March 11, 2009

The Hobey Baker Memorial Award is presented to a deserving recipient on the day before the last college hockey game of the season. But that doesn’t mean that college hockey fans, players and media members don’t think about it all season. Inside College Hockey's Hobey Tracker looks at the top three candidates for the award, those whose stock is rising or falling, and other players worthy of consideration.

The Hobey Tracker will be updated weekly during the remainder of the season.

THE BIG BOARD

1. Colin Wilson
Boston University
Sophomore | Forward

To Date: 34 GP, 14-32–46, +16, 6 PPG, 1 SHG, 3 GWG

The Buzz: Wilson continues to lead one of the nation’s best teams in scoring and the sophomore is showing the kind of promise that made him the seventh overall draft pick by the Nashville Predators in the 2008 NHL Entry Draft. His decision to return to BU for a sophomore season has paid dividends for him personally and for the Hockey East champioin Terriers.

2. Ryan Stoa
Minnesota
Junior | Forward

To Date: 33 GP, 21-20—41, 4 PPG, 3 SHG, 3 GWG, +13

The Buzz: Minnesota has been all over the place this season, but Stoa hasn't. He started the year with 19 points in 11 games and closed the regular season with five goals and two assists in his last five. So what happened in the middle 18 games? Well, Stoa had 7-11—18 during that stretch, but missed one of those games with an injury and was tossed early in two others with major penalties. Don't forget he played half those games without one of his two regular linemates, Jay Barriball and Jordan Schroeder.

3. Brad Thiessen
Northeastern
Junior | Goalie

To Date: 23-9-4, 2.12 GAA, .931 save pct., 3 SHO

The Buzz: Thiessen remains in the third spot on the latest Hobey Tracker after wrapping up a stellar regular season. He is one of two goalies in the country to have made 1,000 saves this season (Michigan State’s Jeff Lerg is the other). We’d like to see a bit more consistency, however. He allowed a total of five goals in five games as Northeastern went 3-0-2, but allowed 17 in the six games before that.

 

BULL MARKET

Ryan Duncan
North Dakota
Senior
Forward

Although the Fighting Sioux's improbable run to the MacNaughton Cup was a collaborative effort, Duncan has been the primary catalyst for the team's second-half surge. The 2007 Hobey Baker Award winner scored 18 points over North Dakota's last 16 games – the Sioux were 11-2-3 during that stretch. He had an eight-game point streak snapped in Saturday's regular-season finale at Wisconsin.

BEAR MARKET

Jamie McBain
Wisconsin
Junior
Defenseman

Remember a few weeks ago when McBain was on our Hobey Big Board and the Badgers were poised to make a run at the MacNaughton Cup? Since then, Wisconsin went 1-4-1 to end up third in the WCHA. McBain, meanwhile, still leads Bucky in scoring with 34 points, but has none in the last six games. It's no surprise the Badgers and McBain slumped simultaneously – Wisconsin is 4-10-2 in games in which McBain is held scoreless.

 
HIDDEN HOBEY

Brock Bradford
Boston College
Senior
Forward

Bradford’s status is only hidden in the sense that he’s fallen off the radar during a decidedly average overall season for the Eagles, by their lofty standards. A sixth-place finish doesn’t do much to call attention to the players who make things go, but Bradford has been BC’s unquestionable go-to guy. He leads the team with 23 goals and 40 points – 14 points more than the team’s second-highest scorer, Brian Gibbons. Bradford capped the regular season with a five-game point streak and eight points in that stretch.