University of Minnesota Athletics
Ryan Potulny Named First Team All-American
4/7/2006 12:00:00 AM | Men's Hockey
Former University of Minnesota center Ryan Potulny (Grand Forks, N.D.) has been named a RBK Division I All-American by the American Hockey Coaches Association (AHCA). A 2005-06 Hobey Baker Award finalist, Potulny earned West First Team honors. The RBK All- American Teams are sponsored by RBK Hockey and chosen by members of the AHCA. With this honor, Potulny will join a select group of Golden Gophers on the murals in Mariucci Arena.
Potulny earned his first career All-America honor and became the 35th player in Golden Gopher hockey history to be named a First Team All-American. He becomes the first Minnesota player to earn first team honors since Keith Ballard in 2003-04.
A junior center in 2005-06, Potulny was an All-WCHA First Team honoree after posting career-high totals in points (63), goals (38) and assists (25). Potulny ranks first in the WCHA in points, points per game (1.54), goals, goals per game (0.93), and power-play goals (17), fifth in game-winning goals (4), sixth in power-play points (17-9--26), 11th in assists and 13th in assists per game (0.61). His points, goals, points per game average, goals per game average and power-play goals all rank first in the nation. He had 18 multi- point games and 11 multi-goal contests this season. Potulny had at least one point in 30 of 41 games this season and a goal in 22 contests. UM was 25-4-1 when he recorded a point and 17-4-1 when scored a goal. Potulny had 10 three-point games this season, including four hat tricks. He was a three-time WCHA Offensive Player of the Week this season and earned National Player of the Month honors for February with 9-2--11 in six games.
Potulny stands in 53rd place on Minnesota’s all-time list for career points with 68-50- -118, and 24th on the school’s career goals chart with 68. Potulny also ranks 10th on UM’s season goals list and fourth on the school’s season power-play goals list with 17.
Potulny signed a contract with the Philadelphia Flyers last week and saw his first NHL action in tonight's game against the Buffalo Sabres. He was drafted by the Flyers with 87th overall pick in the third round of the 2003 NHL Entry Draft.
Four of the six players on the West First Team are from the WCHA - one each from Minnesota, Wisconsin, Denver and Colorado College. Potulny was also named a First Team All-American by InsideCollegeHockey.com and was selected to the All-USCHO.com First Team.
2005-06 RBK Division I All-America Teams (chosen by members of the AHCA)
West First Team
F - Ryan Potulny, Jr., Minnesota (Grand Forks, N.D.)
F - Scott Parse, Jr., Nebraska-Omaha (Portage, Mich.)
F - Brett Sterling, Sr., Colorado College* (Pasadena, Calif.)
D - Matt Carle, Jr., Denver* (Anchorage, Alaska)
D - Andy Greene, Sr., Miami# (Trenton, Mich.)
G - Brian Elliott, Jr., Wisconsin (Newmarket, Ont.)
West Second Team
F - David Backes, Jr., Minnesota State (Blaine, Minn.)
F - Joe Pavelski, So., Wisconsin (Plover, Wis.)
F - Paul Stastny, So., Denver (St. Louis, Mo.)
D - Tom Gilbert, Sr., Wisconsin (Bloomington, Minn.)
D - Nathan Oystrick, Sr., Northern Michigan (Regina, Sask.)
G - Bobby Goepfert, Jr., St. Cloud State (Kings Park, N.Y.)
East First Team
F -Chris Collins, Sr., Boston College (Fairport, N.Y.)
F -Greg Moore, Sr., Maine (Lisbon, Maine)
F - T.J. Trevelyan, Sr., St. Lawrence (Mississauga, Ont.)
D -Peter Harrold, Sr., Boston College (Kirtland Hills, Ohio)
D -Dan Spang, Sr., Boston University (Winchester, Mass.)
G - Cory Schneider, So., Boston College (Marblehead, Mass.)
East Second Team
F - Brian Boyle, Jr., Boston College (Hingham, Mass.)
F - Michel Leveille, Sr., Maine (Levis, Que.)
F - Mike Ouellette, Sr., Dartmouth (Kamloops, B.C.)
D - Reid Cashman, Jr., Quinnipiac (Red Wing, Minn.)
D - Brian Yandle, Sr., New Hampshire# (Milton, Mass.)
G - John Curry, Jr., Boston University (Shorewood, Minn.)
* First Team in 2004-05
# Second Team in 2004-05
