COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. – One day after revealing its All-Rookie Team, the National Collegiate Hockey Conference (NCHC) unveiled its three All-Conference Teams for the 2024-2025 season on Wednesday. With the addition of a ninth member, this year marks the first time the Conference has awarded an All-NCHC Third Team, after previously only honoring two all-conference teams its first 11 years.
Five different schools are represented on the All-NCHC First Team, while six squads had at least one player earn all-conference honors. Denver leads all NCHC teams with six honorees, including a pair of players on the First Team. Arizona State and Western Michigan each have a quartet of all-conference recipients, while Omaha placed two on the All-NCHC teams. Colorado College and North Dakota have one honoree each.
Two players were unanimous selections to the All-NCHC First Team in Western Michigan sophomore forward Alex Bump and Denver sophomore defenseman Zeev Buium, with Buium unanimous a second straight year. Both received the maximum possible of 17 first-team votes and 85 points. Joining Bump at forward on the First Team is another Pioneer in Denver senior Jack Devine, as well as Arizona State graduate student Artem Shlaine. Devine picked up 15 first-team votes (81 points), while Shlaine received 12 (66 points). Buium and Devine are both repeat picks to the All-Conference First Team. Rounding out the First-Team blue line is another sophomore in North Dakota’s Jake Livanavage, who picked up 8 first-team votes (63 points). The First-Team All-NCHC netminder is Omaha junior Simon Latkoczy, who collected 10 of 18 first-team votes (62 points).
The All-NCHC Second Team consists of five different schools as well, led by a pair of Sun Devils. Denver junior forward Aidan Thompson was the top vote-getter on the Second Team with 6 first-team votes (55 points). ASU graduate student Lukas Sillinger and Omaha graduate student Sam Stange complete the Second-Team forwards. On the Second-Team blue line are Colorado College sophomore defenseman Max Burkholder (5 first-team votes) and ASU graduate student Noah Beck (2 first-team votes). Western Michigan freshman goaltender Hampton Slukynsky (5 first-team votes) rounds out the All-NCHC Second Team after getting the unanimous nod on the NCHC All-Rookie Team Tuesday.
The All-NCHC Third Team is halfway full with Pioneers, while two Broncos also made the squad. Arizona State senior Ryan Kirwan, Denver sophomore Sam Harris (2 first-team votes) and DU senior Carter King make up the Third-Team forwards. A pair of underclassmen are on the Third-Team blue line in WMU freshman Joona Väisänen and Denver sophomore Eric Pohlkamp. Another Western Michigan netminder backstops the Third Team in graduate student goalie Cameron Rowe.
FIRST-TEAM ALL-NCHC
Bump (Prior Lake, Minn.) won the NCHC goal-scoring title with 15 goals in conference play, while helping WMU capture its first Penrose Cup. He also tied for third with 29 points in 24 NCHC games, while firing a league-high 142 shots on goal. Overall, the Philadelphia Flyers draft pick is also tied for third in the NCHC with 38 points (17g/21a) in 34 games, while his 17 goals are fourth in the conference. Bump has buried three game-winners this season and was a two-time Forward of the Week after earning NCHC All-Rookie Team honors last year.
Devine (Glencoe, Ill.) was tabbed First-Team All-NCHC for the second straight season after capturing the scoring title with 32 points (11g/21a) and 1.33 points per game in 24 NCHC games. His 21 assists in NCHC action were second, while his +14 plus/minus was tops among forwards in conference play. The Florida Panthers draft pick ranks second nationally and first in the NCHC with 50 points overall this season, while his 38 assists are first in the NCAA. Devine was a two-time NCHC Player of the Month this season.
Shlaine (Moskva, Russia) finished second in scoring in conference play with 31 points (1.29 points per game), including two game-winning goals. His 14 goals in NCHC action were also second behind only Bump, while his 17 assists were sixth. Overall this season, the New Jersey Devils draft pick has 34 points in 28 games, averaging 1.21 points per game, which is third in the NCHC. Shlaine earned Forward of the Week honors after a four-goal weekend in a sweep of Denver in November.
