Justin Schultz
You know how Penn State is sometimes called “Linebacker U” because of the quantity and quality of prospects the school sends to the NFL each season? It might be time to start referring to Wisconsin as “Offensive Defenseman U” based on the number of high-scoring blueliners who’ve donned the Badger sweater.
In recent years, the torch has been passed from Tom Gilbert to Jamie McBain to Brendan Smith and now to Justin Schultz, the sophomore from West Kelowna, British Columbia, who led NCAA defensemen in goals (18) and points (47) this season and ranked tied for fifth in the WCHA in scoring. There may be no player in the country with a deadlier shot—one of every six shots Schultz fired on target this season ended up in the back of the opposing net. The WCHA Defensive Player of the Year also showed a knack for making big plays in key situations; during an 11-game stretch that spanned all of December and a good chunk of January, Schultz scored or set up the game-winning goal on seven occasions. All but one of those wins were decided by two or fewer goals.
A second-round selection of the Anaheim Ducks in the 2008 NHL draft, Schultz’s tremendous skating and puckhandling ability helps compensate for his willowy frame—at 6-foot-1 and 185 pounds, the 20-year-old has room to grow. And while creating offense has become his calling card, he’s more than adequate in his own end, ranking third among Badger skaters with a plus-minus rating of +16 and, after being assessed a 10-minute misconduct in the first game of the season against Boston University, accrued just nine minor penalties over the remaining 40 games.
Certainly, Badger fans have become accustomed to seeing the torch passed from one high-scoring defenseman to another over the years—and in some cases, sooner than they would have liked. Those folks hope Schultz hangs around to hold the flame high for at least one more year.
His Runner-Up: Brian Dumoulin, Boston College
• INCH’s year-end awards are decided upon with input from the editorial staff of InsideCollegeHockey.com and in consultation with coaches and other college hockey followers from across the country.
