COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. – Four different teams are represented among the National Collegiate Hockey Conference (NCHC) Players of the Week presented by KJ Branding for the week of Jan. 26 through Feb. 1, 2026. Closing out January strong to earn KJ Branding NCHC Week 17 honors are:

• Forward – Bennett Schimek, Arizona State, Sr.
• Defenseman – Mats Lindgren, Colorado College, Fr.
• Goaltender – Matteo Drobac, Miami, So.
• Rookie – Johnny Hicks, Denver, G

Schimek garnered his second Forward of the Week nod this season and the third of his career. Lindgren also landed his second NCHC weekly award this season, but his first Defenseman of the Week honor after claiming Rookie of the Week earlier in January. Drobac gloved his fourth Goaltender of the Week award this season, while Hicks was honored for the first time in his career.
 
FORWARD OF THE WEEK
Bennett Schimek, Arizona State
Senior Forward
Mendota Heights, Minn.
 
Schimek led the NCHC with five points on the weekend, helping Arizona State earn a split on the road at Colorado College. In Friday’s opener, he tallied four points on a goal and three primary assists in a 6-5 overtime victory. The ASU co-captain opened the game’s scoring with a goal in the first period, before dishing out primary helpers on the Sun Devils’ second and fourth goals. Schimek then ended the night by setting up the overtime game-winner with a nifty move and pass to Joel Kjellberg. It was his second game with at least four points this season. Schimek was named Second Star of the Game on Friday.
 
A night later, Schimek had a hand in ASU’s lone goal in a 4-1 loss, picking up another assist on a power play goal late in the contest. He finished the series with a goal and four assists, with the four helpers tops in the NCHC on the weekend. Schimek also blocked seven shots by the Tigers, including a season-high five on Friday, tying for the NCHC lead on the weekend and the most by an NCHC forward. He also fired three shots on goal at CC and finished with an even plus/minus.
 
Schimek’s five points last weekend tied for fourth nationally, while he’s now tied for second in the NCHC with 38 points in 27 games this season. The Providence transfer has 11 goals on the year and an NCHC-leading 27 assists, tying for tops in the NCAA. Schimek’s 38 points this season are a career high and tied for third nationally.

DEFENSEMAN OF THE WEEK
Mats Lindgren, Colorado College
Freshman Defenseman
North Vancouver, B.C.
 
Lindgren continued the strong start to his college career with a three-point weekend in Colorado College’s series against Arizona State. In Friday’s 6-5 overtime loss, the Buffalo Sabres draft pick tallied a career-high three points and the second multi-goal game of his short CC career so far. Lindgren book-ended the scoring for the Tigers, potting their first goal early in the second period, before striking on the power play in the third period to tie the game at 5-5 and cap a three-goal comeback. He also assisted on CC’s third goal that started the rally to earn the Tigers a point in the standings and was tabbed Third Star of the Game on Friday.
 
On Saturday, Lindgren was held off the scoresheet, but shined defensively in a 4-1 victory. He posted a +2 plus/minus, while helping the Tigers go 4-for-5 on the penalty kill and limiting ASU to 22 shots on goal.
 
Lindgren led all NCHC blueliners on the weekend with both his three points and two goals, while adding one assist. He fired seven shots on goal in the series, including six in Friday’s overtime contest, and finished with a +1 plus/minus. On the season, Lindgren now has four goals and four assists for eight points in eight games since joining the Tigers in January.
 
GOALTENDER OF THE WEEK
Matteo Drobac, Miami
Sophomore Goaltender
Oakville, Ont.
 
Drobac was stellar in Miami’s sweep at then-No. 20 St. Cloud State, allowing only two goals all weekend and none even strength. In Friday’s 2-1 victory, he made 25 saves, including 11 in the third period, to close out the win for the RedHawks. His only goal allowed came on an SCSU power play in the second period. A night later, Drobac racked up 36 saves in a 3-1 victory, with the Huskies lone goal coming on the man advantage in the third period. He was named Second Star of the Game both nights after backstopping Miami to its first road sweep in NCHC play since January of 2021 and first sweep at St. Cloud State since 1999.
 
Drobac finished the series with 61 saves on 63 shots faced, while posting a sparkling .968 save percentage and 1.00 goals-against average, all of which was second among NCHC goalies on the weekend. He also held SCSU scoreless in more than seven total minutes of 5-on-6 play across the two games with a Huskies extra attacker. Drobac has now won four straight games in net, improving to 15-8-2 in 25 starts this season. He upped his season save percentage to .913, which is fourth in the NCHC, and lowered his season GAA to 2.63.

ROOKIE OF THE WEEK
Johnny Hicks, Denver
Freshman Goaltender
Kamloops, B.C.
 
Hicks was nearly perfect in the first two starts of his college career, filling in for the injured Quentin Miller, allowing only one goal all weekend to backstop Denver to a pair of wins over then-No. 7 Minnesota Duluth. In Friday’s opener, he stopped 29 of 30 shots faced before leaving with an injury midway through the third period with DU leading, 4-1. The Pioneers held on for the 4-3 victory. Hicks bounced back from the injury the next night, however, turning aside all 19 shots he faced to record his first individual career shutout, every one of which was needed in a 1-0 overtime win. He was named First Star of the Game on Saturday.
 
Hicks finished the weekend with 48 saves on 49 shots faced in 113 minutes of action, while leading NCHC netminders with both a .980 save percentage and a 0.53 goals-against average versus the Bulldogs. His shutout was the lone clean sheet in the NCHC on the weekend. Hicks is now 3-0-0 on the season, having won three straight for DU, while compiling a .980 save percentage and a 0.55 GAA in 220 minutes in net.
 
OTHER NOMINEES:
 
Forward of the Week
John Emmons, Miami
Tomas Mrsic, Colorado College
Liam Valente, Western Michigan

Defenseman of the Week
Joel Kjellberg, Arizona State
Vladislav Lukashevich, Miami
Zack Sharp, Western Michigan

Goaltender of the Week
Johnny Hicks, Denver
Simon Latkoczy, Omaha
Hampton Slukynsky, Western Michigan
Jackson Unger, Colorado College
 
Rookie of the Week
Sam Alfano, Arizona State, F
Ethan Hay, Miami, F
Tomas Mrsic, Colorado College, F
Jamison Sluys, Western Michigan, F