Here's a look at the 10 candidates (listed in alphabetical order):
Zeev Buium, D, Denver
Buium is tied for the lead among NCAA defensemen with 42 points in 36 games, and his 32 assists are tied for second among all NCAA players. The 19-year-old sophomore was selected by the Wild in the first round (No. 12) of the 2024 NHL Draft. He also had six points (two goals, four assists), was a plus-10 and led the U.S. with an average ice time of 25:13 in seven games at the World Juniors.
Jack Devine, F, Denver
Devine is a Hobey Baker top-10 candidate for the second straight season. He leads all NCAA players with 54 points (13 goals, 41 assists) in 39 games, his second straight 50-point season after he had 56 points (27 goals, 29 assists) in 44 games last season. The 21-year-old senior was selected by the Florida Panthers in the seventh round (No. 221) of the 2022 NHL Draft.
Aiden Fink, F, Penn State
Fink leads NCAA players with an average of 1.41 points per game; his 52 points (23 goals, 29 assists) in 37 games are second. The 20-year-old sophomore was a finalist for Big Ten Player of the Year and he was a unanimous selection to the All-Big Ten First Team. Fink was selected by the Nashville Predators in the seventh round (No. 218) of the 2023 draft.
Mac Gadowsky, D, Army
Gadowsky leads NCAA defensemen with 16 goals and is tied for the lead with 42 points in 38 games. An undrafted free agent, the 23-year-old sophomore was named American Hockey Association Defenseman of the Year, and set a single-season Army record for points by a defensemen. His father, George Gadowsky, is the coach at Penn State.
Isaac Howard, F, Michigan State
Howard was named Big Ten Player of the Year while leading Michigan State and sitting tied for eighth among NCAA players with 47 points (24 goals, 23 assists) in 35 games. The 20-year-old junior tripled his total of eight goals in 36 games last season, and also was named to the All-Big Ten First Team. Howard was selected by the Lightning in the first round (No. 31) of the 2022 draft.
Ryan Leonard, F, Boston College
Leonard leads NCAA players with 29 goals and nine game-winning goals and is tied for eighth in points. The 20-year-old sophomore scored 31 goals in 41 games last season and could become the first NCAA player with back-to-back 30-goal seasons since Cam Atkinson did it with Boston College from 2009-11. Leonard was named Hockey East Player of the Year, the first Boston College skater voted the award since Johnny Gaudreau won it for the second straight season in 2014. Leonard also was named the most valuable player of the WJC after he tied for second among all players with 10 points (five goals, five assists) in seven games.
Ayrton Martino, F, Clarkson
Martino is tied for third among NCAA players with 24 goals and his 49 points are tied for fifth in 37 games. The 22-year-old senior scored almost as many goals this season as he did in his first three college seasons combined (25). His 21 goals in 22 ECAC games were seven more than any player in the conference, and he was a unanimous selection to the All-ECAC First Team. Martino was selected by the Dallas Stars in the third round (No. 73) of the 2021 NHL Draft.
Liam McLinskey, F, Holy Cross
McLinskey is tied for third among NCAA players with 51 points (23 goals, 28 assists) in 39 games and is a top-10 Hobey Baker candidate for the second straight season. An undrafted free agent, the 24-year-old senior was named player of the year and forward of the year in the American Hockey Association.
Jimmy Snuggerud, F, Minnesota
Snuggerud is tied for fifth among NCAA players with 49 points (22 goals, 27 assists) in 39 games. The 20-year-old junior scored a conference-best 19 goals in 24 Big Ten games and was named to the All-Big Ten First Team. He was selected by the Blues in the first round (No. 23) of the 2022 draft.
Alex Tracy, G, Minnesota State
Tracy was named Central Collegiate Hockey Association Player of the Year and Goaltender of the Year. The 23-year-old junior, who is an undrafted free agent, is 25-8-0 with three ties, a 1.41 goals-against average, .946 save percentage and five shutouts in 36 games. He leads NCAA goalies in GAA, save percentage and is second in wins.
