MJ’s #1
Jimmy Vesey F Harvard (14 Games Played, 10 Goals, 23 Points)
Jimmy Vesey and the Harvard Crimson may not have been able to take down either Boston University or Quinnipiac this past week, but Vesey brought his game. In fact, Vesey has kept up his end of the bargain for the Crimson, trying to fill the gap of Ryan Donato when he was on leave for the United States World Junior Championships representing team USA over the past couple weeks. Vesey is undoubtedly a top player in this league for a top team in this league. 23 Points in 14 games? That speaks for itself.
Kyle’s #1
Jimmy Vesey F Harvard (14 Games Played, 10 Goals, 23 Points)
Agreed. Jimmy Vesey is the best scorer on the highest scoring offense in the conference. Vesey is tied for fourth in the ECAC in points, yet he has played nine games less than the leader, St. Denis. With his average of 1.64 points per game, Vesey would have ten more goals than St. Denis, in the same amount of games.
Kyle’s #2
Michael Garteig G Quinnipiac (23 Games Played, .940 SV%, 1.41 GAA)
What Michael Garteig did in the first half of this season was incredible. The Quinnipiac goalie became the all-time team leader in wins, and has the longest shutout streak in team history at 209 minutes and 21 seconds. Garteig has eight shutouts on the year, and has been the cornerstone to the lowest scoring defense in the ECAC.
MJ’s #2
Michael Garteig G Quinnipiac (23 Games Played, 1.41 GAA, .940 SV%)
Kyle, both of us are making bold moves here. A goalie, the second best player in the ECAC. However, Garteig deserves this position. Garteig has recorded an NCAA leading 7 shutouts. He is a big reason the Bobcats are 19-1-3 at this point in the season. He stole some games for the Bobcats, saved the team from some games they could have or even should have lost. What a year for Garteig so far. The key? Can Garteig carry out this play through the postseason.
MJ’s #3
Travis St. Denis F Quinnipiac (23 Games Played, 12 Goals, 27 Points)
The Bobcat first-liner has kept up his production for head coach Rand Pecknold, and the senior leadership he brings to this Bobcat’s roster is part of the reason the team is thriving this season. In the team’s 5-0 win over Union on Thursday, St. Denis recorded his hundreth point as a Bobcat. This week, St. Denis finds himself sliding down a spot in my rankings through no fault of his own, but the exceptional play of others.
Kyle’s #3
Sam Anas F Quinnipiac (23 Games Played, 13 Goals, 26 Points)
While Travis St. Denis is also having a great year, I picked the other Bobcat the wears an ‘A’ on his jersey, as the third best player in the league. 13 Goals, 13 Assists, and a +15 ranking says it all. The junior is definitely one of the best in the business.
Kyle’s #4
Travis St. Denis F Quinnipiac (23 Games Played, 12 Goals, 27 Points)
The Bobcats’ newest member of the 100 point club finds a spot at number four. The league leader in points, St. Denis is putting up a monster year. He sits right behind Anas in my opinion, because Anas plays a more well rounded game. Still, three Quinnipiac players in my top four, make it clear why they are one of the best teams in the country.
MJ’s #4
Good justification, and quite frankly I think St. Denis and Anas can go either way based on their success this season individually, but more importantly from a team aspect.
Riley Bourbonnais F Rensselaer ( 22 Games Played, 13 Goals, 21 Points)
The Engineers are sporting an 11-4-7 overall record, but only have one ECAC loss to show. At 4-1-4 in the conference, RPI is by no means a team to overlook. Bourbonnais is clearly an offensive leader for this team. With 13 goals (tied for league lead) and 8 assists, Bourbonnais has almost double the number of goals than any other engineer. Without him, RPI would struggle to score goals. His success is the reason for the Engineers success, and for that Bourbonnais lands the number four ranking.
MJ’s #5
Sam Anas F Quinnipiac (23 Games Played, 13 Goals, 26 Points)
Tied for the league lead in goals (13), Second in the league in points (26), Third in the league in plus/minus ranking. Enough said. A top five player in the league no questions asked.
Kyle’s #5
Riley Bourbonnais F RPI (22 Games Played, 13 Goals, 21 Points)
Tied for first in the conference in goals, gets you a spot on my list. Bourbonnais has been key to this Rensselaer offense as his stats show, and he has lead them to a solid 11-8-4 record.
