Boston University freshman Macklin Celebrini, 17, wins Hobey Baker Award
ST. PAUL, Minn. — Boston University freshman Macklin Celebrini was named the winner of the Hobey Baker Award on Friday, beating out Boston College’s Cutter Gauthier and North Dakota’s Jackson Blake for the award honoring men’s college hockey’s top player.
“It’s a surreal feeling to be awarded such a prestigious award,” Celebrini said. “It means a lot, and it’s kind of just a whirlwind right now.”
The youngest player to win the award, Celebrini is expected to be the No. 1 pick of the NHL Draft in June, just two weeks after he turns 18. He had 32 goals and 32 assists in 38 games as BU returned to the Frozen Four before bowing to Denver, 2-1, Thursday. He is the fourth Terrier to win the award, joining Chris Drury (1998), Matt Gilroy (2009), and Jack Eichel (2015).
“The last year has been amazing,” Celebrini said. “All the people [at BU], I mean everyone, they’ve been so awesome and supportive of our team and each of us individually. It’s been a special place this year.”
Gauthier, a sophomore, finished as the runner-up to Celebrini and leads the NCAA with 38 goals, tying BC’s single-season record shared by David Emma (1989-90) and Scott Harlow (1985-86). He also tied Minnesota’s Ryan Potulny (2005-06) for the most goals in a single season in Division 1 since 1999-2000. His Eagles knocked off Michigan, 4-0, in Thursday’s second semifinal and will play Denver for the title Saturday night.
The days leading up to the announcement had most observers uncertain as to who the winner would be, with one voter describing it as a toss-up between Celebrini and Gauthier.
The two had garnered awards in the weeks following the regular season, with Celebrini becoming just the fourth player to win Hockey East’s Rookie and Player of the Year awards in a single season, following Eichel (2015), Paul Kariya (1993), and Brian Leetch (1987).
Gauthier was named the winner of the Walter Brown Award as the best American-born men’s Division 1 college hockey player in New England, and was tabbed as the Most Valuable Player by the New England Hockey Writers Association.
As he made his way out of the ballroom after the ceremony at the St. Paul RiverCentre, Gauthier paused to honor autograph requests and selfies, then spoke briefly with former Eagles coach Jerry York before heading back to the team’s hotel to get ready for the championship.
Celebrini also was named the Tim Taylor Rookie of the Year. He became the fifth BU player to win the award, along with Kieran Millan (2009), Eichel (2015), Clayton Keller (2017), and Joel Farabee (2019).
BC freshman Jacob Fowler was the runner-up for the Richter Award, which is given to the top goaltender in Division 1. Wisconsin’s Kyle McClellan, who signed an AHL deal with the Iowa Wild earlier this week, was the winner. Fowler and McClellan finished in a tie, but McClellan received more first-place votes.
With his 32-save shutout against Michigan, Fowler set an NCAA record for most wins by a freshman with 32, and became the first BC goalie to record a shutout in a national semifinal.
The American Hockey Coaches Association announced its All-American teams also were announced. The First Team East certainly has a familiar look, as it boasts the same six players Hockey East named to its first team last month. Celebrini and Gauthier are joined up front by BC’s Will Smith. Fowler is the goalie. The defensemen are BU’s Lane Hutson, who signed an three-year, entry level contract Friday with the Montreal Canadiens, and UMass’s Ryan Ufko, who signed similar deal with the Nashville Predators.
Smith’s linemates at BC, Ryan Leonard and Gabe Perreault, are on the second team along with Quinnipiac junior and Lincoln native Collin Graf, who signed with the San Jose Sharks last week, and Liam McLinskey of Holy Cross.
Follow Andrew Mahoney @GlobeMahoney.
