NEWSLETTER
On Friday evening, University of Michigan freshman center Adam Fantilli was named the winner of the 2023 Hobey Baker Award, given annually to the best player in college hockey (think the Heisman Trophy on ice). The other finalists were Logan Cooley and Matthew Knies from the University of Minnesota.
Fantilli is considered a lock to be a top-three pick in the 2023 NHL Draft, likely being the No. 2 overall selection behind Connor Bedard in June. Cooley (Arizona) and Knies (Toronto) have already been drafted.
A few recent winners of the Hobey Baker Award include Cole Caufield, Cale Makar, Jack Eichel and Johnny Gaudreau. Fantilli is the third Michigan skater to win the award, joining Kevin Porter (2008) and Brendan Morrison (1997).
This is prestigious honor and trophy for the freshman phenom. Fantilli already earned Big Ten Tournament Most Outstanding Player and NCAA All-Regional team. He was also named the Big Ten Freshman of the Year and First Team All-Big Ten. On Friday, Fantilli was named the 2023 Tim Taylor National Rookie of the Year by the Hockey Commissioners Association, and earned First-Team All-America honors. Here are the two All-America teams for this season:
Unfortuntately for Fantilli and Michigan fans, the Wolverines’ season came to an end in the national semifinal game against Quinnipiac on Thursday night.
Devin Levi won the Mike Richter Award as the nation’s top goaltender for the second consecutive year. He is now playing for the Buffalo Sabres.
