BRETT OLSON

Michigan Tech

So. | F | Superior, Wis.

Brett Olson was one of 10 WCHA rookies to crack double figures in goals last season.

Key Statistics: His freshman year was one of immediate impact for Olson, who was named the Huskies top rookie after playing in all 38 games and finishing second on the team in points with 23. He led Tech in ice time among centers and was named the WCHA’s Rookie of the Week once.

What He Does: Homesickness was never an issue for Olson as a freshman, as the 2005 high school graduate started college after three full seasons in the USHL. That maturity and experience proved to be a huge benefit from the opening faceoff, as the injury-riddled Huskies put Olson right to work, centering one of the team’s top two lines. His physical maturity proved to be just as important as anything, with Olson being a key cog in Tech’s special teams. Coach Jamie Russell says that just weeks into the season, the team’s power play revolved around Olson and his natural gift for distributing the puck.

The Bigger Picture: Olson is praised for his offensive flexibility, allowing him to be equal parts sniper and set-up guy depending on what’s needed. That versatility and maturity came in handy last season, when the injury bug spent enough time in Houghton to qualify for in-state tuition rates. That meant Olson seemingly had a new linemate every weekend. Coach and player liked the on-ice chemistry and productivity that developed when Olson was paired with Malcolm Gwilliam, before Gwilliam suffered a stroke and was lost for the season. Gwilliam will be back to captain the Huskies as a sixth-year senior and, in a sign of how much Olson meant to the Huskies last season, he was voted assistant captain as a sophomore by his teammates. Asked about individual goals, Olson talks only about the team, and getting the Huskies out of the WCHA cellar in his second go-round.

Huskies head coach Jamie Russell on Olson: “We don’t like to put a lot of pressure on freshmen, but internally we had big expectations for Brett. As a guy who was a captain in the USHL and an older freshman, we thought he’d have a big year, and he did.”