BU’s Celebrini youngest to score a Hobey Baker
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 the top player in men’s college hockey.
“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 the other semifinal Thursday and play Denver for the title Saturday night.
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 shutout against Michigan, Fowler set an NCAA record for most wins by a freshman with 32.
The American Hockey Coaches Association 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 and UMass’s Ryan Ufko.
BC’s Ryan Leonard and Gabe Perreault are on the second team along with Quinnipiac junior and Lincoln native Collin Graf and Liam McLinskey of Holy Cross.