ALBANY, N.Y. — The 2014-15 coaches’ preseason all-league team is made up of five positional student-athletes who ranked near the top of scoring leaders among their teams last season and a goaltender that was at the top of nearly every league statistical category last season. As voted on by the league’s 12 head coaches, players from five different teams – Cornell, Harvard, Quinnipiac, St. Lawrence and Union make-up the preseason all-league team.
Colin Stevens, Union
Goaltender
NCAA Division I statistical champion in winning percentage … tied for first nationally for wins (28), second in shutouts (6), while finishing seventh in goals-against average (2.05) and ninth in save percentage (.929) … AHCA/CCM All-American honors (East Second Team) … 2014 Ken Dryden Goaltender of the Year … two-time league Goaltender of the Month selection … six-time ECAC Hockey Goaltender of the Week recipient.
Gavin Bayreuther, St. Lawrence
Defense
Co-winner of the 2014 ECAC Hockey Rookie of the Year … his nine goals and 27 assists for 36 points were all Saints records for a rookie defenseman … named second team All-League … registered 30 blocked shots last season … ranked first among counterparts and rookies in scoring in conference action averaging 1.18 points per game … tied for the nation lead with 27 assists in among rookies … ranked third in scoring nationally among all defenders (0.95 ppg).
Joakim Ryan, Cornell
Defense
All-ECAC Hockey Second Team last season … earned the Nicky Bawlf Award, which is presented annually by the Big Red to their most valuable player … tied for second on the team in scoring with a career-high 24 points, appearing in all 32 games during his junior campaign … tied for sixth in the league in points per game for defensemen (0.68) … scored both the team’s first and last goals of the season … 2012 draftee of NHL’s San Jose Sharks (7th round – 193rd overall).
Daniel Ciampini, Union
Forward
All-ECAC Hockey Third Team … named to NCAA Frozen Four All-Tournament Team after collecting five points (4g-1a) … team’s top goal scorer (23) last season … finished second in team scoring (41 points) and game-winning goals (5) … recorded second-most goals in a Union season (23) … compiled points in 27 games in 2013-14 … registered 12 multiple-point games in junior season … scored in six consecutive games (2/1-2/21).
Matthew Peca, Quinnipiac
Forward
Recorded 107 career points, coming on 72 assists and 35 goals over his first three seasons … his career assist and point totals both rank fifth among all active NCAA men’s ice hockey players … named team’s co-captain for 2014-15 season … recorded the fastest natural hat trick in NCAA history (3:12), leading the Bobcats to their first Frozen Four in 2013 … tied for third on the team in scoring last season with 38 points on 12 goals and 26 assists … 26 helpers led team.
Jimmy Vesey, Harvard
Forward
Led Harvard with 13 goals and 22 points in 2013-14 … Posted goals in four straight games from Nov. 8-16 … tied for the conference lead with four game-winning goals last season … has registered 24 goals and 16 assists in 58 career games for the Crimson … named a Walter Brown Award candidate for the second year in a row … posted goals in four straight games from Nov. 8-16 … selected in the third round of the NHL draft (66th overall), by Nashville Predators.
