Michigan State University Athletics
Muller Captures Three Spartan Hockey Team Awards
4/20/2023 7:45:00 PM | Men's Ice Hockey
Michigan State has announced its team award winners for the 2022-23 campaign.
Nicolas Muller (Arisdorf, Switzerland) captured three awards – he was voted the Outstanding Offensive Player, Outstanding Senior, and the Spartan Shield Award recipient. Muller put together a career-best year as the Spartans made a run to the Big Ten semifinals for the first time in program history. He sits atop the Spartan statistics sheet with 34 points (nine goals, 25 assists), which represents his single-season bests in all three offensive categories. Müller ranks seventh in the Big Ten with 25 assists and tenth in points (34), and led the team with 15 power play points (2-13-15).
Müller recorded 14 points over his final 11 games, including two goals and three assists in the quarterfinals at Notre Dame; he had multiple-point efforts in three of the last six games, including the two wins against the Irish.
With 34 points, Müller has compiled the most points by a Spartan player since the 2018-19 season, when Taro Hirose (15-35-50) and Patrick Khodorenko (18-19-37) sat atop the scoresheet. His 25 assists was the most by a Spartan since Hirose had 35 that season.
Muller is one of nine players who put together their career-best statistical outputs in 2022-23. Over his first three seasons in Green and White, Muller had 21 points (six goals, 15 assists) in 98 games. Muller has announced that he will return to Michigan State for a fifth season.
The team's Ron Mason Most Valuable Player honors went to goaltender Dylan St. Cyr (Northville, Mich.) St. Cyr, who earned Honorable Mention All-Big Ten kudos, played in a career-best 37 games this season which ranks sixth among goaltenders nationally. He established new single-season bests in wins (17), and saves (1,074) and ranked fifth in the B1G in both in save percentage (.915) and a 2.77 GAA. His 1,074 saves ranked third among Division I goaltenders this season.
St. Cyr nearly doubled his minutes played (2163: 47) from his previous career best set as a junior at Notre Dame and surpassed the 2,000 career saves mark during MSU's series at Wisconsin. He completed his career with 2,165 career saves, a 2.40 GAA and .921 save percentage in 84 games, with a 43-32-5 record. After completing the MSU season, he signed a PTO with the Grand Rapids Griffins (the AHL affiliate of the Detroit Red Wings).
Cole Krygier (Novi, Mich.) capped his five-year Spartan career by earning Dr. John Downs Outstanding Defensive Player Award honors. Krygier served as an alternate captain, skating in all 38 games and finished a +2. He scored 10 goals, (which matched his career output in his first four seasons at MSU) and compiled a career-best 16 points. Cole Krygier scored the only two shorthanded goals of the season for the Spartans (leading the Big Ten), and blocked 39 shots. At the conclusion of the season, he signed a contract with the Los Angeles Kings and reported to the organization's AHL affiliate, the Ontario Reign.
The Amo Bessone Award, which honors GPA, community service, and athletic performance, went to senior Jagger Joshua (Dearborn, Mich.). Joshua was among the players to have exploded for career-best seasons in 2022-23, and he earned Honorable Mention All-Big Ten honors for his 13-goal, 24-point campaign. Joshua's team-best seven power play goals ranked sixth in the B1G. Joshua, who entered his senior season with 20 career points (eight goals), shattered all of his personal bests and signed with the Pittsburgh Penguins organization at the conclusion of the season, and is currently with the Pens AHL affiliate in Wilkes-Barre, Penn.
The Blue Line Club President's Award, given to the senior with the highest grade-point average, went to Erik Middendorf (Scottsdale, Ariz.). A psychology major with a 3.69 grade-point average, Middendorf earned Academic All-Big Ten honors as he skated in all 38 games and finished with a 7-9-16 scoring line. He compiled a career-best nine assists on the season. He scored four goals in a game against Wisconsin in November, which stood as the most goals in a game for any player in Division I hockey throughout the season. Middendorf is currently playing for the Adirondack Thunder, the ECHL affiliate of the New Jersey Devils.
