By Wally Shaver ,

The Hobey Baker Memorial Award Committee is very pleased to announce the top ten candidates for the 2018 award honoring college hockey’s top player. Alphabetically, they are: Henrik Borgström, Denver; Ryan Donato, Harvard; Matthew Galajda, Cornell; Adam Gaudette, Northeastern; Dylan McLaughlin, Canisius; Cale Morris, Notre Dame; Colton Point, Colgate; Jimmy Schuldt, St. Cloud; Dylan Sikura, Northeastern and CJ Suess, Minnesota State.

The ten finalists were selected by voting from all 60 Division I college hockey head coaches and by online fan balloting. Next, the 27-member Selection Committee and an additional round of fan balloting through the Hobey website at www.hobeybaker.com from March 14-25 will determine this year’s Hobey Baker winner. Criteria for the award include: displaying outstanding skills in all phases of the game, strength of character on and off the ice, sportsmanship and scholastic achievements.

The Hobey Hat Trick (three finalists) will be announced on March 29, 2018 and the Hobey Baker Award winner will be announced on Friday, April 6, 2018 from St. Paul, Minn. during the NCAA Frozen Four. The award announcement will take place at the legendary Roy Wilkins Auditorium. The announcement will be televised live on the NHL Network and streamed on the Hobey Baker website at 6:00 p.m. ET. Following, in alphabetical order, is a look at each finalist.

Henrik Borgström – University of Denver – Sophomore, Forward, Helsinki, Finland

Fresh off a national championship and All American honors, Borgström continues to star for the Pioneers, leading them in scoring for a second straight season. A big, highly skilled winger, he was named to the NCHC First Team all-conference and is a finalist for the Player of the Year and Forward of the Year. Going into the conference championship tourney, he is fifth in the nation in scoring.

· Has 21 goals, 28 assists for 49 points in 36 games – had 43 points as a freshman

· Florida draft (1st round) – has had 13 multiple point games so far

· Regular season scoring champion in NCHC

Ryan Donato – Harvard University - Junior, Forward, Boston, Mass.

A prolific goal scorer, Donato has had a fantastic season so far. He led Team USA in scoring at the recent Winter Olympics with five goals and an assist. At Harvard, he has tallied 26 goals in just 28 games and tops the nation in shots, averaging six per game. A powerful skating two-way center, he has been recognized as First Team all-conference and is a finalist for Player of the Year.

· Has 26 goals, 15 assists for 41 points in 28 games – has 7 power play goals

· Opened the season with 14 game point streak – Boston draft (2nd round)

· Sociology major – participates in several team community service events

Matthew Galajda – Cornell University - Freshman, Goalie, Aurora, Ont.

Exploded on the scene establishing Galajda (Ga-lie-da) as one of the best goalies in the nation. Entering the ECAC tournament he sports the best goals against average in the nation in six years with an impressive 1.43 mark. He’s received a plethora of post season awards already including: ECAC Goalie and Rookie of the Year, inclusion on both the league First Team all-conference and All Rookie teams, received three Ivy League honors including Ivy League Player of the Year and is a finalist for ECAC Player of the Year.

· His record is 21-3-2 in 27 games – goals against average 1.43 leads the nation

· Has 9 shutouts to lead the nation – save percentage of .943 is third in nation

· Hotel Administration major – had a shutout streak of over 227 minutes, 13th longest in NCAA D1 history

Adam Gaudette – Northeastern University - Junior, Forward, Braintree, Mass.

The hard working, 200-foot game Gaudette plays has paid off in big dividends. He leads the nation in points, goals and points per game and along the way claimed the Hockey East scoring championship. Named to the circuit’s all-conference First Team, he is also a finalist for Player of the Year. Lethal with the man advantage, Gaudette’s 27 power play points also tops the nation.

· Has 30 goals, 29 assists for 59 points in 36 games – 1.64 points per game is first in nation

· Points in 9 straight games (11-9) entering Hockey East tourney – 20 multiple point games

· Vancouver draft (5th round) – active in a variety of community service projects

Dylan McLaughlin – Canisius College - Junior, Forward, Lancaster, NY

A skillful, puck possession scoring threat has made McLaughlin (Ma-Glock-lin) one of the top forwards in the nation. The Atlantic Hockey scoring champion and First Team all-conference playmaker has vaulted to sixth in the national scoring charts. He got off to a fast start, collecting points in 15 of his first 16 games. His 31 assists in 36 games ranks him sixth in the nation.

· Has 17 goals, 31 assists for 48 points in 36 games – only five minor penalties all season

· Economics major – 1.33 points per game is seventh in nation

· Active in cancer fundraisers and several community outreach programs

Cale Morris – University of Notre Dame - Sophomore, Goalie, Larkspur, Col.

