Joseph Cecconi

March 2019 – After Michigan’s season came to an end, the Dallas Stars signed 2015 fifth-round pick Joseph Cecconi to a two-year entry level contract. Cecconi will report to Texas (AHL) and finish the season on an amateur tryout with the Stars. In his fourth season with Michigan, Cecconi registered three goals and 20 points in 36 games. He is a large defender who plays a stay-at-home style. While on a pairing with Quinn Hughes, Cecconi played a much more defensive role which allowed Hughes to jump into the play offensively. He has a good active stick and is strong on the penalty kill. In 2016-17, he played a large role on the gold-medal winning United States World Junior team. His defensive skills are intensified by his strong hockey IQ and he has the ability to predict plays and intercept passes. He also displays strong positioning which helps him in the defensive zone. If he continues to develop, he has the potential to play in the Stars’ top four. Brandon Floyd

April 2018 – Joseph Cecconi made the University of Michigan roster as an 18 years old. At the time, only 4 other NCAA defensemen were younger then him. Pretty impressive for a 5th round pick but not that surprising considering how his game was described in his draft year. Cecconi was said to be a reliable mobile stay-at-home defenseman known for staying calm with the puck and his high hockey IQ. The potential and the skills were there to hope for more offensively from him if given the opportunities. The Youngstown NY native had a very good 2016-2017 campaign and he was rewarded by representing his country at the WJC. Following his sophomore season, he was awarded the Vic Heyliger Award for Michigan’s most outstanding defenseman. Since then, his confidence grew quite a bit and his game has evolved more into a two-way type defenseman. When Quinn Hughes came back from the WJC, they were paired together and the rest is history. Hughes benefited from Cecconi presence and exploded in the second half of the season. The same can be said for Cecconi. He tripled his production from the previous season. From mid January to the end of the calendar, he recorded 13 pts in 15 games while averaging 2.7 shots per game. Jean-Philippe Macoul