University of Minnesota Athletics
Leopold Leads Three Gophers on All-Decade Team
1/12/2010 12:00:00 AM | Men's Hockey
Former Minnesota standout and Hobey Baker Award winner Jordan Leopold was a first-team selection to the College Hockey News All-Decade team as one of three former Gophers to earn mention on the squad.
Past Gophers honored on the second team were forwards Ryan Potulny and Thomas Vanek. The publication considered players based on their entire college careers without emphasis on eventual professional hockey success.
Leopold played just over two seasons in the past decade, competing from 1998-2002 and winning the 2002 Hobey Baker Award. The defenseman finished his career with 45 goals and 99 assists for 144 points in 164 games. Leopold totaled 48 points during his Hobey Baker season and led the Gophers to their first NCAA championship since 1979. Leopold was a first-team All-American choice in 2001 and 2002. He is currently in his seventh NHL season, skating with the Florida Panthers.
"(H)e dominated from the backline like no other player this decade," College Hockey News wrote about Leopold. "Though only two and a half of his seasons were in our-defined decade, they were stellar enough to warrant this selection."
Potulny was a first-team All-American selection and Hobey Baker finalist in 2006 when he put up 38 goals and 25 assists for 63 points in 41 games. Potulny's 63 points were the most of any player in a single season during the decade. He played for the Gophers from 2003-06 and totaled 68 goals and 50 assists for 118 points in 100 games over three seasons. Potulny is currently in his second NHL season with the Edmonton Oilers.
Vanek played only two seasons at Minnesota, but did enough to earn a second-team spot after totaling 57 goals and 56 assists for 113 points in 83 games during 2002-03 and 2003-04. He led the Gophers to their second straight NCAA championship with 31 goals during his freshman year in 2003 and followed with a second-team All-American selection in 2004. Vanek is in his fifth season with the Buffalo Sabres in the NHL and was an NHL all-star in 2009.
Other players selected to the first team were goaltender Ryan Miller from Michigan State, defenseman Matt Carle from Denver, forward T.J. Hensick from Michigan and forwards Peter Sejna and Brett Sterling from Colorado College.
Joining Potulny and Vanek on the second team were forwards Nathan Gerbe from Boston College and Zach Parise from North Dakota, defensemen Matt Gilroy from Boston University and John-Michael Liles from Michigan State and goaltender Jeff Lerg from Michigan State.
Boston College coach Jerry York was the decade Coach of the Year.