Buium (San Diego, Calif) returns to the First-Team All-NCHC blue line after leading defensemen with 28 points in 23 conference games. His eight goals and 20 assists in NCHC play also both led all blueliners, while he became only the third NCHC defenseman ever with a hat trick and posted a +9 plus/minus in conference games. Overall this year, the Minnesota Wild draft pick has racked up 38 points (8g/30a) in 33 games, which is third nationally among blueliners. Buium was a three-time NCHC Defenseman of the Week this season.
Livanavage (Phoenix, Ariz.) moves up to the All-NCHC First Team after landing on the NCHC All-Rookie Team and Honorable Mention All-NCHC as a freshman. He finished second in conference play among defensemen with 21 points (3g/18a), while his 18 helpers were also second among rearguards and fourth among all skaters. Livanavage posted a +4 plus/minus in NCHC action and blocked 41 shots in 24 games, which ranked fifth. Overall, the undrafted free agent is fourth among NCHC blueliners with 28 points (4g/24a) in 35 games. He was a three-time Defenseman of the Week this season.
Latkoczy (Trencin, Slovakia) mans the goal on the All-NCHC First Team after leading the NCHC with a .926 save percentage in conference play. He also racked up 679 saves in 21 NCHC games (32.33 saves per game), which led NCHC goalies by more than 160 saves. The Slovak posted a 12-8-1 record in his 21 conference starts, while posting a 2.75 goals-against average in NCHC play with one shutout. Overall, Latkoczy is 14-14-1 in 29 starts this season, while ranking second in the NCHC with a .925 save percentage and carrying a 2.68 GAA. He was the January Goalie of the Month in the NCHC and a four-time Goaltender of the Week.
SECOND-TEAM ALL-NCHC
Thompson (Fort Collins, Colo.) totaled 28 points (10g/18a) in 24 conference games, while the Chicago Blackhawks draft pick is second in the NCHC in overall scoring with 46 points (17g/29a) in 36 games. His 17 goals tie for fourth overall in the NCHC. He was the NCHC Player of the Month in November.
Sillinger (Regina, Sask.) tied for third in NCHC scoring with 29 points, while his 22 assists (1.00 assists per game) led the league in conference play. He has 36 points (8g/28a) in 32 games overall this year, ranking fifth in the NCHC in scoring.
Stange (Eau Claire, Wis.) claims the final Second-Team forward spot after tallying 28 points in conference play, tying for fifth, while his 12 goals were fourth. The Detroit Red Wings draft pick was second among forwards in NCHC action with a +13. Stange’s 15 total goals this year are seventh in the NCHC.
Burkholder (Chaska, Minn.) was third among defensemen in conference play with both 20 points and 16 assists in 24 games. Overall, the sophomore has 25 points (6g/19a) in 34 games, with the six goals fourth among NCHC blueliners.
Beck (Richmond Hill, Ont.) totaled 16 points (3g/13a) in 24 NCHC games, while the St. Louis Blues draft pick sits third among NCHC defenseman in overall points with 29 (4g/25a). His 25 assists in 34 games are second among NCHC rearguards in all games.
Slukynsky (Warroad, Minn.) was a unanimous selection to the NCHC All-Rookie Team on Tuesday and helped WMU capture its first Penrose Cup after going 10-3-1 in 14 conference games. The Los Angeles Kings draft pick led the league with a 2.04 GAA in conference play, while his .915 save percentage was fourth. Overall, Slukynsky is 11-5-1 in 17 starts this year and is second with a 2.04 GAA, while posting a .920 save percentage. He was a three-time Rookie of the Week this season.
THIRD-TEAM ALL-NCHC
Kirwan (DeWitt, N.Y.) finished the regular season with 23 goals to lead the NCHC and has 34 points in 34 games. The three-time Forward of the Week tallied 13 goals in NCHC play, which was third, and totaled 22 points in 24 NCHC games. He was also the January NCHC Player of the Month.
