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Men's Hockey March 17, 2017

de Haas, Three Rookies Headline Clarkson ECAC Hockey Award Winners

Several of the players who had key roles in helping the Clarkson University Hockey team reached a winning season this winter were recognized for their efforts with selections as 2016-17 ECAC Hockey All-Stars.

The Golden Knights captain, senior James de Haas headlined the Green and Gold award winners, earning the ECAC Hockey Best Defensive Defenseman Award along with being named a Second-Team league all-star.

Junior forward Sam Vigneault was chosen as a Third-Team conference all-star.

Clarkson placed three players on the six-member ECAC Hockey All-Rookie team with goaltender Jake Kielly and forwards Sheldon Rempal and Nico Sturm gaining honors.

2017 ECAC Hockey All-Stars

de Haas helped Clarkson earn home ice for the first-round of the ECAC Hockey conference tournament as the sixth seed. The native of Mississauga, Ont. registered 47 blocks on the season, while totaling seven goals and 22 assists. His point total was the most by a Golden Knight blue-liner since 2002-03 and ranked fourth among his league counterparts. The draftee of the Detroit Red Wings helped the Golden Knights rank in the top half of the league defensively, allowing an average of 2.65 goals per game, while posting an 83.1 percent penalty-kill success rate. He also registered two game-winning goals, two power-play goals and one shorthanded goal in conference play.

de Haas joins Martin d'Orsonnens '93, Matt Pagnutti '97 and Kent Huskins '01 as Golden Knights who have won the ECAC Hockey's Best Defensive Defenseman Award.

Vigneault paced the Clarkson offense with a team-high 36 points, including 24 assists, the most points by a Golden Knight over the past five years, and the most assists at Clarkson in the past nine seasons.  The Baie-Comeau, QUE native, who tallied 75 career points (30-45) over 106 games, games has signed a pro contract with the Columbus Blue Jackets' organization.

Also named a finalist for ECAC Hockey Rookie of the Year, Kielly started 35 of Clarkson's 39 games, including 28 of the last 29. He posted a .911 save percentage and a 2.56 goals-against average with three shutouts. In ECAC Hockey games, Kielly has played more minutes (1129:25) than any other league rookie goaltender. In addition, the Eden Prairie, MN native made more saves (522) than any other conference freshman goalie and posted most wins (8) and ties (3) in league play among rookies. Kielly was named ECAC Hockey Rookie of the Month in November; ECAC Hockey Goaltender of the Week three times (Oct. 24, Nov. 14 & Nov. 28); Shillelagh All-Tournament MOP (Nov. 26); NCAA Hockey 1st Star (Nov. 29) and an ECAC Hockey Honor Roll nominee five times.

Rempal was the leading scorer in ECAC Hockey's most productive freshman class, recording 23 points overall on 11 goals and 12 assists. The Calgary, ALB native tallied 13 points (4-9) in league play.

A native of Augsburg, Germany, Sturm followed closely behind Rempal in overall points with 21 (8-13), and was the Knights' leading rookie scorer in ECAC Hockey action with 15 points ion eight goals and seven assists.

Clarkson skated to an 18-16-5 overall record for the 73rd winning season in the program's 95-year history, and posted a 10-9-3 ECAC Hockey mark.
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Players Mentioned

James de Haas

#2 James de Haas

D
6' 3"
Senior
Sam Vigneault

#21 Sam Vigneault

F
6' 5"
Junior
Sheldon Rempal

#11 Sheldon Rempal

F
5' 10"
Freshman
Nico Sturm

#17 Nico Sturm

F
6' 3"
Freshman
Jake Kielly

#29 Jake Kielly

G
6' 2"
Freshman

Players Mentioned

James de Haas

#2 James de Haas

6' 3"
Senior
D
Sam Vigneault

#21 Sam Vigneault

6' 5"
Junior
F
Sheldon Rempal

#11 Sheldon Rempal

5' 10"
Freshman
F
Nico Sturm

#17 Nico Sturm

6' 3"
Freshman
F
Jake Kielly

#29 Jake Kielly

6' 2"
Freshman
G