Third Team All-Americans

F – Greg Carey, St. Lawrence

I have always had a soft spot for guys who put up big numbers on bad teams, which leads me to placing Carey on my All-American team. As a Freshman he had 11 goals in ECAC play, just 1 off the league leader, and his 23 goals overall was most of anyone in the conference.

F – TJ Tynan, Notre Dame

Last year’s CCHA rookie of the year

had more points than any CCHA player who didn’t play for Miami. Past over in the NHL draft in his first go around, his big Freshman campaign convinced Columbus to take him in the third round this summer. Tynan is one of the best skaters in all of college hockey. With the group that he has around him, Tynan is due for a huge season in South Bend, but will he be penalized of sorts by playing with so much talent?

F – Jack Connolly, Minnesota-Duluth

Part of one of the best lines in the country last year, Connolly now has to do it without Mike Connolly and Justin Fontaine. His supporters will no doubt suggest he was driving that bus last year, and as such he should have no problem replicating last year’s success with a new group of linemates. His detractors will probably say that Fontaine and Connolly made him look better than he is. The truth is, of course, somewhere in the middle. I don’t think Connolly will post the prodigious numbers he did last year, but he should be very good, and I think we all would like to see what he and JT Brown can do together.

D – Torey Krug, Michigan State

Speaking of guys who put up big numbers on bad teams, Michigan State finished 10th in the CCHA last year and I don’t see many reasons for improvement in 2011-12. Krug, though, emerged as one of the best offensive defensemen in the country, posting

10 goals and 19 points in CCHA play, which led all CCHA defensemen. He also was tied for 2nd nationally in goals scored by a defenseman.

D – Jon Merrill, Michigan

Merrill would likely be higher if not for his 12 game suspension, and I did consider him dropping him altogether, so I compromised and put him on the third team. I don’t think it’s out of line to suggest that Merrill may have some character concerns, but his talent is too immense to ignore. He had 7 goals and 25 points last year, and was perhaps the US’s best defenseman at the WJC. Devils GM Lou Lamoriello has commented that he won’t give Merrill the opportunity to sign with the Devils and he’ll respect Michigan’s suspension, but the Plymouth Whalers, who hold his OHL rights, probably won’t be as morally sound.

G – Matt DiGirolamo, New Hampshire

DiGirolamo saw a lot of rubber last year. He made more saves (1145) than any goalie in the country, a testament to his ability to play a lot and to, you know, stop the puck. He had a .931 save percentage in Hockey East play, and has used the experience he built up during his two years as UNH’s backup to turn into one of the best goalies in the country.