COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. – The penultimate National Collegiate Hockey Conference (NCHC) Players of the Week presented by KJ Branding for the 2025-26 season feature four different classes and four different teams. Earning KJ Branding NCHC honors for the week of Feb. 16-22, 2026 (Week 20) are:

• Forward – Cruz Lucius, Arizona State, Sr.
• Defenseman – Abram Wiebe, North Dakota, Jr.
• Goaltender – Hampton Slukynsky, Western Michigan, So.
• Rookie – Hunter Anderson, Minnesota Duluth, F

Wiebe wins Defenseman of the Week for the third straight week, becoming only the second NCHC blueliner ever to do so, joining former Denver defenseman Joey LaLeggia, who won three straight weekly honors during the 2014-15 season. It is Wiebe’s fifth career NCHC Defenseman of the Week nod. Slukynsky gloved his fifth Goaltender of the Week award this season, while it’s his eighth career NCHC weekly honor. These are the first career NCHC weekly awards for both Lucius and Anderson.
 
FORWARD OF THE WEEK
Cruz Lucius, Arizona State
Senior Forward
Grant, Minn.
 
Lucius had a monster, seven-point weekend to power Arizona State to a key split with Omaha in the final home games of his college career. On Friday, the Pittsburgh Penguins prospect scored both ASU goals in a 4-2 loss, book-ending the scoring for his third multi-goal game of the season.
 
A night later on Senior Night, Lucius tallied a career-high five points to lead the Sun Devils to a 6-3 win, tying the program record for points in a game. The assistant captain handed out four primary assists, including on ASU’s first two goals and the game-winner that broke a 3-3 tie in the third period. He also scored the final goal Saturday en route to being named First Star of the Game in his home finale.
 
Lucius finished the weekend with an NCHC-leading seven points, including three goals and four assists, both of which also led the Conference on the weekend. He fired eight shots on goal against Omaha and tied for the NCHC lead with a +5 plus/minus in the series. Lucius now leads the NCHC in scoring on the season with 45 points in 34 games, scoring 15 goals while adding 30 assists, which ties for first in the National. His 45 points are also second nationally in scoring.
 
DEFENSEMAN OF THE WEEK
Abram Wiebe, North Dakota
Junior Defenseman
Mission, B.C.
 
Wiebe locked up his third straight Defenseman of the Week honor with another strong outing, helping No. 3 North Dakota to a tie and win against St. Cloud State. The Calgary Flames prospect recorded multiple points both nights against the Huskies and has now notched three straight multi-point games. In Friday’s opener, Wiebe handed out a pair of helpers, including on the late, game-tying goal to force overtime. The next night in a 6-4 victory, the alternate captain scored UND’s first goal to tie the game before picking up a primary assist when his shot was deflected for a goal to make it 3-1.
 
Wiebe finished the weekend with four points to pace all NCHC defensemen, tallying a goal and three assists. Defensively, he was not on the ice for a single SCSU goal against all weekend, posting a +5 plus/minus to tie for the NCHC weekend lead. He also blocked three shots and fired five shots on goal in the series with SCSU. In 32 games this season, Wiebe ranks third among NCHC blueliners with 25 points on five goals and 20 assists, including 10 points (2g/8a) in his last six games.

GOALTENDER OF THE WEEK
Hampton Slukynsky, Western Michigan
Sophomore Goaltender
Warroad, Minn.
 
Slukynsky was nearly perfect for No. 4 Western Michigan in a tie and win at Colorado College last weekend, helping the Broncos earn five conference points. The L.A. Kings draft pick allowed only one goal all weekend, which came in the first period of Friday’s 1-1 overtime tie, when he totaled 28 saves Of the 28 saves, 13 came in the third period, while he then stopped all three CC shootout attempts to earn WMU the extra NCHC point. He was named Third Star of the Game Friday.
 
A night later, Slukynsky turned aside all 28 shots he faced in a 2-0 shutout to land First Star of the Game honors. Of his 28 saves, 14 came in the middle stanza, as he picked up his fourth shutout of the season. The sophomore also came up big on the penalty kill, totaling eight short-handed saves in the series, as WMU went a perfect 9-for-9 on penalty kill.
 
Slukynsky finished the weekend with 56 games, while leading the NCHC with both a .982 save percentage and a 0.48 goals-against average in the series. He was the only NCHC goalie to log a shutout on the weekend, with his four whitewashes on the year now tying for third in the NCAA. Slukynsky upped his season save percentage to .916 and lowered his GAA to 2.25, both of which rank second in the NCHC on the year.
 
ROOKIE OF THE WEEK
Hunter Anderson, Minnesota Duluth
Freshman Forward
Manhattan Beach, Calif.
 
Anderson had the best weekend of his young career to help lead No. 9 Minnesota Duluth to a sweep at then-No. 20 Miami. The freshman recorded two points both nights against the RedHawks for only his second and third-career multi-point games, with all four points coming on the power play.
 
In Friday’s 5-2 win, Anderson scored UMD’s first goal to start a rally in the second period, before assisting on the game-winner in the third to break a 2-2 deadlock. The next night, he scored the game-winner himself in a 4-1 victory, while setting up UMD’s third goal. He was tabbed Third Star of the Game on Friday and Second Star on Saturday.
 
Anderson tied for the NCHC rookie lead on the weekend with both his four points and two goals. He was lethal on the power play, as the Bulldogs went 4-for-10 in the series with Anderson having a hand in all four power play goals and both game-winners. He also fired four shots on goal in the series and posted an even plus/minus. On the season, Anderson now has 16 points (5g/11a), with three of his five goals coming in his last four games.
 
OTHER NOMINEES:
 
Forward of the Week
Adam Ingram, St. Cloud State
Ellis Rickwood, North Dakota
Zaccharya Wisdom, Western Michigan

Defenseman of the Week
Mats Lindgren, Colorado College

Goaltender of the Week
Ethan Dahlmeir, Minnesota Duluth
Kaidan Mbereko, Colorado College
 
Rookie of the Week
Kocha Delic, Miami, F
Tanner Henricks, St. Cloud State, D
Sam Huck, Western Michigan, F
Mats Lindgren, Colorado College, D
Jérémy Loranger, Omaha, F
Will Zellers, North Dakota, F