With the collegiate hockey season (such as it is this year) entering the home stretch, voting for the Hobey Baker Memorial Award has opened with 50 players nominated for the award. The trophy is given to the top NCAA player in the country and has an impressive line of winners over the past few years. In 2014, Johnny Gaudreau took home the award as a junior for Boston College, followed by Jack Eichel in his only year for Boston University in 2015. Jimmy Vesey, Will Butcher, and Adam Gaudette don’t bring quite the same impact but are still NHL regulars after winning from 2016-18.
2019’s winner was University of Massachusetts defenseman Cale Makar, who has gone on to win the Calder Trophy as the NHL’s best rookie and is now dominating the league with the Colorado Avalanche. Last year the award was given to Scott Perunovich, but his chance to debut late in the season with the St. Louis Blues was taken away. Perunovich currently sits on the Blues’ taxi squad but could find his way into the lineup soon enough.
The award also has several top NHL alumni in its small fraternity, including Neal Broten, Tom Kurvers, Paul Kariya, Chris Drury, Ryan Miller, and Brendan Morrison. With that group behind them, this year’s winner is certainly not someone to take lightly.
The fan vote will be added to the opinions of NCAA head coaches to come up with a 10-man finalist group, which will then have another fan vote and go through a selection committee. The nominees are as follows:
Owen Power – University of Michigan
Grant Cruikshank – Colorado College
Alex Limoges – Pennsylvania State University
Ronnie Attard – Western Michigan University
Alex Jefferies – Merrimack College
Jordan Harris – Northeastern University
Tyce Thompson – Providence College
Joseph Nardi – Northern Michigan University
Nick Swaney – University of Minnesota-Duluth
Noah Cates – University of Minnesota-Duluth
Marcel Godbout – Sacred Heart University
Ethen Frank – Western Michigan University
Keaton Mastrodonato – Canisius College
Shane Pinto – University of North Dakota
Brennan Kapcheck – American International College
Nick Perbix – St. Cloud State University
Declan Carlile – Merrimack College
Jakov Novak – Bentley University
Cam York – University of Michigan
Jordan Kawaguchi – University of North Dakota
Alex Steeves – University of Notre Dame
Jack LaFontaine – University of Minnesota
Mareks Mitens – Lake Superior State University
Jonny Evans – University of Connecticut
David Farrance – Boston University
Tyrone Bronte – University of Alabama-Huntsville
Taylor Ward – University of Nebraska-Omaha
Josiah Slavin – Colorado College
Kent Johnson – University of Michigan
Eduards Tralmaks – University of Maine
Dryden McKay – Minnesota State University-Mankato
Keith Petruzzelli – Quinnipiac University
Lukas Kaelble – Lake Superior State University
Odeen Tufto – Quinnipiac University
Ryan Steele – Sacred Heart University
Matt Kiersted – University of North Dakota
Adam Dawe – University of Maine
Veeti Miettinen – St. Cloud State University
Nathan Smith – Minnesota State University-Mankato
Braeden Tuck – Sacred Heart University
Chayse Primeau – University of Nebraska-Omaha
Cade Borchardt – Minnesota State University-Mankato
Alex Young – Colgate University
Zach Solow – Northeastern University
Spencer Knight – Boston College
Cole Koepke – University of Minnesota-Duluth
Logan Hutsko – Boston College
Matt Boldy – Boston College
Ashton Calder – Lake Superior State University
Jacob Schmidt-Svejstrup – University of Maine
UPDATE Feb 2: There are some notable omissions from the group, including Wisconsin Badgers forward and Montreal Canadiens prospect Cole Caufield, who currently leads the nation in scoring. Todd Milewski of the Wisconsin State Journal tweets that Caufield is expected to be added after “an email got lost in the shuffle,” though he still does not appear on the fan vote page.
No Caufield?
let’s go Cam!
Cam York’s gonna take it imo.
It would be nice to enhance any articles like this by saing if there are and current draft picks. some guys look they could have nhl bloodlines to
Did a little research for your enjoyment:
Owen Power–cousin of Will Power, race car driver
Grant Cruikshank–Great, great, great, great grandson of Geo. Cruikshank, British cartoonist
Alex Limoges–Named after a city in France
Ronnie Attard–Never, ever signs his name R. Attard
Alex Jefferies–Hopefully not related to that punk Greg Jeffries
Jordan Harris–Son of Neil Patrick Harris (test tube)
Tyce Thompson–Grandson of ‘not in my ‘hood’ John Thompson
Joseph Nardi–Asked for a car, all he got was a Steering Wheel
Nick Swaney–So embarassed being related to the Bruins GM he changed spelling of last name
Noah Cates–There’s something wrong (but right) watching the scene where his granma takes off her bikini top
Marcel Godbout–But I did stay at the Mont Caburon in Godbout, Quebec last night
Ethen Frank–Missed 5 games this season hiding under a neighbors house, working on his diary
Keaton Mastrodonato–Related to the superior side of Ryan and Ted’s family
Shane Pinto–Was once checked from behind and his ass exploded
Brennan Kapcheck–Has requested the creation of a new minor penalty in his name
Nick Perbix–Heir to the grocery store chain
Declan Carlile–”Yes Pat, can I get an S?”
Jakov Novak–His mother is the blond hottie from Amersican Idiot
Cam York–Was going to enlist in the Army only if he could skip PVT and CORP
Jordan Kawaguchi–Great grandfather died screaming “TORA, TORA, Tooooooooo”
Alex Steeves–Whose kid is that? It’s Steeve’s
Jack LaFontaine–US Hockey royalty in that surname
Mareks Mitens–Drafted by the Bruins, strictly so Jack Edwards can scream “and Mareks dropped the Mittens”
Jonny Evans–Darrell was the first player in MLB to do what?
David Farrance–How Solenopsis is pronounced in Baton Rouge
Tyrone Bronte–Great sports name – wrong sport
Taylor Ward–Sela was hot in the day
Josiah Slavin–Wasn’t that a Dead song?
Kent Johnson–Obviously wasn’t planning on him being a jock when they named him Kent
Eduards Tralmaks–Typically a combination of granola, dried fruit, nuts, and sometimes candy
Dryden McKay–Boom on the first name
Keith Petruzzelli–Grandfather was on OJ’s defense team
Lukas Kaelble–”Coach, this is the third jersey with my name spelled wrong!”
Odeen Tufto–Yup, Four Brothers
Ryan Steele–Two E’s weren’t enough
Matt Kiersted–Once hung upside to kiss his GF
Adam Dawe–isn’t there an ‘S’ missing?
Veeti Miettinen–Another Jack Edwards opportunity
Nathan Smith–Does Miki Sudo’s BF EVER stop smiling?
Braeden Tuck–That RULE started a dynasty
Chayse Primeau–Three 30 goal and seven 100 PIMs seasons – Keith was a warrior
Cade Borchardt–Current War’s cousin
Alex Young–Seriously, Scott Young was blessed with talent galore and Goering nad(s)
Zach Solow–”I know this girl, races bikes for Belarus, you guys are made for each other!!”
Spencer Knight–It was KITT, not KIT. The TT stood for 2K, later 3K
Cole Koepke–Wasn’t that the cop from West Side Story?
Logan Hutsko–Run, Logan!!
Matt Boldy–My 1st Chemistry Set
Ashton Calder–If he doeesn’t win it, at least let him present it.
Jacob Schmidt-Has two siblings; John & Jingleheimer. Family tradition prohibits singing.