By Wally Shaver,

The Hobey Baker Memorial Award is very pleased to announce the top ten candidates for the 2017 award honoring college hockey’s top player. Alphabetically, they are: Zach Aston-Reese, Northeastern, Michael Bitzer, Bemidji State, Anders Bjork, Notre Dame, Will Butcher, Denver, Spencer Foo, Union, Tyler Kelleher, New Hampshire, Alexander Kerfoot, Harvard, Tyler Sheehy, Minnesota, Mike Vecchione, Union and Charles Williams, Canisius.

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 16-26 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 30, 2017 and the Hobey Baker Award winner will be announced Friday, April 7, 2017 from Chicago, IL during the NCAA Frozen Four. The award announcement will take place at the Aon Grand Ballroom at Navy Pier. The announcement will be televised live on the NHL Network and can be followed on the Hobey Baker website at 6:00 p.m. ET. Following, in alphabetical order, is a look at each finalist.

Zach Aston-Reese – Northeastern University – Senior, Forward, Staten Island, New York

A breakout campaign has vaulted Aston-Reese to the top of the nation’s scoring charts. His 63 points is tied for first, while his 31 goals are unmatched. A consistent scorer all season, assistant captain Aston-Reese has been outstanding on special teams leading the nation with 4 short-handed goals and has added 13 power play goals.

Has 31 goals, 32 assists for 63 points in 38 games – has 19 multiple point games

Has recorded three hat tricks, the most in the nation – Graphic Design major

Works with elementary schools in Boston area by reading to classes

Michael Bitzer – Bemidji State University – Junior, Goalie, Moorhead, Minnesota

The workhorse goalie for the Beavers has played more minutes than any other tender in the country. Along the way he established a WCHA record with a 1.40 goals against average during conference games. Besides being the league goalie champion, Bitzer was named WCHA Player of the Year and First Team all-conference. His 1.71 overall goals against average leads the nation as do his six shutouts.

His final record is 22-14-3 – already owns several career goalie records at Bemidji

Has a goals against average of 1.71 and save percentage of .932 is fourth in the nation

Exercise Science major – volunteers as a gardener at a food shelf; assists youth hockey

Anders Bjork – University of Notre Dame – Junior, Forward, Mequon, Wisconsin

Notre Dame’s assistant captain has paced the Fighting Irish scoring charts all season with 47 points in 35 games. A solid two-way player, Bjork scores goals at key times and has five game winners so far this season. Bjork is one of five finalists for the Hockey Humanitarian Award for his endless hours of volunteer time at a local elementary school where he is known as “Mr. B.”

Has 19 goals, 28 assists for 47 points in 35 games – Boston Bruins draft (5th round)

Has 15 multiple point games so far – his plus/minus is +18

Marketing major – volunteers with Perley Fine Arts Academy in South Bend, IN

Will Butcher – University of Denver – Senior, Defense, Sun Prairie, Wisconsin

The lone defenseman in the top ten, Butcher has proved to be a 200 foot player. He is ranked tied for second in the nation in points by a defenseman (35) and tied for seventh in the nation in plus/minus at +23. Butcher has been named First Team NCHC for the second straight year and is a finalist for the NCHC Player of the Year award and Offensive Defenseman of the Year honors.

Has 6 goals, 29 assists for 35 points in 38 games – Colorado draft (5th round)

As captain of the Pioneers, Denver were regular season champs; ranked #1 nationally

Business major – Hockey Saves volunteer assisting military personal playing hockey

Spencer Foo – Union College – Junior, Forward, Edmonton, Alberta

Foo has proved to be one of the most consistent players in the nation, picking up points in all but four of his 36 games to date. He established a school record with a 21-game point streak earlier in the season and will carry a seven game streak into the ECAC championship tournament. Also highly impressive is his plus/minus of +31, the best in the nation.

Has 24 goals (5th in nation), 35 assists (3rd nation) for 59 points (4th nation) in 36 games

Was tied for 1st in ECAC scoring and led in assists – 19 multiple point games

Economics major – assisted in serving Thanksgiving meals at local YMCA

Tyler Kelleher – University of New Hampshire – Senior, Forward, Longmeadow, Massachusetts

Despite the Wildcats season being over, their sparkplug Tyler Kelleher moved into a tie for the national scoring lead with 63 points in 40 games. An exceptional playmaker, he produced 35 assists to lead the nation. He earned the Hockey East scoring title averaging almost 1.7 points per game and had a total of 18 multiple point games to his credit.

