By Warren Kozireski–
University of Michigan junior defenseman Joseph Cecconi helped the Wolverines reach the Frozen Four for the 25th time in school history but the first time in his tenure as he played top-pair minutes while finishing fourth among all Big Ten defensemen in scoring with five goals and 21 assists.
“I think for my first two years here we had, my freshman year, we had Mike Komisarek, our volunteer coach, and he taught us a lot of stuff,” Cecconi said before his team’s last second loss to Notre Dame in the national semi-finals. “And I think we’re more of an offensive team. Michigan hockey is more known for its offense, so the ‘D’ have to be more offensive. And you have guys like (Zach) Werenski who came in and
things like that.
“And this year with Mel coming in, I think the ‘D’ have been more active than last year, that’s for sure. And it’s just playing in front of a good goaltender that helps us develop, and playing in front of (an) offense that puts a lot of goals in the net, that helps us out a lot, too.
The trip to the Frozen Four to go with his gold medal with Team USA at the 2017 Under-20 World Juniors and his fifth round selection by Dallas at the 2015 NHL Entry Draft.
Prior to Michigan the soon-to-be 21 year old played one-and-a-half season with the Buffalo Jr. Sabres before spending 88 games over two seasons with Muskegon in the USHL.
Over much of the second half of this season the 6’2”, 205 lb. Cecconi was paired with potential 2018 first round draft pick and All-Big Ten Second Team selection Quinn Hughes.
“I don’t think I have to change my game at all. I think I’m suited to play with a guy with a tremendous amount of offensive talent, like Quinn. And I think at the beginning of the year he was trying to do a little too much, but now he’s doing just enough to showcase his tremendous skill and help the team out at the same time.
“I think for us we work well together. We have a lot of chemistry. We’ve practiced for half the year together, we played half the year together. We room together on the weekends, and things like that just help us get close.
“Yeah, I think it starts with goaltending, and we were rotating goalies the first of the year. When Hayden (Lavigne) finally got the number one job, he’s taken over very well and is playing with a lot of confidence. And that’s helping the ‘D’ corps and guys like Quinn (Hughes), Sam (Piazza), Nick (Boka).”
Cecconi has also spent more time on the power play this season with the offensive results to show for it as he had netted five of his career total of six goals this season along with a career best 21 assists meaning he could emerge as more than the defensive-defenseman he was originally projected as.
