Freshman of the year in WCHA

[cbrooks]

It seems this years class has quit a few studs in there. If Jaden Schwartz of CC wasn't injured the second part of the year he would had WCHA rookie of the year no problem. He had, I think the most points in all of college hockey before his injury. Looking at all the freshman I will have to say that Jason Zucker forward from Denver should get the vote. I think there will be alot of these freshman making long careers in the NHL. If I was to pick one that will have the most impact in the pros I would say Nick Bjugstad. Who has look good this year to you guys?

[solbes]

GP G A Pt Pt/g GW PP SH

1) Jason Zucker, DU: 22 18 11 29 1.32 4 2 1

2) Mark Zengerle, Wis: 22 4 17 21 0.95 1 1 0

3) JT Brown, UMD: 22 7 12 19 0.86 2 1 0

4) Jaden Schwartz, CC: 11 8 10 18 1.64 2 2 0

5) Justin Faulk, UMD: 22 5 11 16 0.73 1 5 0

Stats from USCHO, WCHA conference games only.

I agree it was Schwarz, now is clearly Zucker. Really no one else is in competition right now. I do like the fact that JT Brown still made #3 with a REALLY cold spell in the middle of this season. I would be more excited about seeing Justin Faulk so high as a Freshman Blueliner, but this is just a temporary stop for him. He won't return to the team next year, guess I should be happy he helped us out this year.

[cbrooks]

Justin Faulk is already planning on leaving early? I hate that when it happens but I guess thats how it goes . Would have like to see him play some more. Thanks for posting the numbers Solbes. Even though Nick isn't in there I like the way the big guy moves. Thats unusally for a big guy to be that mobile his true freshman year. I watch him last weekend and liked what I saw.

How about goaltender Sam Briton for Denver. He's look good every time I saw him play except last weekend against Minnesota. I didn't realize JT Brown was a freshman. Where did he come from?

Jaden Schwartz will return for the BSU series this weekend

[Bear55]

I think Brown use to play high school hockey in Roseville and then spent some time in the USHL.

So what is Faulk signing with the NHL? Man any hint of skill and these guys get signed. What happened to the good old days when players could develop in college for free, you use to have to dominate at your level before moving up.

I am kind of happy Bjugstad isn't putting up big numbers or he might get signed, he should probably stay until he is a jr but no way that will happen.

This whole thread is kind of depressing, we have very talented players in the NCAA but to see any of them show their skills in college hockey they have to be a midget or an over aged/non drafted player.

The only bright spot I see is the Wild managed to pick up Zucker in the 2nd round.

[solbes]

No one knows for sure if Faulk is leaving after UMD's season is over. But I wouldn't be at all surprised. He plays better much than his age and is probably ready for the next level soon. Heavy slapper, great on the PP, and moves fluidly in the defensive zone with good decision making. I keep an eye on Carolina's standings and keep hoping that they drop out of the playoff race. Right now they're 8th in the East.

Brown came from Rosemount HS and then spend some time in the USHL. His Dad is Ted Brown who played RB for the Vikings. He can be a bit of a hot head, but he has some skills and may be our feature player next year if the FCC moves onward.

Brittain is good, but they seem to kick out good goalies pretty consistently there. I was hoping Schwartz would be coming back against UMD next week so he might be a little rusty. Oh well, UMD needs to put together some wins against quality opponents to get ready for post season. They are not where they need to be right now.

Bjugstad does move really well for such a big dude. I posted before that seeing him together with Hoeffel near the net is a really scary thing for opposing defenses & goalies. I think he'll be quite the force next year.

[Bear55]

Ok back on topic a little after my rant. I really hope they don't just give it to Zucker because he played a full season. Not that he's not a deserving pick but Schwartz is clearly the best of the freshmen this year.

[Bear55]

Ok I thought maybe you heard something about Faulk, hopefully you guys can hang on to him for another year or so.

Rosemount? Roseville? Close enough for us non metro guys.

I think Bjugstad is really going to shine next year, you can see the talent there but he just hasn't been able to put it all together yet. He does seem to be getting better as the season has moved along, a good sign for us because we are losing a lot of offensive next year and we are really going to need him to step up.

