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Date: | Wed, 13 Aug 1997 11:30:00 EDT |
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With almost everyone already willing to engrave Chris Drury's
name on it, and with everyone else touting Mike Crowley, I'd
like to propose a CCHA candidate: Michigan's Bill Muckalt.
Sure, I may be a bit biased, but let's look at some career numbers
and achievements before dismissing Muckalt as a long shot.
CROWLEY (U MINN) DRURY (BOSTON U)
SEASON GP G A PTS GP G A PTS
1994-95 41 11 27 38 39 12 15 27
1995-96 42 17 46 63 37 35 32 67
1996-97 42 9 47 56 41 38 24 62
TOTALS 125 37 120 157 117 85 71 156
MUCKALT (U MICH)
SEASON GP G A PTS
1994-95 39 19 18 37
1995-96 41 28 30 58
1996-97 36 26 38 64
TOTALS 116 73 86 159
It's possible that I could be completely overlooking someone
else, but it appears that Muckalt is the leading returning scorer
in Division I. He was third in NCAA points per game last season
and could have posted bigger numbers if not for missing seven
games due to injury.
Muckalt has recorded 11-16--27 in 18 career post-season
games and in 1996 scored goals in all three of Michigan's
NCAA tournament games and assisted on the national championship
winning goal. He's the CCHA active career leader in goals
(47) and points (103) in league games.
Unlike Crowley and Drury, both two-time All-America selections,
Muckalt has (unfairly, IMO) performed in the shadow of Michigan's
outstanding class of 1997. However, let's see how Muckalt's
numbers compare to said group of Wolverines entering their
senior seasons:
ENTERING 1996-97 CAREER (FINAL)
PLAYER GP G A PTS GP G A PTS
MORRISON 112 71 125 196 155 102 182 284
BOTTERILL 108 67 58 125 150 104 82 186
MADDEN 118 54 63 117 160 80 100 180
LUHNING 114 50 62 112 157 72 85 157
LEGG 118 39 61 100 159 60 95 155
Barring injury, Muckalt will surely eclipse Botterill and Madden's
career scoring totals. He's already in front of Luhning and Legg
with a full season to play. Muckalt has an outstanding chance to
become only the fourth Wolverine (Dave Debol, Denny Felsner,
Brendan Morrison) to register 100 goals and 100 assists.
Unfortunately, we live in a society where hype plays a significant
role in most individual athletic honors. I'd hate to see Muckalt, or
anyone else for that matter, out of the Hobey running before the
first puck even hits the ice just because he isn't a household name.
I'm reminded of Minn-Duluth's Chris Marinucci, who had an
outstanding junior season playing with superstar senior Derek
Plante. Marinucci followed that up with another solid season and
copped the Hobey as everyone realized that he wasn't simply
one of Derek Plante's wingers. I'm confident that Bill Muckalt
will prove in 1997-98 that he isn't/wasn't simply one of Brendan
Morrison's wingers.
I'm very interested in hearing any and all responses you have
to the above. Please post to the list or feel free to e-mail me
directly. Thanks!
John Haeussler
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HOCKEY-L is for discussion of college ice hockey; send information to
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