Sopohomore goaltender Hunter Shepard, who backstopped the University of Minnesota Duluth to the NCAA Division I title this past April, was bestowed with the Keith "Huffer" Christiansen Award as UMD's Most Valuable Player for 2017-18 on Thursday night at AMSOIL Arena during an awards ceremony in which the Bulldogs also received their national championship rings.

It was also announced that senior-to-be right winger Parker Mackay will captain the 75th edition of the Bulldogs in 2018-19 with senior right winger Billy Exell and junior defenseman Nick Wolff serving as his assistants. Mackay, a native of Irma, Alberta, and three-time National Collegiate Hockey Conference All-Academic Team honoree, handled an assistant team captaincy role last season.

Shepard, who came into 2017-18 with just two collegiate appearances to his name, secured All-NCHC second team recognition this past winter and was a semifinalist for the Mike Richter Award (most outstanding NCAA goaltender). The Cohasett, Minn., product set program records for goals against average (1.91) and shutouts (8) while going 25-14-1 in 41 outings. A member of the Frozen Four All-Tournament Team, Shepard also turned in the second best single-season saves percentage mark (.925) in team history and closed out the year having made 39 consecutive starts.

In addition, Scott Perunovich received the Jerry Chumola Rookie of the Year Award on the heels of a debut season in which he became the Bulldogs 27th All-American and the Tim Taylor Award (NCAA Rookie of the Year) recipient. He topped the 2017-18 Bulldogs in scoring with 36 points (the most ever by a first-year UMD blueliner and a number bettered by only two other NCAA newcomers in the entire country).  The Goldie Wolfe Award (Most Inspirational Player) went to senior right winger and team captain Karson Kuhlman, who was chosen the Most Outstanding Player at both the Frozen Four and NCAA West Regional, while freshman defenseman Louie Roehl earned the Mike Sertich Award (Most Improved Player) after collecting nine points on three goals and six assists and going a +9 in his first collegiate go-around. Senior forward Avery Peterson was given the Pat Francisco Community Service Award.