Rosemont, Illinois — Gavin Brindley A player from the University of Michigan ice hockey team was named the Big Ten Player of the Year in all-conference awards announced Tuesday (March 19) on the Big Ten Network.
Selected alongside Brindley in the first team were: Rutger McGroarty and Seamus CaseyThat's because the Wolverines make up half of the players selected. Dylan Duke Earning second-team honors, T.J. Hughes and Frank Nazar III It was selected as an honorable mention. Jacob Truscott Michigan's Big Ten Sportsmanship Award winner.
Brindley also earned the title of Big Ten scoring champion with 29 points against conference opponents in 23 games. He is just the fifth Wolverine to accomplish the feat, joining Matty Beigner (2022), Cooper Marody (2018), Kyle Conner (2016) and Zach Hyman (2014).
Michigan's three first-team selections marks its most since 2016, when it had four players selected: Conner, JT Compher, Tyler Motte and Zach Werenski.
Brindley has 51 points in 36 games, averaging 1.42 points per game. He has a team-best 24 goals, 27 assists and a +19, scoring at least one point in 27 games and scoring multiple points in 15 games. Brindley has 18 points on the nation's top power play, scoring six goals and recording 23 blocked shots. The Columbus Blue Jackets draft pick was named an honorable mention last year. Brindley is the second Wolverine to be named B1G Player of the Year, joining Kyle Connor (2016). Six other players have been named finalists for the award.
McGroarty ranks fourth in the country with an average of 1.59 points per game and has 16 goals and 35 assists. A two-time National Player of the Month, McGroarty has points in 25 of 32 games and is on a seventh consecutive point streak. A Winnipeg Jets draft pick, McGroarty has multiple points in 16 games and boasts a team-best +21 on-ice rating. McGroarty has scored game-winning goals in three games and has 20 power play points, including six man-advantage goals. McGroarty was named to the B1G All-Tournament Team last season.
Casey leads NCAA defensemen in points with 44, along with 37 assists and seven goals. He has 45 blocked shots and is a +10. Casey has scored at least one point in 27 games and is currently on a four-game scoring streak. A draft pick of the New Jersey Devils, Casey has 22 power play points this season. Casey was named to the B1G All-Freshman Team and All-Tournament Team last season.
Duke is also the only Wolverines player averaging more than a point per game, with 42 points in 37 games. He has 21 points, including a team-high 10 on the power play, and has also dished out 21 assists. Duke ranks fourth in the country with six game-winning goals this season and has two shorthanded goals.
Hughes was named an honorable mention for the second straight year. He was third on the team in points with 44, averaging 1.19 points per game. Hughes also had a team-high 22 power play points while winning 59% of his faceoffs and leading the nation with 353 wins. Hughes, who is considered the top undrafted free agent in college hockey, has 25 multi-point games this season.
Nazar averaged 1.00 points per game and had 14 goals and 23 assists for 37 points in 37 games. He led the team with 358 faceoff wins, a 54.1% win rate and three game wins. The Chicago Blackhawks draft pick also scored 11 points on the power play and assisted on two shorthanded goals.
Civsky finished third on the rookie scoring list with 30 points on 16 goals and 14 assists. At +15, he has points in 20 games this season and has two games with three points.
Truscott, captain of Team 102, has played in all 37 games, recording 15 points and a team-high 51 blocked shots. He has partnered with Werenski to provide community organizations with a hockey game-day experience, meeting with each group at every home game.
Michigan enters its third consecutive B1G Tournament championship on Saturday (March 23) ranked 10th in the nation.
2023-24 All-Big Ten Hockey Team and Individual Awards
Selected by a Big Ten coaches and media voting panel
First team
Gavin Brindley,So.,F,MICH
Rutger McGroarty,So.,F,MICH
Jimmy Snagard, Sophomore, F, Minnesota
Seamus Casey,So.,D.,MICH
Artum Levshunov, Fr., Ph.D., MSU
Kyle McClellan, Sr., G, WIS
Second Team
Dylan Duke,Jr.,F,MICH
Rhett Pitlick Jr., F, Minnesota
Landon Slaggert, Sr., F, ND
Ryan Chesley, Sophomore, D, Minnesota
Scooter Brickey, 5th grade, D, OSU
Trey Augustine, Fr., G, MSU
Honorable Mention
T.J. Hughes,So.,F,MICH
Frank Nazar III,So.,F,MICH
Carsen Doward, Sophomore, F, Michigan State University
Isaac Howard, sophomore at Michigan State University, F.
Joey Larson, Sophomore, F, Michigan State University
Bryce Brozinke, Gr., F, Minnesota
Jackson Nelson, Gr., F, MINN
Stephen Halliday, Sophomore, F, OSU
Aiden Fink, Fr., F, PSU
Cruz Lucius, Sophomore, F, WIS
David Silley, Sr., Female, WIS
Luke Mittelstadt, Sophomore, D, Minnesota
Ryan Siedem, Gr., D, ND
Ben Dexheimer, Sophomore, D, WIS
Justin Close, Group G, Minnesota
Ryan Bichel, Gr., G, ND
All Freshman Team
Garrett Schifsky,Fr.,F,MICH
Oliver Moore, priest, female, Minnesota
Aiden Fink, Fr., F, PSU*
Artyom Levshov, Fr. and Ph.D., Moscow State University
Sam Lindsell, Fr., Ph.D., Minnesota
Trey Augustine, Fr., G, MSU*
Player of the Year
Gavin Brindley,So.,F,MICH
Defensive Player of the Year
Artyom Levshunov, Fr. and Ph.D., Moscow State University
Goalkeeper of the Year
Kyle McClellan, Sr., G, WIS
Freshman Award
Artyom Levshunov, Fr. and Ph.D., Moscow State University
Coach of the Year
Adam Nightingale, Michigan State University*
Top scorer
Gavin Brindley,So.,F,MICH
Sportsmanship Award
Jacob Truscott,Sr.,D.,MICH
Nicholas Muller, 5th grade, F, Michigan State University
Carl Fish Sr., D, Minnesota
Hunter Strand Jr., F, ND
Damien Carfagna, sophomore, D, OSU
Simon Mack Jr., D, PSU
Owen Lindmark, Gr., F, WIS
*Unanimously elected