Has 24 goals, 39 assists for 63 points in 40 games – 13 power play goals is third in nation

Has 75 assists in 77 games over the past two seasons

Communications major – assists a child with a brain tumor in playing hockey

Alexander Kerfoot – Harvard University – Senior, Forward, West Vancouver, British Columbia

Harvard has posted a Hobey finalist for the third straight year in co-captain Alex Kerfoot. He has helped guide the Crimson to a tie for first in the ECAC standings and a number three national ranking, due to a current 14-game unbeaten streak. A gifted playmaker, Kerfoot has produced points in nine of his last ten games, including goals in eight of them.

Has 16 goals, 24 assists for 40 points in 31 games – has 8 power play goals

Is a top ten finalist for the Senior Class Award – New Jersey draft (5th round)

Economics major – volunteers in cleaning a local high school and in fund raising events

Tyler Sheehy – University of Minnesota – Sophomore, Forward, Burnsville, Minnesota

The lone sophomore in this year’s class is having a terrific season. He currently ranks seventh in the nation in scoring heading into the Big Ten tournament. Sheehy took home multiple conference awards including: Player of the Year, First Team Big Ten and conference co-scoring champion. Sheehy’s efforts on the Gophers top line helped Minnesota to their national record sixth straight regular season championship.

Has 20 goals, 32 assists for 52 points in 36 games – has 19 multiple point games

His +23 plus/minus is seventh best in the nation – Business/Marketing major

Volunteers with Hope Day providing activities for children with severe medical conditions

Mike Vecchione – Union College – Senior, Forward, Saugus, Massachusetts

The team captain has had a huge season and is now the program’s all-time career scoring leader while becoming the active career scoring leader in the nation (175 points). Vecchione (VECK-ee-oh-nee) is a finalist for ECAC Player of the Year and Best Defensive Forward. Entering the ECAC playoff tourney, he is third in the nation in points, second in goals and leads the nation with 21 multiple point games, leads the nation with seven game winning goals and tied for first with four short-handed tallies.

Has 29 goals, 33 assists for 62 points in 36 games – won 61% of faceoffs, 4th in nation

Points per game average of 1.72 is first in the nation – History major

Active in many events; spearheaded effort to serve Thanksgiving meals at local YMCA

Charles Williams – Canisius College – Senior, Goalie, Canton, Michigan

As the Golden Griffins soared to the Atlantic Hockey regular season title, they did it on the back of Williams who led the circuit in goals against average and save percentage. He was named to the AHC First Team and presently leads the nation in save percentage at .946. He’s second in goals against average and is tied for first with six shutouts.

His record is 21-6-5 – goals against average is 1.75 – save percentage is .946

Played 20 games in four years at Ferris State – is a graduate transfer and is working on his master’s degree in Sports Administration – is vice president of his fraternity

Hobey Notes

Nominees by conference: ECAC – 3, Hockey East – 3, AHA - 1, Big 10 – 1, NCHC – 1, WCHA – 1

By class: Senior 6, Junior 3, Sophomore 1

By position: Forward 7, Defense 1, Goalie 2

By nationality: U.S. - 8 (2 each: Massachusetts, Minnesota, Wisconsin; 1 each: Michigan, New York), Canada - 2 (Alberta, British Columbia)

Harvard has a finalist for the third straight year and New Hampshire for the second straight year

Hobey Baker Award Banquet will be held May 25, 2017 in St. Paul, Minnesota

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 ftp://ftp.wild.com

Username: ControlPublic

Password: GoW1ld (the fourth digit is the number 1, followed by the letter l)

Go to the Hobey Baker directory and download the file – total time is 6:37

Also available on the ftp site is an audio version that runs 6:37 total and includes an intro on Hobey Baker or you can use the top ten only portion which runs 5:34 in length.

Upcoming Hobey Baker Media Releases are as follows: