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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