Freshman of the Year
I decided to start with the most obvious award. One freshman has stood out from the rest during the first half of this season, and that player is Jordan Samuels-Thomas (or, as I like to call him, "Hyphen").
Samuels-Thomas leads the team in goals and overall scoring and is second in assists. He is currently tied for 20th in the CCHA in overall scoring and tied for third among freshmen in scoring. Through 18 games JS-T has 15 points (6G-9A). His combination of speed, size, and strength have given opponents fits and led to a number of scoring opportunities for the Falcons. Beyond that, he has been the Falcons' shootout star, scoring winning goals against both "Duh Mavs" of Nebraska-Omaha and the Irish of Notre Dame.
Yes, yes, I know the UN-O shootout goal was "disputed." Guess what? We got the point for the shootout win. Thankyouverymuch.
Runner-up
This was actually a very tough choice. JS-T has performed so well that it's hard to look past him, which is a shame, because there are other freshmen who have made a big impact on the team this season. Ultimately, the runner-up decision came down to Ian Ruel and Nathan Pageau.
Pageau has the second-most points (3G-3A-6P) of all Falcon freshmen, and seems to score in big games for the team. His three goals have come in the shootout victory against Nebraska-Omaha, the first game of the series against Notre Dame, and the first game against Michigan State.
Ruel hasn't shown up as much on the scoring side of things, but his defensive presence is apparent when looking at one statistic: blocked shots. Ruel currently has 27 blocked shots this season, placing him second on the team behind captain Kyle Page.
People can (and probably will) debate the value of offense vs. defense, but I've always held a special place in my hockey heart for defensively-minded, shot-blocking players. For that reason, the runner-up spot goes to Ian Ruel.
If you'd like to weigh in on this decision, name your own winner, or congratulate me on my spectacular picks and hockey insight, leave a comment here.
Stay tuned for the next award, Most Improved Player. As usual, feel free to comment and tell me who you think should win. Make an argument if you'd like. I'm interested in other opinions, even if mine is the only correct one.
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I definitely agree with Ruel being a runner up. He has had a great presence so far this year and even though I was skeptical at first, I'm really starting to like his style of play. I'm excited for his future with the program.
ReplyDeleteAs I said before, I think Tomas Petruska should win most-improved. I think there are a lot of players who deserve it, but I've been watching Tomas for the four years I've been at BGSU. He has been doing some great things, but never seems to be able to pull off the stuff that will get him noticed. I know he has been working so hard and last year watching him shoot and hit the post I don't know how many times was just heart-breaking. He really came into this year with a hardcore mindset and his stats prove he is the move improved. In my mind anyway :)
Good stuff going on in this blog!
Am I the only one who sees a little bit of Freshman year Rob Blake in Ian Ruel?
ReplyDeleteI wish I could say I see it in him, too, but I wasn't fortunate enough to get to see Rob Blake at BG (I was 3 years old at the time he left).
ReplyDeleteHopefully you're right and he continues to develop. We could use a solid d-man to take the lead once Page graduates.