The Tampa Bay Lightning have never had one of their prospects named as the best player in college hockey. That could change this year as two players in their system are among the finalists for The Hobey Baker Award. The process begins with the head coaches of NCAA programs nominating the top players in their league as well as the top three players in the nation.
As part of the process, fans can also vote for their selection. Right now, Tampa Bay Lightning fans can go out and cast their vote for Issac Howard from Michigan State or Alex Gagne from the University of New Hampshire. The more votes they receive, the better their chances of advancing to the top ten. After the field is narrowed down to ten, another round of voting chooses the “Hobey Hat Trick”, three players from which the winner will be selected and announced during the NCAA Hockey Championships.
The Hobey Baker Memorial Award selection committee, which is made up of 29 individuals spread across the country that includes coaches, media members, scouts, and officials. Fans will also have a chance to vote once the initial field is narrowed down.
Of the two prospects in the Lightning system, Issac Howard has a really solid chance of making it down to at the very least, the top three. The 20-year-old is having a career season with 18 goals and 18 assists in 24 games for the Spartans. He plays for a top-ranked program (Michigan State is currently ranked second behind Boston College) and is having a tremendous season. His 18 goals on the season currently sits atop the leaderboard (along with Wisconsin’s Quinn Finley) in college hockey while he stands alone with 36 points.
He also has a signature game as he recorded five points (four goals, one assist) against Penn State a couple of weeks ago.
Alex Gagne doesn’t have the flashy resume that Ike Howard has, but he’s captaining a University of New Hampshire to a #18 ranking and a 10-8-3 record. Gagne, selected in the sixth-round of the 2021 draft, has 8 points (3 goals, 5 assists) in 21 games. He’s also been a leader on the team as he is only the sixth player in UNH history to be a two-time captain.
Go out and vote folks!
