Hobey Baker Award and the fan voting

[Red Cows]

Current vote leaders at this writing (all that have 2,000 or more votes):

Corban Knight, North Dakota, Senior, Forward 16,095 votes
Johnny Gaudreau, Boston College, Sophomore, Forward 13,053 votes
Frank Slubowski, Western Michigan, Sophomore, Goalie 4,642 votes
Mike Seidel, Minnesota-Duluth, Senior, Forward 3,203 votes
Greg Miller, Cornell, Senior, Forward 2,919 votes
Ryan Walters, Nebraska-Omaha, Junior, Forward 2,878 votes
Drew LeBlanc, St. Cloud State, Senior, Forward 2,254 votes
Eric Hartzell, Quinnipiac, Senior, Goalie 2,002 votes

These goofy "standings" are an advertisement for why I don't think the fans should be involved in the voting since the fans’ vote accounts for a full 1 percent of the total ballot in each phase of selecting the actual award recipient. If they can't do better than this, it shouldn't be allowed to count at all, although 1% isn't enough of a factor to corrupt the process.

Frank Slubowski? He's only the 4th ranked goalie in his own conference. Mike Seidel? Ranked 36th in the country in scoring? A plus/minus of +1 for the season? Greg Miller? 16 total points on the season for a .500 team? He's not even in the top 50 in the country in scoring. Even if you are a fan of one of these player's teams I don't see how anybody in good conscience could cast a vote for any of those 3 guys. Anybody reading this thread can easily come up with at least a dozen more deserving players than these 3.

All the other players at least deserve a place on this leaderboard although perhaps not necessarily in this order.

The interesting thing about this list is that I can make a way better case for the bottom three players on it, maybe, than I can for the top 3 (really, the top 2 since Slubowski shouldn't be anywhere near 3rd).

My partisan viewpoint as far as Walters is concerned is this. Here we have the leading scorer in the nation, who plays on the top scoring line in the nation, playing for the WCHA's 2nd place team, a team that has a realistic shot at the MacNaughton Cup, all while doing this on a team picked either 7th or 8th preseason in the conference depending on whether you were asking the coaches or the writers. And, that team is currently the #3 offense in the country and has been in the top 3 every week since before Thanksgiving.

That's some pretty big scoreboard, as Romey would say.

As an aside, USCHO has written stories in the last week pontificating on the Hobey chances of Minnesota's Nick Bjugstad as well as Brett Gensler of Bentley, neither of whom have a snowball's chance in hell of winning it. Not even their own homer fans think so. Gensler has 140 total votes and Bjugstad has all of 106.

Of the names above. I'd have Walters, LeBlanc, Hartzell, & Gaudreau all tied at 1A's and Knight a close second to that pack. You can make great cases for any of my top 4.

What's everybody's top 5 or so, right now?

 

[hockeykrazy]

Re: Hobey Baker Award and the fan voting

From wiki...
NCAA player who best "exhibits strength of character both on and off the ice" and "contributes to the integrity of the team and displays outstanding skills in all phases of the game"

Last I checked there are still 11 games left on our schedule and I haven't seen a lot of these guys play so I couldn't comment without having some sample size of their overall game. As far as Walters I have watched him since he played at St Thomas Academy. I think UNO's system of sending a cherry picker like they did against SCSU would hurt him because it basically says they don't value defense- especially if they send him. When you are judging this award defense is a big part of being a 2 way player. His character off the ice has been questioned in the past also. I think he is a very good overall player with great skills and skating but I think these two things would hurt him when being considered for the award at the end of the season.

 

[Flashy Man]

Re: Hobey Baker Award and the fan voting

Only 16k votes? Michigan Tech goalie Teslak once had over 22 million votes.

 

[SCSU Euro]

Re: Hobey Baker Award and the fan voting

How is somebody from MTU not leading the online fan voting? Can we get somebody to fix this please?

"Stuff that box! Stuff that box! Stuff that box!"

 

[hockeykrazy]

Re: Hobey Baker Award and the fan voting

I will comment on the 3 SCSU players up for the award though.
Drew Leblanc is a fine example on and off the ice. He is a team first player and you see that with his making everyone around him on his lines look much better-leads the WCHA in assists. He also plays center so you know he is a complete two way player and his coach has confidence in his defensive and read abilities. He controls play and is a major contributor by the amazing time he actually has puck possession. He is a fine example off the ice, he is a ALL-WCHA academic the last 3 years and a WCHA scholar-athlete recipient the last 3 years. He was a honor grad in high school. Major is Math Education and minor in coaching. On the SCSU dean's list and honor roll. He is also a community and campus volunteer.

