CLIFTON PARK, N.Y. — The Hockey Commissioners Association has announced their watch list for the 2023 Tim Taylor Award, annually given to the most outstanding first year player in NCAA Division I men’s college hockey. Representing ECAC Hockey on the initial watch list for the award are six freshen currently competing at ECAC member institutions: Dalton Bancroft (Cornell), Ryan Bottrill (Brown), Sam Lipkin (Quinnipiac), Joe Miller (Harvard), Sutter Muzzatti (Rensselaer), and John Prokop (Union). 

Since the award was first established at the conclusion of the 2006-07 season, only one ECAC Hockey player has claimed the accolade: Quinnipiac forward Sam Anas, who was awarded after his freshman season in 2014. 

Dalton Bancroft (Fr., Cornell)

Bancroft has been making a big impact for the Big Red since he stepped on the ice at the start of the 2022-23 season, tallying his first point in his first game in a Cornell sweater. Since then, he has kept the momentum rolling, scoring eight goals of his own and adding ten assists for a total of 18 points in 22 games. In November, Bancroft scored his first game-winner in dramatic fashion, with a hat trick over UConn in Cornell’s 6-0 victory over the Huskies (November 26). Most recently, Bancroft had a three-point night against Union, scoring two goals and adding a helper in the team’s 10-1 defeat of the Dutchmen (February 4).

Ryan Bottrill (Fr., Brown)

Bottrill has been a consistent and reliable presence at forward for the Bears, currently leading the team in points with 17 and tied for the team lead in goals scored with six. Among Bottrill’s accomplishments during his rookie season are his six-game point streak during the final months of the first half, where he tallied eight points in a short stretch. In November, he scored his first game-winner of the season in a 3-0 defeat of Holy Cross (November 25); most recently, Bottrill had an assist on an equalizer in Brown’s 3-2 defeat of Harvard, helping the team to their first win over the Crimson since 2021. 

Sam Lipkin (Fr., Quinnipiac)

Already making a name for himself on the international stage, Lipkin has been shining brightly in the ECAC since his first games in the navy and gold. He has been a valuable contributor to the Bobcats’ offense, scoring six goals and adding 19 assists for a total of 25 points through 26 contests, good for the lead among league rookies. Among Lipkin’s top performances this season are his four-point game against Yale (November 12), where he assisted on each of the team’s four goals in their shutout of the Bulldogs, and his five-point performance against Union (December 10), where Lipkin opened the game with a goal then assisted on four more of his teammates’ tallies. 

Joe Miller (Fr., Harvard)

Miller has been a force to be reckoned with for the Crimson, alternating between roles in the top-six and scoring 11 goals to lead league rookies, while adding eight assists for a total of 19 points through 23 games played. Miller has been consistent both as a play-maker and as a goal-scorer and has been doing it all since he stepped onto the ice at the start of the season. In just his second game for Harvard, Miller had a three-point performance, converting on the power play and adding two helpers to boost the Crimson to a 4-2 win over Princeton. He’s kept it up ever since, scoring 12 points during the month of January to earn ECAC Hockey Rookie of the Month.

Sutter Muzzatti (Fr., Rensselaer)

Muzzatti has shown the Engineers and the league what he’s capable of so far this season, scoring six goals and adding 11 assists for 17 points through just 18 games played. He picked up his pace offensively once the season got underway, including a nine-game point streak that extended from November to the beginning of January that saw him score 13 points and contribute to close games against the league’s top opponents. Most recently, Muzzatti had two goals in a 4-3 overtime win against St. Lawrence, including the overtime game-winner that gave the Engineers a series split. 

John Prokop (Fr., Union)

Prokop has been an underrated offensive presence from the blue line for the Dutchmen so far this season, scoring four goals and adding 13 assists for a total of 17 points to lead rookie defenders. He has been lauded as one of Union’s critical playmakers, putting his body on the line to block shots (he has blocked 29 so far) and generate offense. Prokop opened the season with a bang, assisting on five goals in his first five contests, including a three-point night against Bentley (October 13), where Prokop had helpers on three power play tallies and helped the team to a 5-1 victory. 

At the conclusion of the regular season, each program’s coaching staff will vote from a pool of league Rookies of the Year to determine the national award winner. The 2023 Tim Taylor Rookie of the Year Award winner will be announced during the 2023 Frozen Four in Tampa, Florida, in April.

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