Walters was an impact freshman for Union last year
and was asked to do a lot as a rookie centerman.
Key Statistics: Walters
finished third in scoring for Union with 27 points on
eight goals and 19 assists. He was also Union's top
faceoff man, winning 380 draws and losing 273 for a
strong .582 percentage.
What He Does: Walters
was a consistent scorer throughout the season for Union
and was a part of a freshman tandem that the Dutchmen
coaching staff asked to play center on the second and
third lines. The other rookie pivot, Mario Valery-Trabucco,
had 23 points. That meant both players had to demonstrate
responsibility on both sides of the puck, and both did.
Walters had three goals and an assist in two Union wins
over UMass-Lowell and Connecticut in December and was
named ECACHL Rookie of the Week. Those games were part
of an eight-game point streak in which Walters had 13
points. He never went more than two games all year without
recording at least one point.
The Bigger Picture: He's
the type of player that Union coaches hope will be a
number-one center in the future, including as soon as
this year. That means he'll be matched up against the
opponent's top lines and top centermen. Walters is a
sound two-way player and should be able to handle that
responsibility and also keep his scoring numbers up.
By comparison, his 27 points as a freshman were better
than the 20 points that T.J. Fox had as a freshman.
Fox went on to lead Union in scoring last year and signed
a professional contract with the San Jose Sharks organization.
Union coach Nate Leaman on Walters:
“Jason is a complete player and a very good face-off
man. His 27 points were excellent considering everything
else we've asked him to do. He bring outstanding intensity
and really did an excellent job for us.”
