The 2024 Hobey Baker Award finalists, named on Friday, are Boston College’s Cutter Gauthier, Boston University’s Macklin Celebrini, and University of North Dakota’s Jackson Blake. In what was one of the best seasons of college hockey in a long time, there was a wide variety of players deserving of being a finalist. With the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) Frozen Four finishing soon, both Gauthier and Celebrini will be contending for the championship. The winner of the award for top NCAA player is set to be announced Friday, April 12, and whoever comes out the victor will add themselves to a lengthy list of college legends that have proceeded to dominate at the NHL level.
Cutter Gauthier
Gauthier, originally drafted fifth overall by the Philadelphia Flyers in 2022 before being traded earlier this season to the Anaheim Ducks, has spent time on the wing and center this season. The question marks surrounding the trade have left many hockey fans with concerns regarding his character, but there is no doubt about his abilities. He is an elite goal scorer who is expected to make the jump to the NHL next season. The off-ice distractions did not get to him, as he has 37 goals and 64 points in 39 games this season. As well, he had two goals and 12 points in seven games at the 2024 World Junior Championship as an alternate captain for the gold-medal winning United States squad.
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With Boston College the presumed favorite for the National Championship, Gauthier is just one of the elite talents for the college. Other top prospects consist of Gabe Perreault, Ryan Leonard, Jacob Fowler, and Will Smith. Gauthier’s ability to elevate the performance of those around him is what has gotten him so far as a prospect, and he is sure to become a star for the Ducks in no time.
Jackson Blake
Jackson Blake, too, has spent time on the wing and as a center and was drafted 109th by the Carolina Hurricanes in 2021. He is a speedy playmaker who excels in all aspects of the game. While North Dakota’s season is over, Blake has done enough to cement himself as one of hockey’s top prospect.
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He was relatively unknown as a prospect prior to his draft year, playing for the Chicago Steel as one of their best forwards. However, in his first season in the NCAA, he dominated for North Dakota, recording 16 goals and 42 points in 39 games, an impressive performance for the then-19-year-old. He followed it up with 22 goals and 60 points in 40 games this past season, entering the top 10 in points and top-four in goals in all of Division 1. His dynamic play style, combined with a responsible defensive game, has put him in a position to join the Hurricanes in the future as a top-six forward. Whether fans will get to see him this season or have to wait a bit longer is unknown, but he is sure to make a name for himself once in the NHL.
Macklin Celebrini
Celebrini is the consensus first-overall pick in the 2024 NHL Entry Draft, and for good reason. The dynamic center is just 17 years old, and had one of the best NCAA seasons of any draft-eligible player in recent memory. He is as talented as players come, having all of the skills in the world offensively. He is speedy with a great shot and utilizes his vision to find the open ice or ideal pass to create offense.
He has 32 goals and 64 points in 37 games this season, second place in both categories in Division 1. What makes this even more impressive is he is the youngest player in college hockey is. To compare his performance to last year’s top NCAA prospect, Adam Fantilli, Celebrini had two more goals and one fewer point in one more game. Additionally, Fantilli is more than 600 days older than Celebrini and has already established himself as a top-six center in the NHL for the Columbus Blue Jackets. Of course, translating college performance to the NHL is a challenge, but Celebrini has cemented himself as a potential franchise-altering prospect heading into the National Championship and draft.
With the awards being announced on April 12 and the championship game on April 13, the next few weeks will be an exciting time for college hockey fans. Regardless of who wins the award or National Championship, the league is trending in the right direction, with NCAA stars catapulting the league into its most talented generation yet.
