What a season for one of BC’s all-time goal scorers, even if it didn’t end with an individual award
On Friday evening, the Hobey Baker Foundation announced their selection for the 2024 Hobey Baker award, choosing Boston University’s Macklin Celebrini. The Hobey Baker award is given annually to college hockey’s best player. He won the award over Boston College’s Cutter Gauthier and North Dakota’s Jackson Blake,
Gauthier has had an incredible season, leading the entire nation in goals and anchoring the top line for a Boston College team that has had an extraordinary offense and will be playing for a national title on Saturday. Gauthier’s 38 goals, capped off by his breakaway score last night against Michigan, is the most ever in Boston College program history. His decision to come back for a sophomore season at BC clearly paid off, as his offense has exploded past where it was last season and his defense has vastly improved as well.
Celebrini was the Hobey favorite entering the 2023-24 season, crowned as the presumptive winner and expected #1 overall pick in the 2024 NHL Draft later this year. His season has definitely been impressive for the Terriers, finishing 2nd in the nation in both points and goals, but trailing BC’s Will Smith and Gauthier in each category. But Gauthier’s pure goal scoring ability, especially in the postseason, paired with his defense, puts his level of play on a step above, in the opinion of BCI.