The NCAA Roundup is back with five BCHL alumni who made noise in college hockey last week.
NCHC Forward of the Week
Ellis Rickwood – Senior – University of North Dakota (Victoria Grizzlies)
Rickwood racked up six points in two games last weekend to lead all NCHC players in his team’s sweep of Arizona State. The Clarkson transfer recorded multiple points both nights, including a career-high-tying four points in Friday’s 7-4 win when he totaled a goal and a trio of helpers. The next night, Rickwood handed out two primary assists in a 5-3 win.
The Brantford, Ont. native played two BCHL seasons with the Victoria Grizzlies from 2020 to 2022. After finishing second in league scoring with 30 points in 20 games during the league’s Pod Season in 2021, he was named team captain the following year and finished second in league scoring again with 80 points in 50 games to go along with a league-best 59 assists.
ECAC Hockey Rookie of the Week
Rasmus Svartström (F) – Freshman – St. Lawrence University (Cranbrook Bucks)
Svartström found the back of the net twice in St. Lawrence’s 5-5 tie with Clarkson on Friday night. The next day, the Finnish forward collected three points in his team’s 5-2 home win, scoring another two goals and adding an assist for a five-point weekend.
The 20-year-old led the BCHL with 46 goals last season, while his 69 points in 54 games were fifth most in the league. He was named a First-Team All-Star at season’s end.
ECAC Hockey Defender of the Week
Luke Santilli – Freshman – St. Lawrence University (Cowichan Valley Capitals)
On Friday, in the road portion of a home-and-home with Clarkson, Santilli scored his team’s second goal of the game, and his first in the NCAA, and later tallied an assist in a 5-5 tie. The next night he scored a goal for the second straight game, helping the Skating Saints to a 5-2 win.
The 2004-born blueliner played two seasons for the Cowichan Valley Capitals from 2022 to 2024 and notched four goals, 16 assists and 20 points over 101 regular season games.
CCHA Goaltender of the Week
Aaron Trotter – Senior – University of St. Thomas (Prince George Spruce Kings)
Trotter went 2-0-0 with a 0.54 goals-against average and a .978 save percentage last week, which were both second-best in all of Division I hockey among goalies with at least two starts. He came on in relief on Friday and stopped 20 of 21 shots in a 7-4 win over Lake Superior State, before registering his first shutout of the season on Saturday, stopping all 24 shots he faced, in a 5-0 triumph over the Lakers.
Trotter, from Victoria, B.C., played two seasons in the BCHL from 2020 to 2022. During his junior career, he posted a .919 save percentage, a 2.09 goals-against average, four shutouts and 27 wins in 48 appearances.
CCHA Defenceman of the Week
Jackson Niedermayer – Senior – Bowling Green State University (Penticton Vees)
Niedermayer paced CCHA blueliners in points (three) and assists (three) last week, helping the Falcons to a road sweep of Bemidji State. He was plus-4 on the weekend with four shots on goal, while averaging 19:25 minutes per contest. On Friday, he notched four shots on goal in a 3-1 Bowling Green win. He then dished out a career-high three assists in a 5-1 victory on Saturday night.
The son of Hall of Famer Scott Niedermayer, Jackson played two seasons as a forward with the Penticton Vees from 2018 to 2020. The Newport Beach, Calif. product had 23 goals, 22 assists and 45 points in his final BCHL season.
