Jack Ahcan of Cedar Rapids RoughRiders named USHL Defenseman of the Year

CEDAR RAPIDS — At 5-foot-8 and 170 pounds, Jack Ahcan always was one of the last guys you'd figure would be willing and able to check an opposing forward along the boards.

But that desire to lay the smackdown on someone was what made the Cedar Rapids RoughRiders defenseman so good. At least good enough to win a major United States Hockey League award.

The USHL announced Monday that Ahcan is its Defenseman of the Year, as determined by a vote of the league's general managers. He is the first RoughRider to win the award.

'Physicality has always been a big part of my game,' the 18-year-old from Savage, Minn., said. 'I didn't really change anything with the way I played this year. A lot of people always have said how they think I play bigger than I am.'

Ahcan was plenty fine on the other side of the puck, too, scoring 14 goals and 30 assists in 56 games for Cedar Rapids, his 44 points second in the USHL for defensemen. He had seven power-play goals and six game-winning goals, compiling a plus-minus rating of plus-14.

The RoughRiders won the Anderson Cup for most regular-season standings points, with Ahcan's play part of the reason.

'This is such an honor,' Ahcan said. 'Seeing some of the guys who have won the award before. I've been getting all kinds of text messages from family and friends congratulating me.'

'I think it was well deserved,' RoughRiders Coach/General Manager Mark Carlson said. 'He played very well on both sides of the puck, offensively and defensively. He is a fierce competitor, is physical. He was a tremendous leader for us by example. Wire to wire, he was very good.'

Ahcan was an eighth-round draft pick of the RoughRiders in Phase I of the 2013 USHL Entry Draft. He played for Burnsville, Minn., High School before coming to Cedar Rapids this season.

He will play 2016-17 at St. Cloud State.

The USHL named Muskegon's Rem Pitlick its Forward of the Year and Player of the Year. He led the league with 46 goals and 89 points.

Green Bay's Adam Huska is the USHL's Goaltender of the Year.

Here is a list of the USHL Defenseman of the Year historically:

YEAR

PLAYER

TEAM

2015-16

Jack Ahcan

Cedar Rapids RoughRiders

2014-15

Neal Pionk

Sioux City Musketeers

2013-14

Brandon Montour

Waterloo Black Hawks

2012-13

Paul LaDue

Lincoln Stars

2011-12

Andy Welinski

Green Bay Gamblers

2010-11

Nick Mattson

Indiana Ice

2009-10

David Makowski

Green Bay Gamblers

2008-09

John Moore

Chicago Steel

2007-08

Blake Kessel

Waterloo Black Hawks

2006-07

Jeff Petry

Des Moines Buccaneers

2005-06

Nick Schaus

Omaha Lancers

2004-05

Brett Motherwell

Omaha Lancers

2003-04

Mike Hodgson

Sioux City Musketeers

2002-03

Matt Carle

River City Lancers

2001-02

Brett Skinner

Des Moines Buccaneers

2000-01

Jamie Mattie

Sioux Falls Stampede

1999-00

Jeff Finger

Green Bay Gamblers

1998-99

Tom Preissing

Green Bay Gamblers

1997-98

Jason Basile

Des Moines Buccaneers

1996-97

Josh DeWolf

St. Paul Vulcans

 

Dan Peters

Omaha Lancers

1994-95

Scott Swanson

Omaha Lancers

1993-94

Dave Dupont

Des Moines Buccaneers

1992-93

Eric Rud

Des Moines Buccaneers

1991-92

Andrew Backen

Thunder Bay Flyers

1990-91

Paul Koch

Omaha Lancers

1989-90

John Gruden

Waterloo Black Hawks

1988-89

Mark Peterson

St. Paul Vulcans

1987-88

Chris Nelson

Rochester Mustangs

1986-87

Darren Sheehan

Thunder Bay Flyers

1985-86

Kord Cernick

Dubuque Fighting Saints

1984-85

Mike Castellano

Austin Mavericks

1983-84

Doug Claggett

Dubuque Fighting Saints

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