March 7, 2005

EAST LANSING, Mich. - Michigan State hockey handed out its 2004-05 post-season awards Monday (March 7) at its annual Spartan Hockey Awards Banquet held at the Holiday Inn South in Lansing.

Senior captain Jim Slater (Lapeer, Mich.) highlighted the ceremony, receiving three awards, including the team's Most Valuable Player Award. Slater leads the team and ranks sixth in the CCHA scoring race with 41 points (15 goals, 26 assists) in 36 games. Combined with last season's 48 points, Slater became the first Spartan since Mike York (1996-99) to record 40 points in back-to-back seasons. On way to leading his team to the Great Lakes Invitational Tournament Championship, Slater was selected as the GLI MVP after posting three points in State's championship run.

Slater also took home the Bill Burgess Outstanding Senior Award, which is given to the senior who has exemplified leadership and consistency throughout his career at MSU. All told in his four seasons at MSU, Slater has registered 63 goals and 102 assists for 165 points in 152 games to rank 24th on MSU's all-time scoring chart. In 2003-04, he was named a Hobey Baker Top-10 Finalist and received Second-Team All America honors, as well as All-CCHA First Team accolades.

The Lapeer, Mich., native also received the Amo Bessone Award, which is given to a player for athletic, scholastic and community participation. Slater was involved in numerous community activities throughout the 2004-05 season, including Skate with the Spartans; serving as a Pen Pal with a local elementary school; visiting the Pediatric Ward at Sparrow Hospital; working with the Children's Miracle Network and speaking to kids at the 4-H Youth Development Camp. In the classroom, he is finishing up on his degree in human resources management.

Junior forward Colton Fretter (Harrow, Ont.) was awarded the Outstanding Offensive Player Award. Having the best offensive season of his career, Fretter has scored 40 points for the first time in his three years at State. His 17 goals and 23 assists are good for second place in scoring team-wise, and put him seventh in the CCHA overall scoring race. His 17 goals already surpass his total from his freshman (seven goals) and sophomore (six) years combined. Fretter broke his previous season best of 22 points (seven goals, 15 assists), set during his freshman campaign (2002-03).

Sophomore Drew Miller (East Lansing, Mich.) was named the team's Most Improved Player for the 2004-05 season. Miller ranks third on the team in scoring, posting 30 points (17 goals, 13 assists) in 36 games for the Spartans. Last season, Miller had 10 points (four goals, six assists) in 42 games. His hard work on the power play and penalty kill have made Miller one of the team's most valuable assets.

Freshman Chris Mueller (West Seneca, N.Y.) took home Outstanding Rookie Honors. In his first season, Mueller has made a big impact, scoring one goal and registering 17 assists for 18 points. He has appeared in each of State's 36 contests. Stepping up from playing Midget AAA and high school hockey to college hockey, Mueller took the change in stride and has excelled as a true freshman.

The Dr. John Downs Outstanding Defensive Award was given to junior defenseman Corey Potter (Mason, Mich.) for a second consecutive season. Potter has three assists in 27 games and his +12 plus/minus rating is third on the team. In addition, he has accumulated 59 penalty minutes to lead MSU as he creates a physical presence on the blueline. Although stats can be somewhat deceiving, his primary job has been to get the puck out of the defensive zone and start the offensive attack.

Junior forward David Booth (Washington, Mich.) walked away with the Spartan Fitness Award, which is given to the player whose combined pre-season test score ranks the best among his teammates. The players are put through a series of nine tests for strength, dryland conditioning (VO2 and sprint tests) and three different on-ice speed/agility tests. On the ice, Booth has registered seven goals and nine assists for 16 points in 29 games.

Senior goaltender Rod Tocco (St. Clair Shores, Mich.) was awarded the Blue Line President's Award, given to the top student-athlete in the senior class. He carries a 3.1 grade-point average in turf/crop and soil science and will earn his bachelor's degree this spring. He was a member of the Dean's List in the fall of 2004, and will attend the Student-Athlete Supports Services Academic Gala this spring. The St. Clair Shores, Mich., native spent the summer of 2003 working at the Bel-Air Golf and Country Club in Los Angeles and hopes to enter graduate school next fall and pursue his mater's degree.

