March 20, 2008
DETROIT, MI - Although he will not be suiting up for the Blue and Gold next fall, junior defenseman Tyler Eckford continues to draw attention to the Alaska Nanooks hockey program as he was presented the Central Collegiate Hockey Association's Best Offensive Defenseman award at Thursday night's CCHA Awards Banquet at the Fox Theatre in Detroit.
Last week, Eckford was named one of three finalists for the award along with Miami junior Alec Martinez and sophomore Eddie Del Grosso of Nebraska-Omaha. Eckford had the best offensive output of the three as he led the CCHA's defensemen with 18 assists and 23 points in 28 games.
The award culminates an exciting week for the 6-2, 215-pound rearguard, who was also named to the CCHA's All-Conference First Team last Thursday and came to terms with the New Jersey Devils, whose organization he will join next fall, on Monday.
Eckford becomes the third player to garner one of the top six conference awards since the Nanooks joined the CCHA during the 1995-96 season. Bobby Andrews (1998-2002) was named the Best Defensive Forward and Guy Gadowsky (1999-2003) was named the Coach of the Year for the 2001-02 season. However, during the 2003-04 season, former Alaska forward Aaron Voros also garnered the Terry Flanagan Memorial Award after recovering from a bone tumor in his leg.
The remaining award winners included Michigan's Kevin Porter, who grabbed Player of the Year honors, while his linemate Max Pacioretty was named the Rookie of the Year. Wolverines head coach Red Berenson was tabbed as the CCHA Coach of the Year. Miami's Martinez was the league's Best Defensive Defenseman and Michigan State's Justin Abdelkader was the Best Defensive Forward. Abdelkader also garnered the eighth annual Mike and Marian Ilitch Humanitarian Award and his teammate Jeff Lerg was the CCHA Scholar-Athlete of the Year. Notre Dame's Dan VeNard was presented with the Terry Flanagan Memorial Award.