Harris (San Diego, Calif.) potted 10 goals in conference play and totaled 18 points in 24 games. The Montreal Canadiens draft pick sits second in the NCHC with 20 goals on the season and has 32 points (20g/12a) in 35 games so far.
King (Calgary, Alberta) finished with 19 points in 24 NCHC games on 10 goals and nine assists. The Denver captain is sixth in NCHC overall scoring with 34 points in 36 games, including 18 goals, which trails only Kirwan and Harris in the conference.
Väisänen (Kirkkonummi, Finland) was also a member of the NCHC All-Rookie Team this year. The Penrose Cup champion dished out 14 assists in conference play, which was fourth among defensemen. The Pittsburgh Penguins draft pick finished with 17 points in 24 NCHC games and led the league with a +17 plus/minus in conference play. Väisänen was a two-time NCHC Defenseman of the Week this year and the February Rookie of the Month.
Pohlkamp (Baxter, Minn.) came on strong late in the season and finished with 16 points (4g/12a) in 24 conference games, while posting a +11 plus/minus. Overall this year, the San Jose Sharks draft pick is second among NCHC defensemen with 31 points in 36 games behind only Buium, while his eight goals tie for the NCHC blueliner lead. His +23 plus/minus overall is second in the NCHC.
Rowe (Wilmette, Ill.) gloves the Third-Team goaltending spot after splitting time with Slukynsky. He finished second in conference play with both a .925 save percentage and 2.09 GAA, while going 9-1-0 in 10 starts. Overall this season, Rowe leads the NCHC with a 2.00 GAA and is third with a .924 save percentage in 17 starts, going 15-2-0. He was a three-time Goaltender of the Week this year.
The All-Conference Teams were voted on by the NCHC’s nine head coaches and one media member covering each team (18 voters total). Coaches and media voted for nine forwards, six defensemen and three goaltenders, awarding first-team, second-team and third-team votes for six players (three forwards, two defensemen and one goaltender) for each team. A first-team vote was worth 5 points while a second-team vote was worth 3 points and a third-team vote worth 1 point. Coaches could not vote for their own players, making 17 first-team votes and 85 points a unanimous selection. The highest point totals earned all-conference honors.
The NCHC will announce its individual award finalists on Thursday. Individual award winners will be revealed at the final NCHC Awards Celebration in Saint Paul, Minn. on Thursday, March 20 on the eve of the 2025 NCHC Frozen Faceoff.
2024-2025 All-NCHC First Team
F: Alex Bump, Western Michigan, So. – 85 points (17 first-team votes) unanimous
F: *Jack Devine, Denver, Sr. – 81 points (15)
F: Artem Shlaine, Arizona State, Gr., - 66 points (12)
D: *Zeev Buium, Denver, So. – 85 points (17) unanimous
D: ^Jake Livanavage, North Dakota, So. – 63 points (8)
G: ^Simon Latkoczy, Omaha, Jr. – 62 points (10)
2024-2025 All-NCHC Second Team
F: Aidan Thompson, Denver, Jr. – 55 points (6 first-team votes)
F: Lukas Sillinger, Arizona State, Gr. – 31 points (1)
F: Sam Stange, Omaha, Gr. – 29 points
D: Max Burkholder, Colorado College, So. – 44 points (5)
D: Noah Beck, Arizona State, Gr. – 42 points (2)
G: +Hampton Slukynsky, Western Michigan, Fr. – 39 points (5)
2024-2025 All-NCHC Third Team
F: Ryan Kirwan, Arizona State, Sr. – 27 points
F: Sam Harris, Denver, So. – 17 points (2 first-team votes)
F: Carter King, Denver, Sr. – 15 points
D: +Joona Väisänen, Western Michigan, Fr. – 24 points (1)
D: Eric Pohlkamp, Denver, So. – 22 points (2)
G: Cameron Rowe, Western Michigan, Gr. – 36 points (2)
* 2023-2024 First-Team All-NCHC selection
^ 2023-2024 Honorable Mention All-NCHC
+ 2024-2025 NCHC All-Rookie Team
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