NEWS

Former Hamilton Red Wing Zach Hyman (photo courtesy of Lon Horwedel/Michigan Photography), now with the University of Michigan Wolverines, was the 2014-15 Big Ten scoring champion, as well as a Sportsmanship Award Honoree and a unanimous All-Big Team 1st Team Forward.

Joining Hyman as a Big Ten Award winner this season was former Burlington Cougar Luke Juha, who received All-Big Ten Honorable Mention.

Born on June 9, 1992 in Toronto, Ontario, Hyman recently graduated with honours, including a 94% average, from the prestigious Tanenbaum CHAT (Anne & Max Tanenbaum Community Hebrew Academy of Toronto). During his high school career, he would excel both academically and athletically, twice being named High School Hockey’s MVP, as well as his school’s Athlete-of-the-Year.

Hyman entered the OJHL as a 16-year old in 2008-09. He would record 37 points in only 49 games to be named the club’s Rookie-of-the-Year and just prior to the season, Zach would turn his academic achievements into accepting a full scholarship to attend Ivy League school Princeton University, beginning in 2011-12. 

Named captain, the youngest in the CCHL, Hyman set the league on fire in 2009-10, recording 75 points in 49 games, while receiving numerous team and league accolades throughout. He was named the CCHL November Player-of-the-Month, as well as earning Red Wings’ Team MVP honours. Also selected to play for Canada’s Under-20 team at the 3 Nations Tournament in Norrtallje, Sweden, Hyman served as alternate captain and was named Game MVP after scoring two goals versus Finland.

Following his award-filled 2009-10 season, the 6’2”, 195 lbs. power forward would receive the ultimate honour for an up-and-coming junior-aged star. One of the youngest players eligible for the 2010 NHL Entry Draft, Zach Hyman would be selected in the 5th round, 123rd overall by the Florida Panthers.

After attending the Panthers Rookie Camp, Hyman returned to Hamilton as the OJHL’s only NHL drafted player and would not disappoint, immediately rocketing up the scoring charts. During the month of October, he would lead the Red Wings to a 7-2-1 record, while running up a 10-game point streak to be named the OJHL Player-of-the-Month. Hyman was then selected to represent Team Canada East at the 2010 World Junior ‘A’ Challenge held in Penticton, B.C., and would help capture a silver medal after falling to Team USA in the championship game.  Re-committing to the University of Michigan during the season, Hyman would finish second in scoring in the entire OJHL with 102 points and earn 1st Team All-Star honours, as well as being named the league's Most Gentlemanly Player.  He then received the ultimate honours by being named the winner of the OHA's B.J. Monro Memorial Trophy as the Top Professional Prospect, as well as being named CJHL Player-of-the-Year, the OJHL's first recipient since Trent Walford in 1996.

Below is the official press release from the Michigan Wolverines website (www.mgoblue.com):

University of Michigan freshman forward Dylan Larkin was selected as Big Ten ice hockey Freshman of the Year, and senior forward Zach Hyman was a unanimous All-Big Ten first team selection, leading a group of five Wolverines honored with Big Ten awards as voted by a panel of Big Ten coaches and media, the conference announced Monday (March 16). Larkin and freshman defenseman Zach Werenski joined Hyman on the All-Big Ten first team, while junior forward Andrew Copp and sophomore defenseman Michael Downing earned All-Big Ten second team recognition.

Larkin and Werenski were unanimous selections on the Big Ten All-Freshman Team, and Hyman was the Big Ten Scoring Champion after finishing conference play with 33 points (12G, 21A) in 20 games. Hyman also was Michigan's selection for the Big Ten Sportsmanship Award.

Larkin leads all Big Ten freshmen with 43 points (14G, 29A) on the season. He is the first Michigan freshman to reach 40 points in a single season since Aaron Palushaj had 44 points (10G, 34A) in 2007-08. Larkin is No. 3 in the nation in freshman scoring, No. 5 in the nation with an average of 0.91 assists per game, and No. 6 with a scoring average of 1.34 points per game. Larkin led all freshmen with an average of 4.41 shots a game and was named HCA National Rookie of the Month in January after recording 16 points (7G, 9A) and a plus-12 rating in six games. Larkin's Big Ten Freshman of the Year award comes one season after JT Compher earned the award for his standout campaign in 2013-14.

