Fantilli, Cooley among 10 Hobey Baker finalists
Farrell, Knies, Levi others in running for NCAA MVP award to be announced April 7
The Hobey Baker Award is presented annually to recognize the top NCAA men's hockey player.
The three finalists for the 2023 Hobey Baker Award will be revealed March 30, and the winner will be announced at the Frozen Four in Tampa Bay on April 7.
Fantilli (6-foot-2, 195 pounds), a freshman at the University of Michigan, leads Division I with 60 points (27 goals, 33 assists) in 32 games. The 18-year-old center also scored five points (two goals, three assists) in seven games to help Canada win a gold medal at the 2023 IIHF World Junior Championship.
Cooley (5-10, 174), a freshman at the University of Minnesota, was selected No. 3 by the Coyotes in the 2022 NHL Draft. He ranks fourth in Division I with 50 points (18 goals, 32 assists) in 34 games. The 18-year-old center had 14 points (seven goals, seven assists) in seven games to help the United States win a bronze medal at the 2023 WJC.
Fantilli and Cooley will go head-to-head in the Big 10 championship when Michigan plays at Minnesota on Saturday (8 p.m. ET; Big Ten Network).
Five of the 10 finalists have been drafted by NHL teams. Along with Cooley are Harvard University forward Sean Farrell (Montreal Canadiens), Minnesota forward Matthew Knies (Toronto Maple Leafs), Boston University defenseman Lane Hutson (Canadiens) and Northeastern University goalie Devon Levi (Buffalo Sabres).
The 10 candidates were selected by voting from all 61 NCAA Division I college hockey coaches and via online fan balloting.
Here's a closer look at the 10 candidates (listed in alphabetical order):
Logan Cooley, Minnesota
Cooley, born in Pittsburgh, was named to the Big 10 All-Freshman Team and was a First Team All-Conference pick. He led the conference with five 'Star of the Week' honors and is currently seventh in school history in freshmen scoring. He leads all NCAA men's hockey players with a plus-32 rating.
Adam Fantilli, Michigan
Fantilli, born in Nobleton, Ontario, plays in all situations and was named Big 10 Freshman of the Year, First Team All-Conference and was named to the All-Freshman Team. He has averaged 1.88 points-per game.
"Honestly, the Hobey Baker Award] never crossed my mind, even in the offseason," Fantilli said. "With the guys coming back in the Big 10, I didn't even think about it. I was trying to have the best rookie year, trying to have the best freshman year I could have. So the fact I'm in the conversation for that is an honor and I'm really grateful for it."
**[Sean Farrell, Harvard
The 21-year-old junior forward of Hopkinton, Massachusetts, is third in the nation with 51 points (20 goals, 31 assists) in 31 games and twice was named the ECAC Player of the Month this season. Farrell (5-9, 175), second in the nation with a 1.65 points-per game average, was a fourth-round pick (No. 124) of the Canadiens in the 2020 NHL Draft.
Collin Graf, Quinnipiac
A sophomore forward from Lincoln, Massachusetts, Graf (6-0, 180) transferred to Quinnipiac University from Union College in Schenectady, New York, and ranks second in the nation with 54 points and 34 assists. He has 16 multipoint games and was named the ECAC Player of the Month three times. The 20-year-old ranks third in Division I hockey with a 1.50 points-per game average, having scored the most points by a sophomore in the program's history.
Lane Hutson, Boston University
Hutson (5-8, 148) leads all NCAA men's hockey defensemen with 44 points (12 goals, 32 assists) in 34 games. The freshman from North Barrington, Illinois, is the first defenseman to lead Hockey East in scoring and was named to Hockey East First Team All-Conference and to the All-Rookie Team. Selected in the second round (No. 62) by the Canadiens in the 2022 NHL Draft, Hutson also was named Hockey East Rookie of the Year. The 19-year-old is tied for second on the Terriers with four game-winning goals.
Matthew Knies, Minnesota
The 20-year-old sophomore forward from Phoenix, Arizona, ranks tied for sixth in the nation with 21 goals and leads the country with seven game-winning goals. Chosen by the Maple Leafs in the second round (No. 57) of the 2021 NHL Draft, Knies (6-2, 210) was named the Big 10 Player of the Year and was a First Team All-Conference selection after scoring 40 points (19 assists) in 35 games.
Devon Levi, Northeastern
Levi is a Hobey Baker finalist for the second straight season. The junior goalie, born in Dollard-des-Ormeaux, Quebec, is 17-12-5 with a 2.24 goals-against average. He has the highest save percentage (.933) among NCAA Division I men's goalies and was named Hockey East Goalie of the Year, Player of the Year and was a First Team All-Conference pick. Levi (6-0, 184) won the 2022 Mike Richter Award as the nation's best goaltender and is a finalist this year. Selected by the Florida Panthers in the seventh round (No. 212) of the 2020 NHL Draft, the 21-year-old was traded to the Sabres on July 24, 2021, and
signed a three-year, entry-level contract
with them on March 17.
Yaniv Perets, Quinnipiac
Perets, also of Dollard-des-Ormeaux, has the lowest goals-against average (1.52) among NCAA Division I men's goalies for the second straight season. The 23-year-old sophomore is 30-3-3 with a .927 save percentage and nine shutouts in 36 games. Perets (6-1, 180) is a Top 10 finalist for the Hobey Baker Award for the second straight season, and also a Richter Award finalist.
Blake Pietila, Michigan Tech
The senior goalie from Howell, Michigan, is 23-10-2 with a 1.99 goals-against average, .929 save percentage and 10 shutouts in 36 games. Pietila (5-11, 165) was named Central Collegiate Hockey Association Goalie of the Year, a First Team All-Conference pick and is also a Richter Award finalist. The 23-year-old holds the records at Michigan Tech for most wins (58) and shutouts (13) in his four seasons at the school.
Jason Polin, Western Michigan**
Polin (6-0, 198) of Holt, Michigan, leads the nation with 29 goals, which is a Northern Collegiate Hockey Conference record. The 23-year-old senior forward has 46 points (17 assists) in 38 games, including five hat tricks, and was named a First Team All-Conference selection while serving as captain this season.
