Macklin Celebrini, the projected No. 1 pick in the 2024 NHL Draft, was named one of the three finalists for the Hobey Baker Memorial Award on Thursday.
Anaheim Ducks forward prospect Cutter Gauthier and Carolina Hurricanes forward prospect Jackson Blake also were named as finalists.
The Hobey Baker Award is presented annually to recognize the top NCAA men's hockey player.
The winner will be announced at RiverCentre Convention Center in St. Paul, Minnesota, on April 12 (6 p.m. ET; NHLN), the day before the NCAA Tournament championship game at Xcel Energy Center on April 13.
Celebrini is second among NCAA Division I players with 32 goals and his 64 points in 37 games for Boston University is tied with Gauthier for second. The 17-year-old center is No. 1 on NHL Central Scouting's midterm list of North American skaters eligible for the 2024 draft, and No. 1 on NHL.com's midseason list of top draft-eligible players this season.
Named Hockey East Rookie of the Year and Hockey East Player of the Year, Celebrini looks to become the first player from Boston University to win the Hobey Baker since Jack Eichel in 2015.
Boston University has reached the Frozen Four of the NCAA Tournament and will play Denver at Xcel Energy Center on April 11 (5 p.m. ET; ESPN2).
Gauthier, originally selected No. 5 by the Philadelphia Flyers in the 2022 NHL Draft, was traded to the Ducks for defenseman Jamie Drysdale and a second-round pick in the 2025 NHL Draft on Jan. 8.
The 20-year-old is tied with Celebrini for second among NCAA players with 64 points (37 goals, 27 assists) in 39 games for Boston College. He's first in the nation with 10 game-winning goals and tied for second with 13 power-play goals. He also will play in the Frozen Four, with Boston College taking on Michigan in the other national semifinal April 11 (8:30 p.m. ET; ESPN2).
Gauthier also helped the United States win a gold medal at the 2024 IIHF World Junior Championship. He tied for the tournament lead with 12 points (two goals, 10 assists) in seven games was voted the tournament's top forward.
Blake, selected by the Hurricanes in the fourth round (No. 109) of the 2021 NHL Draft, is fourth in the NCAA with 60 points (22 goals, 38 assists) in 40 games for North Dakota, which was eliminated by Michigan in the first round of the NCAA Tournament.
He is the first North Dakota player with 60 points in a season since Brock Boeser, now of the Vancouver Canucks, hit the same mark in 2015-16. The 20-year-old is the second sophomore in the past 30 years to reach 100 career points at North Dakota, joining Zach Parise.
Blake's father, Jason Blake, played 871 NHL games as a forward for the Los Angeles Kings, New York Islanders, Toronto Maple Leafs and Ducks from 1998-2012 and was a two-time Hobey Baker Award finalist at North Dakota.
The three finalists for the 2024 Hobey Baker Award were selected from the initial list of top 10 candidates by the 30-member selection committee and an additional round of online fan balloting. Criteria for the award includes displaying outstanding skills in all phases of the game; strength of character on and off the ice; sportsmanship; and scholastic achievements.
