COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. – With the first month of the college hockey season complete, the National Collegiate Hockey Conference (NCHC) announced its Players of the Month for October, with Minnesota Duluth capturing three of four monthly honors.
 
For the first time, the NCHC will also award a Defenseman of the Month, along with Goaltender and Rookie of the Month, while ‘Player’ of the Month becomes Forward of the Month. The NCHC’s monthly awards now match the conference’s weekly awards.
 
Earning NCHC monthly honors for the first month of the season are:

• Forward – Max Plante, Minnesota Duluth, So.
• Defenseman – Ty Hanson, Minnesota Duluth, So.
• Goaltender – Adam Gajan, Minnesota Duluth, So.
• Rookie – Kocha Delic, Miami, F

These are the first career NCHC monthly awards for all four recipients. All four honorees are now eligible for Hockey Commissioners Association (HCA) national monthly awards, which will be announced on Thursday.
 
FORWARD OF THE MONTH
Max Plante, Minnesota Duluth
Sophomore Forward
Hermantown, Minn.
 
Plante was dominant to start the season, leading the NCHC and tying for first nationally with 18 points in October. His 2.00 points per game were first in the NCAA in October by himself, while he helped the Bulldogs to an 8-1-0 record during the month. The Detroit Red Wings draft pick scored nine goals and added nine assists in October, with the nine goals tied for first in the NCHC and second in the NCAA. Plante recorded a point in seven of nine games last month, including six multi-point games and a pair of four-point games.
 
Plante opened the season with a four-point weekend in a sweep at Alaska, including two goals in the opener, earning him NCHC Forward of the Week honors. He racked up six points in a sweep at Bemidji State, including a career-high four points (2g/2a) on Oct. 17 when he scored the game-winning goal. After two goals in a win at Minnesota on Oct. 25, Plante closed his month strong, as well, again recording four points in a 4-3 overtime win at then-No. 8 North Dakota. He had a hand in all four goals, scoring two and assisting on the OT game-winner.
 
Plante finished the month with a +14 plus/minus, which led the NCAA in October. He was also one of only two players with two short-handed goals last month. The assistant captain fired 32 shots on goal in October, as well. On the season, Plante leads the NCHC with 19 points in 10 games, while his nine goals are second in the NCHC.
 
DEFENSEMAN OF THE MONTH
Ty Hanson, Minnesota Duluth
Sophomore Defenseman
Hermantown, Minn.
 
Hanson was a force at both ends of the ice for Minnesota Duluth in October, totaling 10 points and 12 blocked shots while helping UMD go 8-1-0 during the month. His 10 points led all NCHC blueliners and tied for second among NCAA defensemen. The Bulldogs assistant captain scored three goals in October, tying for second among NCAA rearguards, while dishing out seven assists, which led NCHC defensemen and was third in the NCAA last month.
 
Hanson posted a +12 plus/minus in October, which was tops among all NCAA defensemen, while averaging 23:45 time on ice to pace all NCHC skaters. He recorded a point in six of nine games in October with three multi-point games. Hanson tallied a goal and assist in the season opener at Alaska Oct. 3, then scored the game-winning goal Oct. 10 against Augustana. He notched a career-high three assists in a win over Bemidji State on Oct. 18, before finishing October with a bang by scoring the overtime game-winning goal at then-No. 8 North Dakota on Oct. 31.
 
Hanson scored two game-winning goals last month, tying for first among NCAA defensemen. He was also a two-time NCHC Defenseman of the Week. Defensively, he anchored a UMD penalty kill that finished October at 90.0 percent (27-for-30), while committing only one penalty for two minutes all month. On the season, Hanson leads NCHC blueliners with 10 points (3g/7a) in 10 games.
 
GOALTENDER OF THE MONTH
Adam Gajan, Minnesota Duluth
Sophomore Goaltender
Poprad, Slovakia

Gajan was a rock in net for Minnesota Duluth during the first month of the season, starting all nine games while posting an 8-1-0 record. The eight wins led the NCHC and tied for first nationally, while his .931 save percentage and 1.45 goals-against average in October both also led the National, with the 1.45 GAA ranking second in the NCAA. Gajan totaled 176 saves last month, while twice being named NCHC Goaltender of the Week. He allowed one goal or less in six of nine games with one shutout.
 
Gajan garnered his first weekly award after opening weekend, totaling 39 saves in a sweep at Alaska with only two goals allowed. The Chicago Blackhawks draft pick then picked up his second NCHC honor after backstopping UMD to a sweep at rival Minnesota. In that series on Oct. 24-25, he pitched a 17-save shutout on Friday, before making a season-high 28 saves in a 4-1 win Saturday. Gajan wrapped up the month with 25 saves in a 4-3 overtime win at North Dakota on Oct. 31.
 
On the season, Gajan is 8-2-0 in 10 starts, ranking third in the NCHC with a 1.85 GAA and fourth in save percentage at .917. He has played every minute in net for UMD so far this season.
 
ROOKIE OF THE MONTH
Kocha Delic, Miami
Freshman Forward
Ottawa, Ontario
 
Delic started his college career strong, compiling 10 points in seven games (1.43 points per game) in October to lead all NCHC freshmen. The 10 points tied for third nationally among rookies last month, as well. He recorded at least a point in all seven games Miami played, helping the RedHawks to a 6-1-0 record, while tallying a pair of multi-point games. Delic scored five goals and added five assists in October, with the five goals tops among NCHC freshmen and third among NCAA rookies.
 
Delic notched his first career point with an assist in the season opener Oct. 3 against Ferris State, before scoring his first goal the next night, which served as the game-winner in a 3-1 victory. Delic erupted for five points in a sweep at RPI, including a career-high two goals and three points in a 5-3 win Oct. 10. He added another multi-point game the next night to earn NCHC Rookie of the Week honors. Delic stretched his goal-scoring streak to four games with a tally in an overtime win at Lindenwood on Oct. 24.
 
Delic led Miami with 25 shots on goal in October and posted a +5 plus/minus, helping the RedHawks to their best start since the 2007-08 season. Delic is the first Miami player since 2010 to start a season with a seven-game point streak and the first RedHawk in the past 25 seasons to start his Miami career with a seven-game point streak. Delic stretched his point streak to eight games with an assist on Nov. 1 and now has 11 points (5g/6a) in eight games this season. His 11 points lead all NCHC rookies.
 
OTHER NOMINEES:
 
Forward of the Month
Austin Burnevik, St. Cloud State
Kocha Delic, Miami
Cruz Lucius, Arizona State
Grant Slukynsky, Western Michigan
 
Defenseman of the Month
Aidan de La Gorgendiere, Omaha
Vladislav Lukashevich, Miami
Eric Pohlkamp, Denver
Samuel Sjolund, Western Michigan
 
Goaltender of the Month
Matteo Drobac, Miami
Simon Latkoczy, Omaha
Hampton Slukynsky, Western Michigan
 
Rookie of the Month
Clarke Caswell, Denver, F
Bobby Cowan, Western Michigan, F
Ilia Morozov, Miami, F
Nolan Roed, St. Cloud State, F
Keaton Verhoeff, North Dakota, D