Anchorage hockey player Mac Swanson was selected as our Alaska Athlete of the Week after being picked by the Pittsburgh Penguins in the seventh round of the NHL draft.
The 18-year-old was named USA Hockey’s Junior Player of the Year and U.S. Hockey League’s Player of the Year.
Swanson became the first Alaskan to be selected in the National Hockey League’s entry draft since goaltender Isaiah Saville in 2019.
The North Dakota-bound left wing and his father, Brian, are the first father-son duo of Alaskans to be drafted. Brian, who played 70 games in the NHL and finished his pro career with the Alaska Aces, was a fifth-round draft pick of San Jose’s in 1994.
Also receiving votes:
- Rilen Niclai – The Legion baseball player for Service retired a tournament record 23 straight batters and pitched eight no-hit innings in a no decision against Kenai at the Alaska 529 Midseason Classic.
- David Norris – The mountain runner from Fairbanks used a strong descent to finish 2nd in the pro division of the Cirque Series race in Brighton, Utah behind Patrick Kipngeno of Kenya.
- Allie Ostrander – After not racing a steeplechase for three years entering this track season, Ostrander of Soldotna finished a career-best seventh at the U.S. Olympic Trials in Eugene, Ore. and clocked a personal-best 9 minutes, 21.82 seconds, the 20th-fastest time in the world this season.
Have a candidate in mind? Email us your nomination: info@alaskasportshall.org
