Fargo's Mac Swanson rewarded for 'tremendous season' with USHL Forward of the Year honor

The USHL continued its individual awards from the 2023-24 season Thursday afternoon with the USHL Forward of the Year, presenting the award to Fargo’s Mac Swanson.

Swanson finished his second USHL season with 26 goals and a team-leading 77 points, which ranked third in the USHL.

The North Dakota commit set a single-season franchise record with those 77 points and his 51 assists, and he has 132 points (38-94-132) over 112 career regular-season games.

Swanson also finished the season with a plus-39 rating — which was tied with teammate Leo Gruba for the best mark in the USHL — and was assessed just six penalty minutes, as he helped Fargo win a USHL-record 50 games.

“Mac had a tremendous season for us,” Fargo head coach Brett Skinner told The Rink Live. “Obviously his talent and ability contribute to his success, but his drive and determination are what separate him from others. His off-ice approach with his daily habits no doubt enabled him to have the consistency he showcased all season.

“He continued to improve as the season went on and was able to play his best hockey towards the end of the season. His relentless work ethic, hockey sense and high end talent were on full display every night and I’m extremely proud of him for what he was able to accomplish this season.”

Alyssa Goelzer/The Forum

Swanson is the first Fargo forward to ever win the award and the second North Dakota commit in the last five years, as Riese Gaber (Dubuque) did so during the 2019-20 season.

Swanson played in 55 games for the Force while also representing the U.S. at the World Junior A Challenge in December, where Team USA won a bronze medal.

He helped the U.S. win bronze last summer at the Hlinka Gretzky Cup too and played a key role in both tournaments.

The Anchorage, Alaska native finished the regular season on a tear, picking up points in 21 of his final 25 games, and came in at No. 152 among North American skaters in Central Scouting’s final draft rankings.

Jordan McAlpine / The Rink Live

Swanson has followed it up with a tremendous postseason as well, as he currently leads the USHL with 12 playoff points.

He scored the eventual game-winning goal Sunday night as Fargo earned a 4-0 win over Sioux City, earning its second consecutive trip to the Clark Cup Finals.

Fargo hosts Games 1 and 2 against Dubuque this weekend at Scheels Arena.

The USHL will continue its award announcements on Friday with the USHL Coach, GM and Player of the Year.

The full award schedule can be found below.

Wed. May 8, 2024
10 a.m. — All-Rookie Teams
12 p.m. — All-USHL Teams
2 p.m. — USHL Rookie of the Year

Thurs. May 9, 2024
10 a.m. — USHL Defenseman of the Year
12 p.m. — USHL Goaltender of the Year
2 p.m. — USHL Forward of the Year

Fri. May 10, 2024
10 a.m. — USHL Coach of the Year
12 p.m. — USHL GM of the Year
2 p.m. — USHL Player of the Year

Wed. May 15, 2024
12 p.m. — Curt Hammer Award
2 p.m. — Student Athlete of the Year and All-Academic Team