Kyle Kukkonen named to CCHA All-Rookie Team
HOUGHTON, Mich. – Michigan Tech's Kyle Kukkonen has been named to the CCHA All-Rookie Team the league announced on Monday. The CCHA head coaches selected Kukkonen as a unanimous choice on the squad after he led CCHA freshmen—and the Huskies—with 18 goals.
Kukkonen has the fifth-most goals by a Michigan Tech freshman in program history and his 18 goals are the most by a Tech freshman since 1988 when Kelly Hurd potted 18 tallies. He was named the CCHA Rookie of the Week three times and the CCHA Forward of the Week once.
Kukkonen has skated in all 38 games and also tallied nine assists for 27 points. He ranks fourth nationally with five game-winning goals while also adding five power-play goals and a pair of shorthanded goals. Kukkonen had eight multi-point games and five games with a pair of goals.
In CCHA games, Kukkonen played in all 26 conference contests for the Huskies and led all rookies with 14 goals and was third with 18 points. He led all skaters in game-winning goals (4) and ranked fourth in goals and goals per game (0.54), sixth in shots (82), and seventh in shots per game (3.15). He recorded five multiple-point games in conference play with five power-play tallies and one shorthanded marker.
The CCHA will be announcing its all-conference teams and award recipients throughout the week. The All-CCHA First and Second Team announcements are scheduled for Tuesday with major awards being released on Wednesday and Thursday.
2023 CCHA All-Rookie Team
F Lleyton Roed, Bemidji State
F Kyle Kukkonen, Michigan Tech*
F Joey Larson, Northern Michigan
D Josh Zinger, Northern Michigan*
D Dalton Norris, Bowling Green
G Beni Halasz, Northern Michigan
*unanimous selection
Below is a list of other Huskies named to the conference all-rookie team.
1985-86—Tom Bissett
1990-91—Jamie Ram
1994-93—Pat Mikesch, Jason Wright
2012-13—Alex Petan
2015-16—Jake Lucchini
2016-17—Mitch Reinke, Angus Redmond
2018-19—Brian Halonen
2020-21—Arvid Caderoth