After reaching the Frozen Four last season, how would the Irish find another goalie to replace Cal Peterson? Meet Cale Morris. He stepped right in to lead Notre Dame to the regular season conference title as first year members of the Big Ten. Morris sits first in the nation in save percentage at .946 and tied for first in wins. He was named First Team all-conference, Goalie of the Year and Big Ten Player of the Year. Not bad after playing just one period as a freshman.

· His record is 23-7-1 in 32 games – goals against average is 1.93 - has four shutouts

· Has started 28 straight games leading into the Big Ten championship game

· Business major – had a 16-game winning streak during the season

Colton Point – Colgate University - Sophomore, Goalie, North Bay, Ont.

Make no mistake Colgate’s success was due to Point’s spectacular play in goal. In 16 of the 33 games he played, he had 30 or more saves including a 51-save effort in shutting out Harvard. After leading Team Canada to a gold medal in the World Junior Championship game, Point returned to campus the next day and shut out Princeton. He is a finalist for the ECAC Player of the Year Award after earning Second Team all-star recognition.

· His final record is 16-12-5 in 33 games – goals against average (1.74) and save percentage (.944) are both second in the nation – collected six shut outs

· Dallas draft (5th round) – participates in Colgate’s Adopt-A-Classroom program

Jimmy Schuldt – St. Cloud State University - Junior, Defense, Minnetonka, Minn.

The lone defenseman in the Hobey top ten, Schuldt (Shult) is a complete player at both ends of the rink with high-end offensive skills. Already named to the NCHC all-conference First Team, he is a finalist for Player of the Year and Offensive Defenseman of the year. Possessing a canon of a shot, Schuldt’s eight power play goals has helped elevate him to third in the nation in points by a defenseman. The two-time team captain has helped guide the Huskies to #1 in the nation.

· Has 10 goals, 28 assists for 38 points in 37 games – is +21 plus/minus, eighth in nation

· Finance major with 3.74 GPA – NCHC Distinguished Scholar-Athlete Award winner

· Volunteers with Special Olympics programs and coaches Dynomites inner city program

Dylan Sikura – Northeastern University - Senior, Forward, Aurora, Ont.

As a linemate of fellow Hobey candidate Adam Gaudette, Northeastern possessed the top one-two offensive punch in the nation, terrorizing goalies everywhere. Presently third in the nation in scoring, Sikura is known as a creative playmaker but tops the nation in power play goals with 13.

He finished second in conference scoring to Gaudette and was named First Team all-conference.

· Has 20 goals, 32 assists for 52 points in 33 games – third in nation in assists

· His plus/minus of +23 is second in nation – Chicago draft (6th round)

· Criminal Justice major – active in a variety of community service efforts

C.J. Suess – Minnesota State University - Senior, Forward, Forest Lake, Minn.

What a shining final season for two-year captain C.J. Suess (cease). After capturing the WCHA regular season scoring title, he was named Offensive Player of the Year, First Team all-conference and is a finalist for Player of the Year. A diligent two-way center and a key faceoff man, Suess helped guide the Mavericks to the regular season title and presently sits 12th in the nation in scoring.

· Has 22 goals, 21 assists for 43 points in 39 games – tenth in the nation in goals

· Winnipeg draft (5th round) – Management major

· Assists with Kiwanis Holiday Lights and local pond hockey tournament

Hobey Notes

Nominees by conference: ECAC 3, NCHC 2, HE 2, WCHA 1, AHC 1, Big Ten 1

By class: Senior 2, Junior 4, Sophomore 3, Freshman 1

By position: Forward 6, Defense 1, Goalie 3

By nationality: U.S. - 6 (two each: Massachusetts, Minnesota, one each: Colorado, New York) Canada - 3 (Ontario) Finland - 1

No repeat finalists from 2017

Harvard has a finalist for the fourth straight year while Northeastern, Notre Dame, Denver and Canisius for the second straight year

Hobey Baker Award Banquet will be held May 23, 2018 in St. Paul, Minn.

Visit www.hobeybaker.com or on Facebook at: www.facebook.com/TheHobey

The Hobey Baker website also has the top ten video and in-depth bios

The Hobey Baker Top Ten video is available in a High Definition format at www.hobeybaker.com/media

Also available on the website is an audio version that runs 6:37 total and includes an intro on Hobey Baker or you can use the top ten only segment which runs 5:37 in length.

Upcoming Hobey Baker Media Releases are as follows:

· Hat Trick of three Finalists – Thu., March 29 at 11 a.m. CT

Winner – Fri., April 6 at 6:00 p.m. ET from the Roy Wilkins Auditorium in St. Paul, Minn. – Live TV on NHL Network; streamed at www.hobeybaker.com