Steve Swistak's legacy of emotion and energy lives on in the Spartan hockey program and for the third straight season, Christian Krygier (Novi, Mich.) is the recipient of the Dr. Stephen Swistak Memorial Scholarship. Krygier, a graduate student who is working toward a postgraduate degree in Real estate development and construction, missed 10 games this past season due to injury. A four-time Academic All-Big Ten selection, Christian Krygier was an alternate captain who contributed a goal and three assists while contributing 35 blocked shots. He is currently playing with the Bridgepoint Islanders, the AHL affiliate of the NY Islanders – the team which drafted him in 2018.
Junior alternate captain Nash Nienhuis (Sarnia, Ontario) was the recipient of both the Spartan Fitness Award and the newly-formed Dave Carrier Award, which was created in honor of the Spartans' longtime athletic trainer and acknowledges the "comeback player" who overcame injury or adversity throughout the season. Despite missing five games to injury, the junior alternate captain had 19 points on four goals and 15 assists, which was career bests in all three categories. He scored twice on the power play and two of his goals stood as game-winners.
Two freshmen also earned team awards, led by Outstanding Rookie Award recipient Karsen Dorwart (Sherwood, Oregon). Dorwart moved onto the Spartans' top line early in the season and skated in all 38 games, and finished his freshman campaign ranked second on the team in goals (10) and third in both assists (17) and points (27). He also ranked second on the squad in power play goals and points (4-6-10) and was a team-best +10 on the season.
Gavin Best (Richfield, Minn.) is the team's Most Improved Player. The big forward broke into the lineup in December, making his collegiate debut on the most hostile of venues – on the road at Michigan. He played in 10 games over the course of the season.
The recipient of the Goofus Award, given to the team's humorist, is goaltender Jon Mor (Highland Park, Ill.) for the second straight season. He is in good company as the 11th all-time repeat winner of the Goofus. Mor is a third-year letterwinner and two-time Academic All-Big Ten selection, boasting a 3.49 grade point average as an advertising management major.
Nicolas Muller (Arisdorf, Switzerland) captured three awards – he was voted the Outstanding Offensive Player, Outstanding Senior, and the Spartan Shield Award recipient. Muller put together a career-best year as the Spartans made a run to the Big Ten semifinals for the first time in program history. He sits atop the Spartan statistics sheet with 34 points (nine goals, 25 assists), which represents his single-season bests in all three offensive categories. Müller ranks seventh in the Big Ten with 25 assists and tenth in points (34), and led the team with 15 power play points (2-13-15).Müller recorded 14 points over his final 11 games, including two goals and three assists in the quarterfinals at Notre Dame; he had multiple-point efforts in three of the last six games, including the two wins against the Irish.
With 34 points, Müller has compiled the most points by a Spartan player since the 2018-19 season, when Taro Hirose (15-35-50) and Patrick Khodorenko (18-19-37) sat atop the scoresheet. His 25 assists was the most by a Spartan since Hirose had 35 that season.
Muller is one of nine players who put together their career-best statistical outputs in 2022-23. Over his first three seasons in Green and White, Muller had 21 points (six goals, 15 assists) in 98 games. Muller has announced that he will return to Michigan State for a fifth season.
The team's Ron Mason Most Valuable Player honors went to goaltender Dylan St. Cyr (Northville, Mich.) St. Cyr, who earned Honorable Mention All-Big Ten kudos, played in a career-best 37 games this season which ranks sixth among goaltenders nationally. He established new single-season bests in wins (17), and saves (1,074) and ranked fifth in the B1G in both in save percentage (.915) and a 2.77 GAA. His 1,074 saves ranked third among Division I goaltenders this season.St. Cyr nearly doubled his minutes played (2163: 47) from his previous career best set as a junior at Notre Dame and surpassed the 2,000 career saves mark during MSU's series at Wisconsin. He completed his career with 2,165 career saves, a 2.40 GAA and .921 save percentage in 84 games, with a 43-32-5 record. After completing the MSU season, he signed a PTO with the Grand Rapids Griffins (the AHL affiliate of the Detroit Red Wings).