Freshman forward Zach McClellan (Frankenmuth, Mich.) took home the 2005 Goofus Award. Given to the team's humorist, McClellan has made his teammates laugh throughout the year with his jokes and funny personality. He still claims to this day that his most embarrassing moment in hockey was when Jared Nightingale started the biggest fight he has ever seen in midgets and he was pounded for about two minutes in the corner, and he was all by himself.

Don McSween (1984-87) received the Spartan Hockey Distinguished Alumnus Award. The Plymouth, Mich., native led the Green and White to a 139-37-4 mark during his four-year career. The Spartans advanced to four NCAA Tournaments, including a national championship in 1986, runner-up honors in 1987 and a fourth-place finish in 1984. In addition, State captured three CCHA playoff titles (1984, 1985 and 1987) and two regular-season championships (1985 and 1986) during his playing career.

He totaled 28 goals and 101 assists for 129 points in a then-NCAA record 180 career games as well as serving as a captain for three years (1985-87). He still ranks fourth all-time on MSU's career scoring list for points by a blueliner and third in career helpers by a blueliner. He was a three-time All-CCHA First-Team selection (1985, 1986 and 1987) and a two-time All-American Second-Team honoree (1986 and 1987). McSween is still the only player in school history to be a three-time All-CCHA First-Team honoree.

McSween, who earned his electrical engineering degree from MSU in 1987, was a three-time CCHA All-Academic Team member (1985, 1986 and 1987). He also was a two-time CoSIDA Academic All-American honoree. He also received MSU's Amo Bessone Award in 1986 and 1987 for athletic, scholastic and community participation.

Following his MSU playing days, he embarked on a professional career that spanned 14 seasons and 693 professional games. An eighth-round draft pick (No. 154 overall) by the Buffalo Sabres in the 1983 NHL Entry Draft, McSween broke into the professional career with the Rochester Americans in 1987-88.

He played five seasons in Rochester, playing in 348 games and recording 215 points (45 goals, 170 assists). He still holds American records for points by a defenseman in a career (215) and ranks 17th in games played (348) and 18th in assists (170). He became just the 40th member and the ninth blueliner to be inducted into the Amerks Hall of Fame in Feb., 2005.

In addition to Rochester, he made stops in San Diego (IHL, 1992-94), Anaheim (NHL, 1993-96), Baltimore (AHL, 1995-96), Grand Rapids (IHL, 1996-98), Milwaukee (IHL, 1997-98) and Muskego (UHL, 1998-200). All told, he played in 47 career NHL games (nine with Buffalo and 38 with Anaheim), posting three goals and 10 assists for 13 points.

McSween and his wife Debbie live in Grand Rapids, Mich., and are the parents of three children Matthew, Trevor and Rachel.

2004-05 Hockey Award Winners
Spartan Fitness Award: David Booth (Jr., Washington, Mich.)
Blue Line President's Award: Rod Tocco (Jr., St. Clair Shores, Mich.)
Outstanding Rookie: Chris Mueller (Fr., West Seneca, N.Y.)
Most Improved Player: Drew Miller (So., East Lansing, Mich.)
Dr. John Downs Outstanding Defensive Player Award: Corey Potter (Jr., Mason, Mich.)
Goofus Award: Zach McClellan (Fr., Frankenmuth, Mich.)
Outstanding Offensive Player Award: Colton Fretter (Jr., Harrow, Ont.)
Bill Burgess Outstanding Senior Award: Jim Slater (Sr., Lapeer, Mich.)
Amo Bessone Award: Jim Slater (Sr., Lapeer, Mich.)
Most Valuable Player: Jim Slater (Sr., Lapeer, Mich.)
Distinguished Alumni Award: Don McSween