2024 Top 25 Under 25: Izzy Daniel (12), Abbey Murphy (11)

#12: Izzy Daniel, F

by Angelica Rodriguez

Talk about an underrated player on one of the more underrated teams in ECAC Hockey. The Cornell Big Red have been one of the strongest teams in the Ivies, fighting to keep on a par with Clarkson and Colgate. While not as high-scoring or physically punishing, they’ve done incredibly well, and a big reason for that success has been the play of Izzy Daniel, who took home the Patty Kazmaier Award in 2024 – over two Wisconsin forwards, no less. 

Daniel had a hell of a senior season with 59 points in 34 games, leading the next-best Big Red scorer, Lily Delianedis, by 25 points. That level of play not only nabbed her the Patty Kaz, but also ECAC and Ivy League Player of the Year honors, completing her Triple Crown. While she may have been a bit of a wild card for the top honors for women’s college hockey, a deeper look at her stats and her play over the course of her time with Cornell will definitely show her improvement and value to any team she plays on.

Daniel’s versatility on the ice is one thing – she’s as valuable on the power play as she is on the penalty kill, knowing the importance of defensive presence as well as how to snipe. I think that’s why PWHL Toronto ended up taking her 18th overall; after all, that’s a really good fit for their style of play. But it’s Daniel’s work ethic and her hockey IQ that really set her apart. She might not have the name recognition of some other players on this list, which is why she fell a little further in the PWHL Draft last month than I would have liked. Still, Toronto got a great one – someone whom I think could really bolster their lineup and provide depth to take some of the burden off of Natalie Spooner. If given the right teammates and ice time, she could really be a revelation and show USA Hockey just what they’ve been missing all these years.

Too High/Too Low: Izzy Daniel wore #12 in college, and she’s #12 on the list. Call me simple, but I think that’s a good sign as to where she ended up. At the very least, I’m not as mad at this placement as I was watching her slip to the end of the third round in the draft. 

#11 Abbey Murphy, F 

by Emma Sullivan

Of course the NCAA top goal scorer from this past season had to make the list at some point. However, that’s not the only reason Abbey Murphy has carved her name into the 11th spot. 

This is a forward that produces at every level she plays in. Just looking at her career as a Gopher, in her three seasons, Murphy has not finished outside of the top-three in total points scored on the team. Not to mention this past season she finished as Minnesota’s top point producer, beating out the next closest skater by 12 points. She was the only Gopher to record over 20 goals (with her career-high 33), and was a factor on 46% of the total goals scored by the team. 

Not to mention the NCAA level is not the only stage Murphy shines on. Over the last two IIHF World Championships, the 22 year old has a combined 16 points in 14 games, including the fastest goal ever scored to start a WC game just seven seconds in against Switzerland in 2023.

Combining her outstanding play on the World's stage, plus an Olympic appearance and impressive showings in the Rivalry series, Murphy has all the capabilities to be a keystone for USA hockey for the next decade. Not to mention she still has another year of NCAA eligibility, where no doubt she’ll look to increase upon her productivity in her fourth year in the WCHA. 

The one drawback is her time in the penalty box. Across the hundreds of players in DI, Murphy led them all with 45 penalties committed – the next highest mark was just 34. If Minnesota wants to improve upon where they finished last year and make it back to the Frozen Four, they’re going to need Murphy on the ice as much as possible to do so. And she can’t do that if she’s taking penalties every game like she did last season. 

Too High/Too Low: To be completely honest, I think Murphy might be a little too low. That’s not to say the other names on this list aren’t deserving, I just think Murphy’s consistency – and honestly her consistent increase in production – should have her a few spaces higher on this list. Maybe after a little bit more development we’ll see her move up. Only time will tell.