A native of Red Deer, Alberta, Jaillet backstopped top-ranked Denver to its first NCAA Championship since 2005. The NCHC Goaltender of the Year and a member of the All-NCHC First Team, Jaillet posted a 28-5-4 record and ranked first in the nation in wins (28) and winning percentage (.811), third in goals-against average (1.84) and seventh in save percentage (.929). He helped the Pioneers capture their first NCHC regular season title, leading the conference in save percentage, goals-against average and wins.

Jaillet posted six games with 30 or more saves and notched a .930 or better save percentage in 22 games this season. The NCHC Player of the Month for January and four-time NCHC Goalie of the Week started all but six games this season and allowed two goals or less 29 times. Jaillet's efforts helped the Pioneers become the stingiest defense in the nation with only 1.82 goals allowed per game this season.

For his career, Jaillet is 60-18-9 (.741) with a 2.11 goals-against average and a .923 save percentage. He ranks second in the Denver record book in goals-against average, fourth in wins and fifth in save percentage. Jaillet is a business information and analytics major at the University of Denver.

The other finalists for the 2017 Mike Richter Award were Michael Bitzer of Bemidji State, Hunter Miska of Minnesota Duluth, Cal Petersen of Notre Dame and Charles Williams of Canisius.

Candidates for the Mike Richter Award were determined by nominations from all 60 NCAA Division I men's hockey head coaches. The finalists and winner were selected by a committee of coaches, scouts and members of the media.

Criteria for the Mike Richter Award:

-Candidates must display outstanding skills on the ice

-Candidates should be in good academic standing at an NCAA college or University

-Consideration should be given to academic achievement and Sportsmanship

-Candidates must comply with all NCAA rules; be full-time students at an NCAA college or university; and complete 50 percent or more of the season

-Consideration should be given to the candidate's activities in the community

Past winners: 2016 Thatcher Demko (Boston College), 2015 Zane McIntyre (North Dakota), 2014 Connor Hellebuyck (UMass Lowell)

About Mike Richter:

Largely considered one of the top goaltenders of the last 30 years, Mike Richter played youth hockey in Pennsylvania and New York before heading to the University of Wisconsin to stop pucks for the Badgers. In two seasons in Madison, Richter was named the 1986 WCHA Freshman of the Year and earned All-WCHA second team honors in 1987.

After two seasons in the IHL, Richter made his NHL debut in the 1989 Stanley Cup Playoffs with the New York Rangers. Playing full-time for the Rangers beginning with the 1990-91 season, he was a finalist for the Vezina Trophy as the league's top goalie in just his second full season in the NHL.

After splitting goaltending duties with veteran John Vanbiesbrouck for several seasons, Richter was made the Rangers' primary starter for the 1993-94 season. He went on to post a career-best 42 wins and 2.57 goals-against average that year as the Rangers won the Presidents' Trophy as the league's top regular-season team. In the playoffs, Richter backstopped New York to the Stanley Cup Finals where Rangers defeated the Vancouver Canucks in seven games to win their first Stanley Cup since 1940. During the 1994 Stanley Cup Playoffs, he became the eighth goaltender to post four shutouts in one playoff season.

Consistently ranked one of the world's best goaltenders, Richter played in 666 games during his 14-year NHL career, all with the Rangers. His 301 wins rank second in Rangers history and he was named an NHL All-Star three times in his career. Richter's jersey (#35) became the third number retired by the Rangers at Madison Square Garden on Feb.  4, 2004.

Richter was also a standout on the international stage, tending the net for Team USA for parts of three decades. He is one of just 10 Americans ever to compete in at least three Olympic Games (1988, 1998, 2002), including in 2002 when he helped the team capture a silver medal in the last game ever coached by Herb Brooks. In addition, he led Team USA to the World Cup of Hockey championship in 1996 and was named the tournament's MVP. He also played in two IIHF World Junior Championships (1985-86), three IIHF Men's World Championships (1986-87, 1993) and the 1991 Canada Cup.

Richter was inducted into the University of Wisconsin Athletic Hall of Fame in 2005 and the U.S. Hockey Hall of Fame in 2008.