It’s the year of the defenseman when it comes to top players in college hockey. Through almost two months of the season, the front-runners from this region for the Hobey Baker Memorial Award, given annually to college hockey’s top player, appear to all be on the defensive side of the puck.
However, as the game of hockey has evolved over the past decade, most of these defensemen are better known for their puck-moving and offensive abilities. It would have been far-fetched to suggest just a couple of decades ago that almost all the best defensemen in Hockey East would stand below 6-feet tall.
There are plenty of deserving candidates out west to win the 2019 Hobey Baker Memorial Award. Among them are Michigan sophomore defenseman Quinn Hughes, Minnesota Duluth sophomore defenseman Scott Perunovich, St. Cloud State senior defenseman Jimmy Schuldt, Minnesota State sophomore defenseman Connor Mackey, Notre Dame senior defenseman Bobby Nardella, and Bowling Green sophomore forward Brandon Kruse.
In other parts of the east, Canisius senior forward Dylan McLaughlin will probably be the one player from Atlantic Hockey to become a top-10 finalist. Princeton senior Ryan Kuffner is the most likely of the three potential candidates from the Tigers.
Here are the five top candidates from college hockey programs inside New England:
Cale Makar
Massachusetts, So., RD, Calgary, Alberta
NHL: Colorado Avalanche, 2017, Rd. 1, #4 overall
Makar is an elite, program-changing player. He has five goals and ten assists in 10 games. His skating and puck-moving ability allow the Minutemen to break out of their zone and create offense on the rush with ease. He’s the unquestioned leader of a team that has set a lot of program records already. The team’s 9-1-0 record and No. 4 ranking nationally are both program bests. UMass sits atop the Hockey East standings and the Pairwise Rankings.
Adam Fox
Harvard, Jr., RD, Jericho, N.Y.
NHL: Carolina Hurricanes *, 2016, Rd. 3, #66 overall
The NTDP product is one of just two players in college hockey to have scored at least a point in each of his team’s games to date. Averaging over two points per game with three goals and 12 assists in seven games, Fox has been a catalyst for Harvard. Right or wrong, his candidacy might be negatively impacted by a down season for the Crimson, unless they can right the ship.
Dante Fabbro
Boston University, Jr., RD, New Westminster, British Columbia
NHL: Nashville Predators, 2017, Rd. 1, #17 overall
To the surprise of many, Fabbro elected to return for a third season with the Terriers. The Penticton Vees product has three goals and eight assists in nine games played. While his offensive exploits have been a big part of BU’s limited success to date, he’s been solid on the defensive side of the puck. He gaps well, defends with a good stick, and can break pucks out of his own zone.
Jacob Bryson
Providence, Jr., LD, London, Ontario, Ontario
NHL: Buffalo Sabres, 2017, Rd. 4, #99 overall
Bryson has often been described by his head coach, Nate Leaman, as his team’s best player over the past two seasons. He’s diminutive in stature, but he’s a one-man breakout machine. The former Loomis-Chaffee star has three goals and eight assists in 11 games. What he does so well is retrieve pucks. He makes that shoulder check and then quickly dishes the puck off. It’s not always a long pass, but he makes great decisions on the first touch.
Chase Priskie
Quinnipiac, Sr., RD, Pembroke Pines, Fla.
NHL: Washington Capitals, 2016, Rd. 6, #177 overall
Priskie, who played for Selects Academy at South Kent, has been a terrific four-year player for Rand Pecknold’s Bobcats. He’s off to a stellar senior season with eight goals and six assists in eleven games as his team has raced out to a 9-2-0 record. He’ll get serious consideration for a spot among the ten finalists if he can keep this pace up and his team continues winning.
