Just hours before the play-in game between Minnesota-Duluth and North Dakota kicks off the Western Collegiate Hockey Association Final Five, the WCHA named its major award winners, and Minnesota was left off each list.
Denver coach George Gwozdecky was named the conference’s coach of the year, while Denver goalie Marc Cheverie took home player of the year honors. Brendan Smith of Wisconsin took home defensive player of the year honors, and Danny Kristo of North Dakota was named the WCHA’s freshman of the year.
The full list can be found on the WCHA link, but here is the 2009-10 WCHA First Team:
Forward-Rhett Rakhshani (Denver)
Forward-Blake Geoffrion (Wisconsin)
Forward-Jack Connolly (Minnesota-Duluth)
Defense-Brendan Smith (Wisconsin)
Defense-Patrick Wiercioch (Denver)
Goalie-Marc Cheverie (Denver)
