of $925,000.
[5] When Morgan Frost was placed in COVID-19 protocols on December 15, 2021, Cates was promoted to Philadelphia for their road game against the Montreal Canadiens.
[9] On September 11, 2023, he was signed to a professional tryout (PTO) contract by the New York Islanders and spent time with the team during their preseason training camp.