Hobey Baker Watch: Week 20

Story posted February 19, 2020 in CommRadio, Sports by Christopher Hess

As the college hockey season begins to wind down, the Hobey Baker Award voting period is coming toward an end, and the candidates are working toward improving their respective résumés.

With that being said, let’s take a look at a forward, defenseman and goalie that have made strong cases for having their name tied to College Hockey’s Heisman Trophy.

Griffin Loughran, Northern Michigan

Standing at just 5 feet 6 inches tall, Griffin Loughran is unique for his short stature, but that doesn’t stop him from impacting the game in a big way.

Loughran leads all scorers in the country with 21 goals in 31 games and is the leader of a team that could make a late push for the NCAA Tournament. Loughran is also tied for seventh in points with 36 alongside Arizona State’s James Sanchez.

His plus/minus rating of plus-17 also shows that when he is on the ice, the Wildcat have been able to score rather often. Loughran’s impact can be seen throughout the full 60 minutes of every contest that Northern Michigan competes in.

Loughran’s Wildcats have four games remaining, and he can definitely add to his already impressive stat line against Lake Superior State and Michigan Tech in the coming weeks.

Mike Lee, Sacred Heart

What Mike Lee has done on the defensive end throughout the season has been nothing short of remarkable.

Last season, Lee had a plus/minus rating of minus-2 alongside 19 points. Fast forward to today, and he is a serious contender for the Hobey Baker Award with 32 points, 28 of them coming via assist.

Lee’s plus/minus rating of plus-21 ranks sixth in the country, and he still has three regular season games and the Atlantic Hockey conference tournament to improve that margin.

If Lee can continue his impressive run into the postseason and make it to the NCAA Tournament, there is no reason why he shouldn’t be in the running for the title of the nation’s best collegiate hockey player.

Frank Marotte, Clarkson

After three seasons between the pipes at Robert Morris, Frank Marotte took his talents to Clarkson University, and the Golden Knights struck gold with this graduate tranfser.

Marotte has started all 30 games this season, compiling a record of 22-6-2 with a goals-against average of 1.66 and a save percentage of .941.

His stat lines have improved tremendously over the past three years, and he has been virtually perfect for this Clarkson team, which is looking to make its first Frozen Four championship game since 1970.

Marotte is one of many players vying for the Hobey Baker Award, but his play could also merit consideration for the Mike Richter Award for the country’s best goalie.

Although he wasn’t named to the initial 2019-2020 watch list, Marotte has played well enough to be placed into that conversation, and he could be the difference-maker in whether or not his team makes a run.

 

Christopher Hess is a junior majoring in broadcast journalism. To contact him, email christopherhess22@gmail.com.