Colin Greening (14-19-33)
Brendon Nash (2-14-16)
Michael Kennedy. A rare junior winner of most-improved, Kennedy has emerged to become one of the team's biggest scoring threats.
Riley Nash. It's hard to tell how much of Nash's effectiveness is pure skating talent, and how much is sharp hockey sense and vision. It doesn't matter -- it works.
Tyler Mugford. "Mugford's gonna kill you." Tyler stepped into Hornby's shoes to become the consummate physical presence and general pest. His hustle and orneriness make up for any deficiencies in natural gifts.
Joe Scali. Scali began the year as an obscure bubble player and ended it as the obscure, hard-hitting anchor of the team's vital checking line. While Mugford inspired a Section A cheer and Chris Fontas drew attention for his work at center, Scali skated under the radar while helping neutralize the opponent's best scorers night after night.
Topher Scott. From the first shift of his first season to The Hug, Topher has bled Red and inspired everyone from linemates to Lynah Faithful by example. He is leadership. Here's hoping the guy thinks about coaching someday.
Peter Feola. This was not a terrible season for officiating... but it was a terrible ECAC Tournament for officiating, and Feola was the star of the show. It's a shame Garvin won last year for administrative incompetence, as he may have denied Feola a Pierre hat trick.
Ben Scrivens (19-12-3, 2.02, .930) wrested the starting slot from Troy Davenport and improved throughout the year. He led Cornell back to its accustomed place among the best overall defensive units in the league, despite a very young blueline corps.
Tyler Burton (Colgate). Burton is the epitome of a Cornell-type player who somehow didn't wind up in Ithaca. There were flashier and more dominant players in the league, and Jesse Winchester was perhaps a more effective player even on his team, but Burton was always working hard and makes a great ambassador for the hated, but respected, opposition.
Josh Coyle (Union). When your own radio crew turns on you, you may want to reexamine your approach to the game. Coyle's QF meltdown against Cornell capped a career notable for unnecessary penalties and mind-numbingly stupid on-ice decisions. Coyle wins despite a brave runner-up effort by Harvard's "million dollar talent with a 2-cent head" prima donna Alex Biega, who is a secure favorite going into next year.
Riley Nash. There were two differences between the team of 2007 that faded late and was ignominiously dispatched at Lynah, and the team of 2008 that played their best hockey in the post-season and came within a few goalcrease scrums of the ECAC final: a half-step improvement in net, and Riley Nash in the lineup. Nash is the most exciting Cornell freshman (and the biggest recruiting catch) since Kent Manderville, and he showed all the potential that the Edmonton Oilers expect from their first round draft pick. The question is not whether but when he will leave early, but we are hoping to enjoy him for one more year.
Colin Greening. A very strong power forward with the ability to finish, Greening is the kind of opposing player we are forever trying to neutralize. Now, we have one. Greening has already improved significantly between his freshman and sophomore seasons. If he can keep moving up the charts, he has the potential to be Cornell's first All-American forward since Joe Nieuwendyk.