Nic Dowd is also a center and has all aspects of the game down. If you want to see someone positionally and technically sound watch Nic Dowd play the PK. He blocks shots, he keeps moving - blocking shooting and passing lanes, has an active stick and understands his role and position. He is also great off the ice with the "Locks of Love". He was on the WCHA all academic last year and scholarship award winner.

Ben Hanowski is a wing so it will be a lot harder for him to win this award since his defensive game and his skating (esp backwards) is suspect. He has really worked hard this year to improve in those areas and it has affected his offensive game a little. His offensive game makes up for it as long as he can keep it on the north end. He was also out for 5 games with a concussion so a lot will be determined in the last half of the season. He is just starting to get back to his old self after the injury. He is also a great student and just changed his major from Business to finance. He is also a WCHA academic and was on the SCSU dean's list. He is very active in the community and also doing "Locks of Love".

Of these 3 I would pick Drew Leblanc because he is the complete player and controls the game on the ice (makes everyone around him better) and is the consumate individual off the ice.

 

[SCSU Euro]

Re: Hobey Baker Award and the fan voting

I will comment on the 3 SCSU players up for the award though.
Drew Leblanc is a fine example on and off the ice. He is a team first player and you see that with his making everyone around him on his lines look much better-leads the WCHA in assists. He also plays center so you know he is a complete two way player and his coach has confidence in his defensive and read abilities. He controls play and is a major contributor by the amazing time he actually has puck possession. He is a fine example off the ice, he is a ALL-WCHA academic the last 3 years and a WCHA scholar-athlete recipient the last 3 years. He was a honor grad in high school. Major is Math Education and minor in coaching. On the SCSU dean's list and honor roll. He is also a community and campus volunteer.

Nic Dowd is also a center and has all aspects of the game down. If you want to see someone positionally and technically sound watch Nic Dowd play the PK. He blocks shots, he keeps moving - blocking shooting and passing lanes, has an active stick and understands his role and position. He is also great off the ice with the "Locks of Love". He was on the WCHA all academic last year and scholarship award winner.

Ben Hanowski is a wing so it will be a lot harder for him to win this award since his defensive game and his skating (esp backwards) is suspect. He has really worked hard this year to improve in those areas and it has affected his offensive game a little. His offensive game makes up for it as long as he can keep it on the north end. He was also out for 5 games with a concussion so a lot will be determined in the last half of the season. He is just starting to get back to his old self after the injury. He is also a great student and just changed his major from Business to finance. He is also a WCHA academic and was on the SCSU dean's list. He is very active in the community and also doing "Locks of Love".

It should be added that both LeBlanc and Hanowski could have gotten the paycheck but came back for their senior years (LeBlanc's second as he medical redshirted last year).

That being said I'll be happy if either can make the top 10. They don't get the publicity and exposure of guys on a big school, and having two real candidates and a third that's close on the same team hurts all of their chances.

 

[hockeykrazy]

Re: Hobey Baker Award and the fan voting

It should be added that both LeBlanc and Hanowski could have gotten the paycheck but came back for their senior years (LeBlanc's second as he medical redshirted last year).

That being said I'll be happy if either can make the top 10. They don't get the publicity and exposure of guys on a big school, and having two real candidates and a third that's close on the same team hurts all of their chances.

I still think that if Hano can make a late run and carry this team he could go the furthest in the HB voting at the end of the year. I think Hano would best fit... "contributes to the integrity of the team" but not "displaying outstanding skills in all phases of the game". As far as UNO is concerned I would probably pick Archibald over Walters but since Walters is the only one on the list... it makes it easy.

Gaudreau is an easy pick for everyone since he has the national exposure from last year and the junior tournament.

 

[Carmine Scarpaglia]

Re: Hobey Baker Award and the fan voting

My partisan viewpoint as far as Walters is concerned is this. Here we have the leading scorer in the nation

Leading scorer in the nation. Johnny Gaudreau. 1.63 PPG.

 

[hockeykrazy]

Re: Hobey Baker Award and the fan voting

Yes, a big factor is the number of games played. Plus their overall game on and off the ice.
But looking at the voting 58 coaches get a vote to get to 10 finalists can play a major factor(they vote for the top 3 in their league and the top 3 in the nation, a player can be on both lists and a coach can vote for their own player). Teams with 3 candidates are at a big disadvantage of the votes being split up and possibly the best player on the team not getting through.

I also wonder once they get the final 10 where the selection committee members are from because they can really influence it if they are homers. Hopefully eveyone does their due diligence and does their research.

