After earning the Most Valuable Player award from the recent Dodge Holiday Classic, Minnesota freshman defenseman Aaron Ness has been named the Western Collegiate Hockey Association Defensive Player of the Week.

Ness, a Roseau, Minn. native, scored his first career goal with 8:28 left in the third period of the championship game against Northeastern on Saturday to force overtime where Minnesota prevailed 3-2. Ness nearly had his first goal earlier in the game, but settled for an assist when his long shot deflected off the skate of Tony Lucia for a first-period score.

Ness also had an assist in the Gophers’ 6-2 win over Brown on Friday and keyed a solid Minnesota defensive effort. Ness and the Gophers limited the Bears to one shot in each of the first two periods and just 15 shots for the game. He became just the second defenseman to earn tournament MVP honors in the 18-year history of the Dodge Holiday Classic, joining former Gopher Alex Goligoski from 2006-07.

For the season, Ness has one goal and eight assists for nine points while playing in all 18 games. The Gophers are currently 10-3-5 overall and ranked third in the country entering this weekend’s series at North Dakota.



GP G A pts shots % +/- pen/min
10 Aaron Ness 18 1 8 9 41 .024 -4 3-6

Is this kid really good or am I going to get excited over another Sound Tiger that "might make a run at the team in 6-7 years"

On that note, is there anyone I should be that excited about?

My only concern with Ness is his size (or lack thereof). He may be able to cut it in HS and college, but I think it could seriously work against him in the NHL, even if he were to become a puck-moving d-man. Hopefully, he has another inch or two in him. The weight will take care of itself with age.

aaron ness=future norris trophy winner :punk: