ST. PAUL, Minn. – Northeastern junior Adam Gaudette or Harvard junior Ryan Donato could win the 2018 Hobey Baker Memorial Award Friday afternoon at the Roy Wilkins Auditorium. The pair of Massachusetts’ natives are joined by Denver University sophomore Henrik Borgstrom as the three Hobey Baker Award Hat Trick Finalists. The winner will be announced...
ST. PAUL, Minn. – Northeastern junior Adam Gaudette or Harvard junior Ryan Donato could win the 2018 Hobey Baker Memorial Award Friday afternoon at the Roy Wilkins Auditorium.
The pair of Massachusetts’ natives are joined by Denver University sophomore Henrik Borgstrom as the three Hobey Baker Award Hat Trick Finalists. The winner will be announced at 6:00 p.m. ET.
No matter who wins the award, there will be some milestones surrounding the ceremony and the eventual recipient. All three players have made their NHL debut so no matter who takes home college hockey’s top honor, it will be the first time since Denver’s Matt Carle in 2006 that the winner will have suited up at the game’s highest level prior to the ceremony.
Further complicating the proceedings, Donato nor Borgstrom will be in attendance on Friday evening. Gaudette will be the only finalist at the ceremony. It's the first time since the Hobey Baker Award changed its format to three finalists that not all finalists will be present.
Donato has taken Boston by storm after forgoing his senior season at Harvard to sign his entry-level contract with the Boston Bruins, the organization that selected him in the second round of the 2014 NHL Draft. A native of Scituate, Mass., Donato had 26 goals and 17 assists in 29 games with the Crimson this season. Donato led the nation in goals per game.
The 2017-18 ECAC Hockey Player of the Year also appeared in the Olympic Winter Games for the United States, tallying five goals in five games. Since turning pro, Donato has registered five goals and three assists for the red hot Bruins. Donato, who played for his dad Ted Donato at Harvard, played prep school hockey at Dexter School.
Gaudette helped Northeastern to its first Beanpot title in 30 years and was named the MVP of Boston's hallowed tournament. In addition, the Braintree, Mass., native was named the Hockey East Player of the Year and the Walter Brown Award winner for top American born player in New England college hockey. The Thayer Academy product tallied 30 goals and 30 assists in 38 games this season. He led the nation in goals, points and points per game. He’s scoreless in his first four NHL games.