Hyman leads the Big Ten in scoring with 49 points (19G, 30A) and needs one point to become the first Michigan player to top 50 points in a single season since Carl Hagelin, who had 50 points (19G, 31A) in 2009-10. A Hobey Baker Award candidate, Hyman is one goal shy of becoming the first U-M player to reach 20 goals since Louie Caporusso had 21 goals in 2009-10. Hagelin was also the last player to have 30 assists in a single season before Hyman reached that mark on March 13 vs. Michigan State. Hyman is No. 4 in the nation with a scoring average of 1.44 points per game and is second in the Big Ten with a plus-21 rating.

Werenski leads all Big Ten defensemen with nine goals and is tops among U-M blueliners with 24 points (9G, 15A) this season. Werenski is second among Big Ten defensemen in points per game (0.74). He has the most points and goals by a freshman defenseman at Michigan since Jacob Trouba (13G, 16A) in 2012-13. Werenski led the team with 55 blocked shots this season.

Copp notched a career-high 30 points (14G, 16A) and plus-8 rating on the season. Michigan's captain matched Larkin and Alex Kile with a team-leading six power -play goals. The Ann Arbor native also led the team with two shorthanded goals and was one of the team's best defensive forwards this season.

Downing also set a career high with 21 points (5G, 16A), third among all Big Ten defenseman. Downing had 45 blocked shots and continued his reputation as one of the league's best in hits. He notched a career-best three points (G, 2A) in a 7-5 win against Minnesota on Jan. 10.

Michigan will begin postseason play on Thursday (March 19) at 8 p.m., when the Wolverines take on Wisconsin in the first round of the Big Ten Tournament at Joe Louis Arena in Detroit.

2014-15 All-Big Ten Ice Hockey Team
As selected by Big Ten coaches and Media Voting Panel

FIRST TEAM
ZACH HYMAN, F, Michigan
Dylan Larkin, F, Michigan
Casey Bailey, F, Penn State
Zach Werenski, D, Michigan
MIKE REILLY, D, Minnesota
JAKE HILDEBRAND, G, Michigan State

SECOND TEAM
Andrew Copp, F, Michigan
Travis Boyd, F, Minnesota
Kyle Rau, F, Minnesota
Travis Walsh, D, Michigan State
Michael Downing, D, Michigan
Adam Wilcox, G, Minnesota

HONORABLE MENTION
Matt Berry, F, Michigan State
Anthony Greco, F, Ohio State
David Goodwin, F, Penn State
Taylor Holstrom, F, Penn State
Brady Skjei, D, Minnesota
Nate Jensen, D, Penn State
Luke Juha, D, Penn State
Patrick Koudys, D, Penn State
PJ Musico, G, Penn State

ALL-FRESHMAN TEAM
DYLAN LARKIN, F, Michigan
Matthew Weis, F, Ohio State
Scott Conway, F, Penn State
ZACH WERENSKI, D, Michigan
Josh Jacobs, D, Michigan State

PLAYER OF THE YEAR
Jake Hildebrand, G, Michigan State

DEFENSIVE PLAYER OF THE YEAR (Defenseman or Forward)
Mike Reilly, D, Minnesota

GOALTENDER OF THE YEAR
JAKE HILDEBRAND, G, Michigan State

FRESHMAN OF THE YEAR
DYLAN LARKIN, F, Michigan

COACH OF THE YEAR
Guy Gadowsky, Penn State

SCORING CHAMPION
Zach Hyman, F, Michigan

SPORTSMANSHIP AWARD HONOREES
Zach Hyman, Michigan
Michael Ferrantino, Michigan State
Kyle Rau, Minnesota
Tanner Fritz, Ohio State
Max Gardiner, Penn State
Joel Rumpel, Wisconsin

Unanimous selections in ALL CAPS