Michigan Trio Leads Hobey Finalists

CHN Staff Report

Three Michigan forwards are among the 10 Hobey Baker Memorial Award finalists for this season.

Wolverines linemates Kyle Connor, JT Compher and Tyler Motte are all among the top scorers in the country, with the freshman Connor leading the way.

The entire top 10:

• F JT Compher, Jr., Michigan

• F Kyle Connor, Jr., Michigan

• G Thatcher Demko, Jr., Boston College

• F Zac Lynch, Sr., Robert Morris

• G Alex Lyon, Jr., Yale

• F Tyler Motte, Jr., Michigan

• F Alex Petan, Sr., Michigan Tech

• F Andrew Poturalski, So., New Hampshire

• D Ethan Prow, Sr., St. Cloud State

• F Jimmy Vesey, Sr., Harvard

The 10 finalists were selected by voting from all 60 Division I college hockey head coaches. This will be followed by votes from a 27-member selection committee that consists of coaches, media and others in the hockey community.

The top three vote getters are announced March 31 as the "Hobey Hat Trick." The winner, the top vote getter of that vote, is already known at that point, and will be announced Friday, April 8 at the Frozen Four in Tampa. The award announcement will take place at the historic Tampa Theatre, built in 1926 as one of America’s most elaborate movie palaces. The announcement will be televised live on the NHL Network and can be followed on the Hobey Baker website at 6 p.m. (ET).

Last year's winner was then-Boston University freshman Jack Eichel, now with the NHL's Buffalo Sabres. He became the first freshman to win the award since Paul Kariya in 1993. Connor is trying to become the second consecutive freshman to do so.

On the list are three players from the Big Ten, two from Hockey East and the ECAC, and one each from the NCHC, WCHA and Atlantic Hockey. Alex Petan is the only Canadian-born player on the list.

Demko, a native of San Diego, leads the NCAA with 10 shutouts and a .938 save percentaget this season. Lyon led the nation in save percentage last season, and is currently tied with Demko this year.

Vesey is the only repeat finalist from last season, when he placed in the top three.

This is the fourth time a single school has had three finalists – other occasions were 1987 Boston College, 1994 Michigan, 2000 Boston College.