The Ducks have signed center Tim Washe, the captain of the national champion Western Michigan Broncos, to an entry-level contract.
Washe, 23, signed a one-year deal on Monday, just two days after recording two points in the Frozen Four finale in which Western Michigan bested powerhouse Boston University for the program’s first national title. The Ducks won a competition among multiple suitors for his services, as he projects to be a capable shutdown pivot.
The physical, 6-foot-3, 215-pound forward led the nation in faceoff percentage and produced 38 points, a +22 rating and eight game-winning goals this season, with the latter being a school record. His noticeable offensive touch was overshadowed by his dependability, both on the ice and in the dressing room.
“We have the best leader in college hockey, and that’s Tim Washe,” Western Michigan coach Pat Ferschweiler, himself a former captain, told reporters. “He’s just dragged this team forward with his will and his skill – his inclusiveness in the locker room. And I think that’s been our secret sauce all year.”
His teammates called him “a natural-born leader,” painting him as the picture of reliability and an ideal brother in arms.
After playing for top youth programs in the Detroit area, where he grew up fancying the game of the Red Wings’ Henrik Zetterberg, Washe spent a year in British Columbia playing Junior B hockey. His older brother Paul took the USHL route, with both ending up at Western Michigan.
Paul graduated before their triumph over the weekend, but another pair of brothers, Kings goalie prospect Hampton Slukynsky and his brother Grant, celebrated alongside the younger Washe.
Even as a teenager, Washe prided himself on the details and nuances of his craft.
“I pride myself on being a two-way forward who can win draws in every zone,” Washe told the BCHL Network, foretelling his NCAA career and perhaps beyond. “I just want to work hard at everything.”
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