After helping guide the Ohio State men’s hockey team to the Central Collegiate Hockey Association semifinals for the first time since 2005, senior goalie Brady Hjelle was named first team All-American by the American Hockey Coaches Association Friday.
Hjelle is just the third Buckeye to be named first team All-American, joining former OSU forwards Paul Pooley in 1984 and Hugo Boisvert in 1998, according to a news release.
The Minnesota Duluth transfer played his final two seasons at OSU and started 33 games this season, only allowing an average of 1.89 goals-against in conference play and 2.00 overall.
Hjelle left his mark on the record books at OSU, setting the program’s career-high mark for save percentage at .933 and finishing second with a career-goal-against average of 2.08.
In his senior season, Hjelle’s senior season was one of the best in Buckeye history – recording the second best goals against average on the year and breaking the OSU record for save percentage with .935 this season. He also tallied 40 or more saved goals three times during the year, and was over 30 saves 14 times.
During the CCHA playoffs, Hjelle was vital to the Buckeyes’ run, recording a career-high 47 saves in a series-clinching victory against Ferris State that vaulted OSU into the semifinals.
In a 3-1 loss to Notre Dame in the semifinals, Hjelle added 41 saves in his final game as a Buckeye.
The CCHA also honored Hjelle’s season performance, naming him first-team All-CCHA and the CCHA Goaltender of the Year. The senior was named the league goalie of the week five times, and finished as the overall winner of the Perani Cup, the first Buckeye to do so.
Hjelle is one of three CCHA players named a first team All-American, joining Michigan freshman defender Jacob Trouba and Miami sophomore forward Austin Czarnik.
Currently, Hjelle is the backup goalie for the ECHL Florida Everblades, a minor league affiliate of NHL squads the Tampa Bay Lightning and the Carolina Hurricanes.
