Johnny Hicks, University of Denver
An injury to starter Quentin Miller opened the door for the freshman, who stepped in and went 12-0-1 with a .958 save percentage and 1.14 GAA.
He stopped 41 shots in Denver’s 4-3 overtime win against Minnesota Duluth in the National Collegiate Hockey Conference championship game Saturday.
Hicks, undrafted, played for Victoria of the Western Hockey League and Brooks of the British Columbia Hockey League in 2024-25.
T.J. Hughes, University of Michigan
The center has been one of the most consistent scorers in college hockey during his four seasons at Michigan, posting 175 points (67 goals, 108 assists) in 153 games.
He scored a goal and had two assists in a win against Ohio State in the Big Ten championship game Saturday.
This season has been his most productive with 53 points (20 goals, 33 assists) in 37 games. He is second in the country in points to Ethan Wyttenbach of Quinnipiac.
Hughes, 24, a free agent who is not eligible for the 2026 NHL Draft, is one of 10 finalists for the Hobey Baker Award.
Jake Livanavage, University of North Dakota
The junior defenseman earned All-NCHC First Team honors for the second straight season.
He has 25 points (five goals, 20 assists) in 36 games.
Livanavage, who is not drafted, played for the U.S. Collegiate Selects in the Spengler Cup in December.
Max Lundgren, Merrimack College
The sophomore goalie turned in a performance for the ages in the Hockey East tournament this past weekend.
He stopped 24 shots in a 2-0 win against the University of Massachusetts in the tournament semifinals Friday, then made 49 saves in a 3-1 win against the University of Connecticut in the championship game Saturday.
Lundgren, who is undrafted, was a unanimous selection as tournament MVP.
He has played every minute of each Merrimack game this season and posted a record of 21-15-2 with a .920 save percentage and 2.56 GAA.
His 1,109 saves is a school record.
Gavin McKenna, Penn State University
McKenna has lived up to the hype after making the move to college hockey from the Western Hockey League this past offseason.
He is tied for third in third in the country with 51 points (15 goals, 36 assists) in 34 games.
McKenna is a Hobey Baker Award Top Ten Finalist and was named Big Ten Freshman of the Year.
He is the top-rated prospect for the 2026 NHL Draft.
The junior wing leads his team in scoring with 28 points (17 goals, 11 assists) in 33 games.
He had a goal and an assist in a win against Boston University in the Hockey East quarterfinals on March 14.
Muldowney was drafted in the sixth round (No. 172) by the San Jose Sharks in the 2022 NHL Draft.
Evan Murr, Minnesota State University
For the second straight season, the junior was named Central Collegiate Hockey Association Defenseman of the Year and to the All-CCHA First Team.
He scored the game-winning goal and added two assists in a win against St. Thomas University in the CCHA championship game Friday.
Undrafted, Murr has 30 points (10 goals, 20 assists) in 39 games.
Jack Parsons, Providence College
Providence’s season soared after the freshman became the starter in goal because of an injury to senior Philip Svedeback.
Parsons has a record of 13-4-0 with a .923 save percentage, 1.99 GAA and two shutouts.
Undrafted, he was a unanimous selection to the Hockey East All-Rookie team.
Max Plante, University of Minnesota Duluth
A Hobey Baker Award Finalist, as was his father Derek for Minnesota Duluth in 1993, the sophomore was named NCHC Forward of the Year.
Plante, selected by the Detroit Red Wings in the second round (No. 47) of the 2024 NHL Draft, is fifth in the country in scoring with 49 points (24 goals, 25 assists) in 38 games.
Hayden Stavroff, Dartmouth University
The junior forward has 48 points in 34 games, including 29 goals, which leads all of Division I.
Stavroff, who is undrafted, is a Hobey Baker Award Top Ten Finalist. He was named ECAC Player of the Year and Ivy League Player of the Year.
Lucas Swedin, Bentley University
The freshman has won five straight games while allowing seven goals.
Swedin stopped 24 shots in a 3-2 win against Sacred Heart in the Atlantic Hockey championship game on Saturday and was named Most Outstanding Player in the tournament.
Swedin has a record of 14-6-4 with a .921 save percentage and a 2.02 GAA.
Will Whitelaw, Western Michigan University
The junior forward has 34 points (19 goals, 15 assists) in 37 games.
He played his freshman year at Wisconsin two seasons ago and a season at Michigan before transferring to Western Michigan.
Whitelaw was chosen in the third round (No. 66) of the 2023 NHL Draft by the Columbus Blue Jackets.
The freshman wing leads the country with 58 points (24 goals, 34 assists) in 38 games.
He’s a Hobey Baker Award Top Ten Finalist, the ECAC Rookie of the Year and he was named to the ECAC First All-Star Team.
Wyttenbach was drafted by the Calgary Flames in the fifth round (No. 144) in 2025.
