New York Rangers Choose Montoya Sixth in NHL Draft
6/26/2004 12:00:00 AM | Ice Hockey
RALEIGH, N.C. -- Goaltender Al Montoya (Glenview, Ill.) of the University of Michigan ice hockey team was selected by the New York Rangers with the sixth overall choice in the 2004 NHL Entry Draft on Saturday (June 26) at the RBC Center, home to the Carolina Hurricanes. Montoya is the highest drafted goalie in school history and the second highest draft pick ever selected from U-M.
| | Montoya |
Montoya joins classmate Jeff Tambellini (Port Moody, B.C.), 27th overall by the Los Angeles Kings in 2003, and senior captain Eric Nystrom (Syosset, N.Y.), 10th overall by the Calgary Flames in 2002, as first-round picks in the NHL Entry Draft. Furthermore, Montoya is the sixth Wolverine in the last seven drafts to be chosen in the first round. In 2001, Mike Komisarek (2001-02) was the Montreal Canadien's choice at No. 7 overall. Defensemen Mike Van Ryn (1998-99) and Jeff Jillson (1999-2001) were taken in the opening rounds of the 1998 and 1999 drafts, respectively.
Fitted with the NHL Central Scouting Service's No. 1 North American goalie rating, Montoya was the first collegiate netminder to top the CSS rankings since Rick DiPietro (Boston University) in 2000. Through his first two seasons at U-M Montoya has started 83 games (56-22-5), recorded a 2.28 goals-against average, stopped .914 percent of the shots he has faced and notched 10 shutouts. In 2003-04 he was named a member of the Jofa/AHCA All-America West second team and All-CCHA second team. As a freshman in 2002-03, Montoya collected numerous other accolades. He was named to the CCHA Super Six all-tournament team and Bauer/CCHA All-Rookie Team. He was selected the Most Outstanding Player of the 2003 NCAA Midwest Regional and was on Inside College Hockey Online's all-rookie team.
At the 2004 World Junior Championship in Finland, Montoya backstopped Team USA to a perfect 6-0 record en route to its first gold medal at the event. His statistics (1.33 GAA, .944 save percentage, two shutouts) earned him a place on the all-tournament team and the Directorate Award as the tournament's top goaltender.
N O T E S
Going sixth overall, Montoya is the second highest Wolverine draft pick. Aaron Ward (1991-93) was chosen fifth overall by the Winnipeg Jets in the 1991 NHL Draft.
Montoya supplants Steve Shields (1991-94) as U-M's highest drafted goalie. Shields was a fifth-round pick (101st overall) by the Buffalo Sabres in 1991.
Montoya is the 10th Michigan player all-time to be selected in the first round of the NHL Draft.
Michigan has had one player chosen in the first round in each of the last four drafts and in six of the last seven.
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Contact: Matt Trevor (734) 763-4423
