Recruits Moffatt, Merrill Win Gold at IIHF World Under-18 Championship
4/29/2010 12:00:00 AM | Ice Hockey
ANN ARBOR, Mich. -- The University of Michigan ice hockey team's five recruits for the 2010-11 season completed their junior hockey careers over the last week. Defenseman Jon Merrill (Brighton, Mich.) and forward Luke Moffatt (Paradise Valley, Ariz.) had the most to celebrate as they won the gold medal with Team USA at the IIHF World Under-18 Championship on April 23.
Merrill spent the 2009-10 season with the U.S. NTDP Under-18 Team, posting five goals and 25 assists over 47 games. He accumulated just 14 penalty minutes. He also had an assist in two games with the U.S. Under-17 Team. In seven games at the IIHF World Under-18 Championship in Belarus, Merrill had one assist in seven games and was chosen as one of the three best players on Team USA as selected by the coaches. Merrill was also a member of the Team USA squad that won the 2009 IIHF World Under-18 Championship. In early April, Merrill was rated the 21st-best North American skater for the upcoming 2010 NHL Entry draft by the Central Scouting Service.
Jon Merrill
Moffatt had 13 goals and 17 assists in 56 games for the U.S. NTDP Under-18 Team in 2009-10. In two games for the U.S. NTDP Under-17 Team, he had a goal and an assist. He had 46 penalty minutes between the 58 games. At the IIHF World Under-18 Championship, Moffatt had two goals, including one in the gold medal game against Sweden, and one assist over seven games. In early April, Moffatt was rated the 95th-best North American skater for the upcoming 2010 NHL Entry draft by the Central Scouting Service.
Defenseman Mac Bennett (Narragansett, R.I.) of the Cedar Rapids RoughRiders was named to the United States Hockey League All-Rookie Team. In 53 regular-season games, he scored nine goals and added 15 assists for 24 points, with 14 of his points coming on the power play (5-9-14). Bennett, who also had a +17 plus/minus rating and racked up 34 penalty minutes, was chosen to play in the 2010 USHL All-Star Game. In a pair of playoff contests, he had a goal and was +3. Bennett was drafted by the Montreal Canadiens in the third round (79th overall) of the 2009 NHL Entry Draft.
Defenseman Kevin Clare (New Rochelle, N.Y.) finished his 2009-10 season by playing 10 games with the U.S. National Team Development Program's Under-17 Team. He spent 39 games with the U.S. NTDP Under-18 Team. Collectively, Clare had four goals and five assists for nine points, to go along with 66 penalty minutes.
Forward Jacob Fallon (Southlake, Texas) of the Indiana Ice reached the semifinals of the USHL Playoffs, scoring once in nine playoff games. In 26 regular-season games, Fallon had one goal and eight assists to go with 16 penalty minutes. Fallon also appeared in six games with the U.S. NTDP Under-18 Team in December, tallying a goal and an assist. In early April, Fallon was rated the 68th-best North American skater for the upcoming 2010 NHL Entry draft by the Central Scouting Service.
