Hockey East favorite Boston College had three players named to the preseason All-USCHO teams, while CCHA contender Michigan State placed two players on the first team as announced Sunday by USCHO.com.
Spartan forward Jim Slater and his teammate, defenseman A.J. Thelen, were joined on the first team by Boston College’s Patrick Eaves and Michigan Tech’s Chris Conner at forward. Noah Welch of Harvard was a first-team pick at defense, and Maine’s Jimmy Howard was selected to man the first-team nets.
Among the second-team picks were BC blueliner Andrew Alberts and two standouts for preseason No. 1 Michigan: netminder Al Montoya, who returned to college after his well-publicized NHL selection by the New York Rangers, and forward T.J. Hensick.
The rookie team included two North Dakota skaters in forward Travis Zajac and defenseman Kyle Radke. The WCHA dominated the freshman selections with four of the six picks.
Complete All-USCHO teams, as well as honorable mentions and the All-USCHO rookie team, appear below.
All-USCHO First Team
F Jim Slater, Michigan State
F Chris Conner, Michigan Tech
F Patrick Eaves, Boston College
D A.J. Thelen, Michigan State
D Noah Welch, Harvard
G Jimmy Howard, Maine
All-USCHO Second Team
F Evan Schwabe, Minnesota-Duluth
F T.J. Hensick, Michigan
F Lee Stempniak, Dartmouth
D Mark Stuart, Colorado College
D Andrew Alberts, Boston College
G Al Montoya, Michigan
All-USCHO Third Team
F Brady Murray, North Dakota
F Ryan Shannon, Boston College
F Jon Smyth, Colgate
D Brian Yandle, New Hampshire
D Andy Greene, Miami
G Bernd Bruckler, Wisconsin
Honorable mention: Barret Ehgoetz, Niagara; Nathan Oystrick, Northern Michigan; Brett Skinner, Denver; David McKee, Cornell; Steve Silverthorn, Colgate; Matt Jones, North Dakota; Michel Leveille, Maine; Kevin Croxton, Rensselaer
All-USCHO Rookie Team
F Travis Zajac, North Dakota
F Chris Bourque, Boston University
F Kris Chucko, Minnesota
D Kyle Klubertanz, Wisconsin
D Kyle Radke, North Dakota
G Cory Schneider, Boston College
