ANN ARBOR, Mich. — The Hobey Baker Memorial Award Committee announced today (Wednesday, March 20) its top 10 finalists for the 2019 Hobey Baker Memorial Award, naming Quinn Hughes of the University of Michigan ice hockey team among the group. The Hobey Baker Award is given annually to the top NCAA Division I men’s ice hockey player in the nation.
As a sophomore, Hughes led the Wolverines in points with 33 (five goals, 28 assists in 32 games), which was the highest total by any defensemen in the Big Ten Conference and ninth-highest in the nation among blueliners. His team-best 28 assists rank fifth among defensemen and 11th among all skaters while being third in the Big Ten. Hughes signed an entry-level contract with the Vancouver Canucks following the conclusion of Michigan’s season.
Hughes was named to the All-Big Ten first team and was a finalist for Big Ten Player of the Year and Big Ten Defenseman of the Year following the 2018-19 season.
The top 10 finalists will now be voted on by a 29-member selection committee and through a second round of fan balloting (March 21-31) to determine the Hobey Hat Trick of three finalists, which will be announced on Thursday, April 4. The 2019 Hobey Baker Memorial Award will be presented Friday, April 12, at the KeyBank Rink during the Frozen Four in Buffalo, New York.
The nomination marks the 22nd time a Michigan student-athlete has been tabbed as a Hobey Baker finalist. Michigan has had 18 different players named a finalist since the award was first given out in 1981.
Michigan has had two Hobey Baker winners in Brendan Morrison (1997) and Kevin Porter (2008).
Michigan’s Hobey Baker Memorial Award Finalists
1991 – Denny Felsner
1992 – Denny Felsner
1994 – David Oliver
1994 – Steve Shields
1994 – Brian Wiseman
1995 – Brendan Morrison
1996 – Brendan Morrison
1997 – Brendan Morrison (winner)
1997 – John Madden
1998 – Bill Muckalt
2000 – Mike Comrie
2001 – Andy Hilbert
2005 – T.J. Hensick
2007 – T.J. Hensick
2008 – Kevin Porter (winner)
2009 – Louie Caporusso
2012 – Shawn Hunwick
2015 – Zach Hyman
2016 – JT Compher
2016 – Kyle Connor
2016 – Tyler Motte
2019 – Quinn Hughes