Player Profile: Andy Taranto
No other freshman was bigger for their club in the NCAA this season than 6′0″, 213-pound Andy Taranto of the University of Alaska-Fairbanks. The right winger put up an impressive 42 points (18G,24A) in 39 games for the Nanooks this season, finishing one point behind senior Dion Knelsen for the team lead. Taranto also finished with a team-high plus-minus rating of +10. He was named as CCM CCHA Rookie of the Month twice and CCM CCHA Rookie of the Week three times, and captured the freshmen scoring title by 10 points as he took home the CCHA’s Rookie of the Year. The 22-year-old is a classic late bloomer, who had two mediocre seasons in the USHL with Omaha and Ohio, before breaking out with the Fargo Force last year, and racking up 59 points (34G,25A) in 60 games en route to leading the league in goals. Taranto is a good skater, who protects the puck extremely well, has a great shot, and elusive moves as he is fairly agile for his size. He is a pure goal scorer, but does have decent vision and hockey sense. NHL scouts are taking notice, as the Nonooks power forward may just be carving out his path to the pros while he pursues his degree in Business Administration.
2009-10 Team: University of Alaska-Fairbanks NCAA
Born: Downers Grove, IL. June 23, 1988.
NHL Draft Eligibility: Free Agent
Position: Right Wing
Height: 6.0
Weight: 213
Shoots: Right
2009-10 Statistics: 39 GP, 18 G, 24 A, 42 PTS
2008-09 Statistics (Fargo Force USHL):
60 GP, 34 G, 25 A, 59 PTS
2007-08 Statistics (Ohio Junior Blue Jackets USHL):
47 GP, 7 G, 8 A, 15 PTS
2006-07 Statistics (Omaha Lancers/Ohio Junior Blue Jackets USHL):
31 GP, 1 G, 4 A, 5 PTS
