The CCHA Year-End Honors keep flowing for Bemidji State. The Beavers picked up two honors today.

CCHA Best Defensive Defenseman: Kyle Looft, 5th, Bemidji State (Mankato, Minn.)

The Beavers’ captain, Looft led all CCHA skaters in plus-minus in league action at +16 and paced conference blueliners in assists (14) and points (18), despite playing in only 20 games. Scoring four goals, including one on the power play, he was fifth among all skaters and first among defensemen in multi-point games (5). He blocked 28 shots at the defensive end and earned CCHA Scholar-Athlete Team recognition.

Looft has recorded career-highs in goals (6), assists (22) and points (28) through 30 games this season, earning CCHA Defenseman of the Month honors in October and November. The four-time CCHA Defenseman of the Week has three power-play goals to his credit and 62 shots, with 51 blocks at the defensive end of the ice.

Voting for the 2023-24 All-CCHA Teams and year-end awards was conducted by the eight head coaches at each CCHA member institution, based on CCHA conference games only. Coaches were not permitted to vote for their own players.

CCHA Co-Best Defensive Forward: Jackson Jutting, Sr., Bemidji State (Savage, Minn.)

Jutting helped Bemidji State to its second-ever MacNaughton Cup title and first since 2017, posting a +6 plus-minus across 16 CCHA contests. Despite playing three-quarters of the Beavers’ conference games, he led them in face-off wins (150) and winning percentage (50.3%), while collecting eight goals and six assists for 14 points. He led BSU in game-winning goals (3) and shooting percentage (22.2%) and blocked eight shots at the defensive end of the ice.

Overall, Jutting has played in 25 games for the Beavers, scoring 10 goals with 11 assists for 21 points. Two of his tallies have come on the power play and three have been game-winners. He has won 51.7% of his face-offs (240-of-464), helping Bemidji State reach the Mason Cup Semifinals.

The other Co-Best Defensive Forward Award goes to Connor Milburn, So., Lake Superior State.

Fifth-year senior Kyle Looft and freshman Eric Pohlkamp are two-of-three finalists for the CCHA’s Defenseman of the Year award. Junior Mattias Sholl is one-of-three finalists for the CCHA Goaltender of the Year while sophomore Lleyton Roed is a finalist for the CCHA Forward of the Year.

Here’s the schedule for announcing those awards:
Defenseman of the Year (9am CT)
Goaltender of the Year (11am CT)
Forward of the Year (1pm CT)

The CCHA Player of the Year will come out on Friday (10am CT).