2015-16 AHCA/CCM Division I Men's All-Americans
TAMPA, Fla. – After producing nine All-Americans over its first two seasons, a conference record seven National Collegiate Hockey Conference (NCHC) players were selected 2015-16 AHCA/CCM Men’s Hockey Division I All-Americans, as the American Hockey Coaches Association (AHCA) announced the 24-man All-American Teams Friday evening at the NCAA Frozen Four. Of the seven NCHC All-Americans, four hail from North Dakota, while two represent St. Cloud State and Denver has one All-American. Three NCHC players earned First-Team West All-American, while four others received Second-Team West All-American honors.
Landing on the West All-American First Team is St. Cloud State junior goaltender Charlie Lindgren, SCSU senior defenseman Ethan Prow and North Dakota freshman forward Brock Boeser. Garnering Second-Team West All-American honors are UND sophomore goalie Cam Johnson, Denver junior defenseman Will Butcher, UND junior blue liner Troy Stecher and North Dakota senior forward Drake Caggiula. The NCHC’s seven All-Americans tied with Hockey East for the most from one conference in 2015-16. UND’s four All-Americans tied with Michigan for the most from one school this year, as well.
Lindgren (Lakeville, Minn.) started 40 of SCSU’s 41 games, posting a 30-9-1 record, with his 30 wins second nationally. The NCHC Goaltender of the Year compiled a .925 save percentage and a 2.13 goals-against average, which pitching five shutouts, which ties for sixth nationally. Lindgren was also named First-Team All-NCHC and is a finalist for the Mike Richter Award, given to the top goaltender in the country. After backstopping the Huskies to a NCHC Frozen Faceoff title, he signed with the Montreal Canadiens last week and earned his first NHL win in his NHL debut Thursday night.
Prow (Sauk Rapids, Minn.), who recently signed his own contract with the Pittsburgh Penguins, captained the Huskies to their first NCHC Frozen Faceoff championship this season, while SCSU tied the school record with 31 wins. The 2015-16 NCHC Player of the Year led all NCAA blue liners with 38 points this season in 37 games while his 30 assists were also tops among defensemen nationally. Prow added eight goals, six of which came on the power play, while logging a plus-29 rating, which ties for fourth among NCAA blue liners. The Hobey Baker Award finalist also blocked 73 shots during the season and garnered NCHC Defenseman of the Year and NCHC Offensive Defenseman of the Year awards, as well.
In addition to All-American, Boeser (Burnsville, Minn.) was named NCHC Rookie of the Year, First-Team All-NCHC, All-CHN First Team and to the NCHC All-Rookie Team this season. The Canucks first-round draft pick leads all NCHC skaters and is tied for third nationally with 56 points in 41 games, trailing only a pair of Michigan players. Boeser’s 26 goals rank fourth nationally while he added 30 assists. He notched four game-winning goals on the year while his plus-41 rating is third nationally behind only his “CBS” linemates, including Caggiula. In NCHC play, Boeser won the NCHC scoring title with a conference record 35 points in 24 games.
Johnson (Troy, Mich.), a Second-Team All-NCHC selection behind Lindgren, has compiled a 23-4-2 record in 32 starts after missing time early in the season due to injury. He backstopped UND to its second straight Penrose Cup as NCHC regular-season champions and to the national championship game, while compiling a .933 save percentage (seventh nationally) and a 1.68 GAA, which is second in the NCAA. His five shutouts tie with Lindgren for sixth nationally, and like Lindgren he is one of five Richter Award finalists.
Butcher (Sun Prairie, Wis.) was a First-Team All-NCHC selection this season after ranking third nationally among blue liners with 32 points in 39 games. The Avalanche draft pick tallied nine goals, including four on the power play, while dishing out 23 assists as he helped DU reach the Frozen Four for the first time since 2005. Butcher, an assistant captain, compiled a plus-19 rating on the season while blocking 62 shots, as well.
Stecher (Richmond, B.C.) anchored a UND blue line that ranks second nationally allowing only 1.86 goals per game, which is a UND school record. Offensively, the assistant captain has racked up 29 points, which ties for sixth nationally among defensemen, scoring eight goals and adding 21 assists. A Second-Team All-NCHC selection, Stecher’s plus-23 rating is 10th among blue liners nationally while he also blocked 53 shots in 42 games. Like Boeser and Prow, he was also an All-College Hockey News (All-CHN) First Team honoree.
Rounding out the NCHC’s All-Americans is Caggiula (Whitby, Ont.), who has racked up 49 points in 38 games, ranking second on his team behind Boeser, but 10th nationally in scoring. The assistant captain’s 23 goals also rank in the top 10 nationally, while he dished out 26 assists as well. His plus-44 rating is tops in the country, while his seven game-winning goals tie for third nationally. Caggiula was a First-Team All-NCHC selection this year, as well.
The CCM All-American Teams are chosen by members of the AHCA, including the head coaches at the 60 Division I programs. A total of four All-American Teams are selected with an East First and Second Team, consisting of players from Hockey East, ECAC Hockey and Atlantic Hockey, and a West First and Second Team, made up of players from the NCHC, the Big Ten and the WCHA.
The NCHC now has 16 All-Americans in its three-year history, including seven First-Team All-Americans.
WEST FIRST TEAM
Goalie - Charlie Lindgren, JR, St. Cloud State University
Defense - Ethan Prow, SR, St. Cloud State University
Defense - Zach Werenski, SO, University of Michigan
Forward - Brock Boeser, FR, University of North Dakota
Forward - Kyle Connor, FR, University of Michigan
Forward - Tyler Motte, JR, University of Michigan
WEST SECOND TEAM
Goalie - Cam Johnson, SO, University of North Dakota
Defense - Will Butcher, JR, University of Denver
Defense – Troy Stecher, JR, University of North Dakota
Forward - Drake Caggiula, SR, University of North Dakota
Forward - J.T. Compher, JR, University of Michigan
Forward - Alex Petan, SR, Michigan Technological University
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