[solbes]

The new reality of college hockey seems to be Size + Skill equals departure after Freshman or Sophomore season. It can be frustrating for all programs, especially the smaller ones. The percentage of players that make this jump and actually play consistently in the NHL has to be a low low number.

I am kinda excited to know that Zucker is s Wild draftee. Could be fun to watch in a few years.

[Bear55]

Another freshman that has been good for the Gophers has been Eric Haula. Clearly not a player of the year candidate but he has been centering the Gophers 1st or 2nd line all year and not looked out of place. Like Brown he cooled off a lot mid-season after a great start but he picked things up last weekend vs Denver and should be a heck of a player down the road.

Also a Wild draft pick.

[scsavre]

I hate the way Haula plays., He is decent though. Just one of tose guys where it seems like someone else could always do it better. Hit the stinking net.

I really like Bjugstedts progress this year. If he had a real coach would he be better... yes. Lucia is terrible at developing players and I am worried Bjugs will turn into a Hoeffle. By the way, he isnt a true freshman. He is suppose to be a Senior in Highschool. I hate when they do that. Ness did it and I think Schroeder did. I doesnt help them.

I think think you have to give it to the leader point leader or a freak of a dman. You cant give it to akid who was ripping it up but got hurt. For all we know he would have slumped the second half of the year. Tough luck I guess.

[cbrooks]

Here some other top scoring freshman.

SCSU

F Cam Reid(NSH) 8G 17A +10

D Nic Dowd(LAK) 5G 13A +5 an Alabama native

UNO

F Matt White 13G 7A +3 ex-UND recruit

F Brock Montpetit 10G 9A +9

F Ryan Walters 9G 9A +12

Denver

f Beau Bennett(PHI) 8G 11A E

D David Makowaski 5G 18A +11

Mich Tech

c Milos Gordic 13G 6A -13 He got some size at 6' 4"

Mankato

f Chase Grant 8G 11A +9 Oklahoma native

Wis

f Michael Merch 8G 8A +22

Minnesota

f Erik Haula 5G 16A +8

f Nate Condon 8G 8A +10

CC

f Archie Skalbeck 8G 9A -3

UND

D Derek Frobort (LAK) 0G 13A +9

[scsavre]

And imagine Lucia told walters that he wasnt ready for D-1 yet, so he decomits to the U and Blais picks him up.

[cbrooks]

Was Walters a minnesota recruit at one point? I notice a couple of freshman kids from Grand forks on UNO's roster. I thought that was interesting.

[Bear55]

Yep Walters was a gopher recruit at one point and one that I was pretty upset about losing. Just rumors here but apparently he isn't a great "locker room" guy and some guys on the team didn't care for him. Lucia told him there wasn't room for him or he wasn't ready after a 61 point season in the USHL so he took his game elsewhere. Again those are just rumors but either way it was a very odd situation and we lost a quality player.

[Bear55]

]I hate the way Haula plays., He is decent though. Just one of tose guys where it seems like someone else could always do it better. Hit the stinking net.

I hear what you are saying here, he does some things that have you really shaking your head at times but hopefully that will get worked out as he gets some experience. I think our main problem is we don't have anyone else who can do it better so we have him centering a top line night in and night out and getting a fair amount of PP time. He does appear to be a pretty good setup guy.

[scsavre]

He sees the ice well, makes huge mistakes. and for some reason he thinks he is a snipper and Lucia wants him to shoot more. Ah well.

Walters is looking good now. I heard all that stuff too. The only thing I know to be truthful is that Lucia told him he had to wait another year.

Lucia had also said that to him while he was making room for Ambroz to play, so maybe we could have moved him up after all. I have to belive we would have taken him over Gardiner this year.

[TSteich]

Walters is another kid from Rosemount, he played high school at St Thomas Academy before leaving for the USHL. he was a gopher recruit as a freshman at STA, Lucia told him that he wanted him to play yet another year of juniors this season as there was no room for him at the time. Walters felt he was ready to make the step up to the WCHA/D1 so he decommitted from the gophs and landed at UNO after they became apart of the WCHA.