Kyle’s #6
Kyle Criscuolo F Harvard (14 Games Played, 11 Goals, 16 Points)
Criscuolo leads the Crimson in goals, and that’s saying a lot, being on the highest scoring offense in the conference. His three game winning goals and consistency have added depth to Harvard’s offense.
MJ’s #6
I was tempted to put Criscuolo on my list, because he is a great player. I just felt the return of Ryan Donato from the World Juniors combined with the continually great play of Vesey, that Criscuolo is in danger of falling off the map in terms of numbers.
Tim Clifton F Quinnipiac (19 Games Played, 13 Goals, 23 Points)
For me, number six is Tim Clifton. What a year for Clifton. Tim has finally found his niche and is putting up major numbers for his Quinnipiac Bobcats, including sitting sixth in the nation in power play goals. Clifton is tied for the league lead in goals, fourth in points, and tied for the lead in plus/minus ranking. Even better, Clifton did it in only 19 games, after he missed four early in the season.
MJ’s #7
Gavin Bayreuther D St. Lawrence (18 Games Played, 6 Goals, 14 Points)
Bayreuther’s St. Lawrence University Saints sits at 4-2-1 in the ECAC, but Bayreuther is atop the league in terms of defensemen. His six goals lead all ECAC defensemen, and his 14 points is good for second among defensemen. He may not be an elite player in the ECAC, but the best statistical defensemen in the league certainly deserves a spot in the top 10 players in the league.
Kyle’s #7
Tim Clifton F Quinnipiac (19 Games Played, 13 Goals, 23 Points)
At the beginning of the season, it looked like it was impossible to stop Tim Clifton from scoring. Nine goals in his first eight games is remarkable, and he has kept up his play. Clifton also tallied the game winner against Yale, in one of the team’s most important games of the season.
Kyle’s #8
Alex Lyon G Yale (15 Games Played, .936 SV%, 1.54 GAA)
In my perspective, Lyon has officially been dethroned as the best goalie in the ECAC. However, he still is, without a doubt a great goalie, and the stats show it. Lyon has made some of the best saves I’ve seen, and he is the brick wall behind one of the better defenses in the league.
MJ’s #8
Nick Lappin F Brown (15 Games Played, 10 Goals, 23 Points)
The Brown University Bears aren’t sporting the best ECAC record, but Nick Lappin is doing his part to be successful. Lappin won ECAC Player of the Week honors last week, and rightly so after tallying six points in three games for two wins last week raising his season total to 23 points. Kyle, Lappin wasn’t on our radar before, but no doubt in my mind he deserves a spot this week.
MJ’s #9
Tyson Spink F Colgate (21 Games Played, 9 Goals, 24 Points)
I didn’t recognize Tyson Spink as a top 10 player in the league last time around, and Spink must not have liked that very much for he proved me wrong. Spink and his fellow Colgate Raiders don’t have the best ECAC record (2-6-1) at this point, but Spink’s production shows otherwise. His 24 points in 21 games is astounding, and playing alongside his brother Tylor, Tyson has made himself known as a top ECAC forward.
Kyle’s #9
Tyson Spink F Colgate (21 Games Played, 9 Goals, 24 Points)
I completely agree with Spink. He’s third in the ECAC in points, but his -3 rating keeps him from being a top five player for me.
Kyle’s #10
Kyle Hayton G St. Lawrence (16 Games Played, .938 SV%, 1.86 GAA)
Definitely a top three goalie in the ECAC, Hayton is putting up a great year. With a .938 SV% second only to Garteig, it’s his GAA that keeps him back.
MJ’s #10
I can’t justify Hayton to me is currently a top 12 player in the ECAC. That could change with a huge week in store for St. Lawrence. A three game road trip to Clarkson, Harvard, and Dartmouth could turn the tides for Hayton.
Alex Lyon G Yale (15 Games Played, 1.54 GAA, .936 SV%)
Last year, Lyon was almost superhuman at times. This year, Lyon is still a phenomenal goaltender for the Yale Bulldogs. Though the team’s record may not be exactly what it would like, the Bulldogs cannot complain about the play of Lyon. Lyon has played in all but one game for the Bulldogs so far, and his 1.54 GAA helps his cause. Sitting at 3-3-2 in the ECAC, Yale is still a contender and a dangerous team in the conference who cannot be taken lightly. A lot of this is because of the play of Lyon.