 

[Thecalkid]

Re: Hobey Baker Award and the fan voting

I think blake pietila should've at least been mentioned on the page he was 3rd in the nation in goals as of last week while sipping 2 games for wjc

 

[FiveHole12]

Re: Hobey Baker Award and the fan voting

Gaudreau is an easy pick for everyone since he has the national exposure from last year and the junior tournament.

A real easy pick for anyone that gets to see him play every night. When the puck is on Johnny's stick, the game is played at whatever speed Johnny wants it to be payed at. Makes everyone around him a better player, except the enemy. A big game and clutch player... leads the nation with 6 game winning goals and as previously stated, 1.63 PtsGm

 

[The Exiled One]

It should be added that both LeBlanc and Hanowski could have gotten the paycheck but came back for their senior years (LeBlanc's second as he medical redshirted last year).

That being said I'll be happy if either can make the top 10. They don't get the publicity and exposure of guys on a big school, and having two real candidates and a third that's close on the same team hurts all of their chances.

LeBlanc will make the top 10. The other two are fun to watch, but LeBlanc is on a different level right now. He could head straight to the NHL and hold his own. Hano and Dowd are nowhere near as polished.

 

[Koho]

Re: Hobey Baker Award and the fan voting

LeBlanc will make the top 10. The other two are fun to watch, but LeBlanc is on a different level right now. He could head straight to the NHL and hold his own. Hano and Dowd are nowhere near as polished.

Not downplaying LeBlanc, so much as the NHL ready comment, but I think the player most likely to have an immediate impact in the NHL (Bjugstad), could conceivably not make the final 10, much less the final 3. (I don't know if he even beats out Schmidt, top scoring D in country.) So the NHL argument doesn't work, given the difference in the games - see HB winners like Marrianucci.

 

[The Exiled One]

Not downplaying LeBlanc, so much as the NHL ready comment, but I think the player most likely to have an immediate impact in the NHL (Bjugstad), could conceivably not make the final 10, much less the final 3. (I don't know if he even beats out Schmidt, top scoring D in country.) So the NHL argument doesn't work, given the difference in the games - see HB winners like Marrianucci.

Regardless, he's the Huskies' strongest candidate. The others are nice players, but there's no concern of voter dilution here.

 

[Mile High Hockey]

Re: Hobey Baker Award and the fan voting

I'm really surprised that Nick Jensen hasn't received more attention for this...there probably isn't a better defenseman in the entire country. He may not have a ton of points, but he does fairly well offensively, and he is just a tremendous force on the blue line.

My top 5 (in no particular order)
Johnny Gaudreau
Nick Jensen
Nick Bjugstad
Brett Gensler
Eric Hartzell

Next 5
Ryan Walters
Danny Kristo
Brady Hjelle
Greg Carey
Drew LeBlanc

 

[HoosierBBall_GopherHockey]

Re: Hobey Baker Award and the fan voting

I'm really surprised that Nick Jensen hasn't received more attention for this...there probably isn't a better defenseman in the entire country. He may not have a ton of points, but he does fairly well offensively, and he is just a tremendous force on the blue line.

My top 5 (in no particular order)
Johnny Gaudreau
Nick Jensen
Nick Bjugstad
Brett Gensler
Eric Hartzell

Next 5
Ryan Walters
Danny Kristo
Brady Hjelle
Greg Carey
Drew LeBlanc

Bjugstad? Really? I do not think he even deserves top 10 at this point.

 

[Lawson_lunatic27]

Re: Hobey Baker Award and the fan voting

Give Frank Slubowski another season and this time next year I think he should definitely be included in the conversation. While I would be pleasently surprised to see him get it this year... I agree that there are players that deserve it more.

 

[MinnesotaNorthStar]

Re: Hobey Baker Award and the fan voting

Really? It's Johnny Gaudreau's to lose at this point...

 

[Dirty]

Re: Hobey Baker Award and the fan voting

As long as he doesn't go Cam Atkinson on the bit and beat up some poor a schlep, Johnny will easily win it.

 

[Mile High Hockey]

Re: Hobey Baker Award and the fan voting

Bjugstad? Really? I do not think he even deserves top 10 at this point.

I'm going based on what I've seen. I've watched Minnesota 5-6 times this season, and Bjugstad has been the strongest player for Minnesota in those games. I don't know how Budish is on the second line, but he's probably been the second best. Wilcox has been strong as well. Plus, a lot of what Bjugstad does doesn't show up on the scoresheet. I just really enjoy watching him play whenever I watch the Gophers.

That being said, I'll defer to your knowledge of the team, and move him out of my top 10. Move up Danny Kristo to the top 5 and add Mike Collins to the next 5.