DAN LAWSON

Vermont

Jr. | D | Oak Forest, Ill.

Dan Lawson's eight goals and 18 points last season both led Vermont defensemen.

Key Statistics: Lawson tripled his rookie year point production with eight goals and 10 assists as a sophomore, leading Vermont defensemen in scoring. His +17 shared the team lead and he was the team’s Most Improved Player.

What He Does: For as long as hockey is played in the Green Mountain State Lawson will be remembered as the guy who shot the puck through the net to get the Catamounts to the 2009 Frozen Four. That goal against Air Force, his second of the game, certainly goes down as one of the program’s biggest strikes, but if all he had was a heavy shot, we wouldn’t profile him here.

The Bigger Picture: Lawson is an imposing figure, a guy whose 6-foot-3, 252-pound frame was 31 pounds bigger than anyone else in Hockey East last season. More than a linebacker on skates, however, he clearly has some offensive skill to complement his size and physicality. The Catamounts will look to build upon last year’s success without Viktor Stalberg, Peter Lenes or Dean Strong, but Lawson and the entire defense return, along with goaltender Rob Madore. With the big guns gone there will be more pressure on Lawson’s broad shoulders in 2009-10.

Lawson, when asked after the Air Force game if he’d ever put a puck through the net before: “No, no, not that I remember. A couple got stuck in old nets with some loose twine. I never dreamed about putting a puck through the net. I didn’t do it until now.”