Cole Krygier (Novi, Mich.) capped his five-year Spartan career by earning Dr. John Downs Outstanding Defensive Player Award honors. Krygier served as an alternate captain, skating in all 38 games and finished a +2. He scored 10 goals, (which matched his career output in his first four seasons at MSU) and compiled a career-best 16 points. Cole Krygier scored the only two shorthanded goals of the season for the Spartans (leading the Big Ten), and blocked 39 shots. At the conclusion of the season, he signed a contract with the Los Angeles Kings and reported to the organization's AHL affiliate, the Ontario Reign. The Amo Bessone Award, which honors GPA, community service, and athletic performance, went to senior Jagger Joshua (Dearborn, Mich.). Joshua was among the players to have exploded for career-best seasons in 2022-23, and he earned Honorable Mention All-Big Ten honors for his 13-goal, 24-point campaign. Joshua's team-best seven power play goals ranked sixth in the B1G. Joshua, who entered his senior season with 20 career points (eight goals), shattered all of his personal bests and signed with the Pittsburgh Penguins organization at the conclusion of the season, and is currently with the Pens AHL affiliate in Wilkes-Barre, Penn. The Blue Line Club President's Award, given to the senior with the highest grade-point average, went to Erik Middendorf (Scottsdale, Ariz.). A psychology major with a 3.69 grade-point average, Middendorf earned Academic All-Big Ten honors as he skated in all 38 games and finished with a 7-9-16 scoring line. He compiled a career-best nine assists on the season. He scored four goals in a game against Wisconsin in November, which stood as the most goals in a game for any player in Division I hockey throughout the season. Middendorf is currently playing for the Adirondack Thunder, the ECHL affiliate of the New Jersey Devils. Steve Swistak's legacy of emotion and energy lives on in the Spartan hockey program and for the third straight season, Christian Krygier (Novi, Mich.) is the recipient of the Dr. Stephen Swistak Memorial Scholarship. Krygier, a graduate student who is working toward a postgraduate degree in Real estate development and construction, missed 10 games this past season due to injury. A four-time Academic All-Big Ten selection, Christian Krygier was an alternate captain who contributed a goal and three assists while contributing 35 blocked shots. He is currently playing with the Bridgepoint Islanders, the AHL affiliate of the NY Islanders – the team which drafted him in 2018.Junior alternate captain Nash Nienhuis (Sarnia, Ontario) was the recipient of both the Spartan Fitness Award and the newly-formed Dave Carrier Award, which was created in honor of the Spartans' longtime athletic trainer and acknowledges the "comeback player" who overcame injury or adversity throughout the season. Despite missing five games to injury, the junior alternate captain had 19 points on four goals and 15 assists, which was career bests in all three categories. He scored twice on the power play and two of his goals stood as game-winners. Two freshmen also earned team awards, led by Outstanding Rookie Award recipient Karsen Dorwart (Sherwood, Oregon). Dorwart moved onto the Spartans' top line early in the season and skated in all 38 games, and finished his freshman campaign ranked second on the team in goals (10) and third in both assists (17) and points (27). He also ranked second on the squad in power play goals and points (4-6-10) and was a team-best +10 on the season. Gavin Best (Richfield, Minn.) is the team's Most Improved Player. The big forward broke into the lineup in December, making his collegiate debut on the most hostile of venues – on the road at Michigan. He played in 10 games over the course of the season. The recipient of the Goofus Award, given to the team's humorist, is goaltender Jon Mor (Highland Park, Ill.) for the second straight season. He is in good company as the 11th all-time repeat winner of the Goofus. Mor is a third-year letterwinner and two-time Academic All-Big Ten selection, boasting a 3.49 grade point average as an advertising management major. 
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