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Top-10 Finalists Announced For 2020 Hobey Baker

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The college hockey season may have come to an abrupt end, but award voting will go on anyway. Today, the ten finalists for the Hobey Baker Award were announced. The trophy is given to the top NCAA player in the country, and has an impressive line of winners over the past few years. In 2014, Johnny Gaudreau took home the award as a junior for Boston College, followed by Jack Eichel in his only year for Boston University in 2015. Jimmy Vesey, Will Butcher and Adam Gaudette don’t bring quite the same impact, but are still NHL regulars after winning from 2016-18.

Last year’s winner was University of Massachusetts defenseman Cale Makar, who has gone on to be one of the most impressive rookies in the NHL this season with the Colorado Avalanche. Makar leaves big shoes to fill by this year’s nominees.

The award also has several top NHL alumni in its small fraternity, including Neal Broten, Tom Kurvers, Paul Kariya, Chris Drury, Ryan Miller and Brendan Morrison. With that group behind them, this year’s winner is certainly not someone to take lightly.

Earlier this year, 78 players from the NCAA ranks were nominated for the award, and today that number has been reduced to just ten. These ten players will be narrowed to just three, a process that anyone can be a part of by participating in the fan vote. Votes will be added to the decision from a selection committee to produce three finalists, from which a winner will be crowned.

The top-10 finalists are as follows, with the NHL organization who owns their draft rights in parenthesis:

Morgan Barron, Cornell University (New York Rangers)

Jason Cotton, Sacred Heart University

Jack Dugan, Providence College (Vegas Golden Knights)

David Farrance, Boston University (Nashville Predators)

Jordan Kawaguchi, University of North Dakota

John Leonard, University of Massachusetts (San Jose Sharks)

Dryden McKay, Minnesota State University-Mankato

Marc Michaelis, Minnesota State University-Mankato

Jeremy Swayman, University of Maine (Boston Bruins)*

Scott Perunovich, University of Minnesota-Duluth (St. Louis Blues)

*Swayman has already signed his entry-level contract with the Bruins.

Cole Caufield To Return For Sophomore Season

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7:33 PM: The Canadiens have confirmed that Caufield will remain at Wisconsin.  GM Marc Bergevin released the following statement:

This additional year in the NCAA will benefit Cole and will allow him to continue developing his skills within the Badgers’ environment. Cole is an important part of the Montreal Canadiens’ future and we will continue to follow his development with interest.

4:12 PM: Fans of the Montreal Canadiens haven’t had much to be happy about recently, but were holding out hope that perhaps top prospect Cole Caufield would soon sign his entry-level contract. Not so fast, according to Todd D. Milewski of the Wisconsin State Journal, who reports that Caufield has told Badgers head coach Tony Granato that he is planning on returning for his sophomore season.

The 19-year old forward has watched teammates K’Andre Miller and Alex Turcotte sign their entry-level deals and turn pro in recent days, but will instead return for another chance at developing his game at the collegiate level.

Caufield, the 15th overall pick in 2019, is an incredibly gifted scorer that can put the puck in from anywhere in the offensive zone. His ability to find open space when his teammates have the puck or create it for himself with his strong acceleration and balance is almost unmatched among his age group, as seen by the record-breaking numbers he put up for the U.S. National Team Development Program.

At Wisconsin, even as a freshman he found quite a bit of success. He led the Badgers with 19 goals and 36 points in 36 games, both numbers that will be expected to climb even further next season. Even though he likely won’t be contributing to the Canadiens in 2020 (unless something changes his mind through the summer), there is still plenty to be excited about down the road.

College Players Restricted To Signing Future Contracts

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One of the common things to watch for normally at this time of year is college free agency.  Undrafted players that have been eliminated from the NCAA postseason quickly sign with NHL teams.  Some sign a contract that begins in the next season while in recent years, more teams have shown a willingness to sign players to a contract that begins in the current season and therefore quickly pass through one of the salary-restrictive entry-level years.  Teams have even shown an openness to doing so with their own drafted prospects such as Cale Makar last year or Charlie McAvoy and Brock Boeser back in 2017.

However, that option won’t be available to teams during the current suspension of the schedule.  Pierre LeBrun of TSN and The Athletic reports (Twitter link) that while teams can sign college players to contracts now, they can only do so if the contract becomes effective on July 1st, meaning for the start of the 2020-21 season.  Deals that begin now are off the table due to the uncertainty surrounding the schedule in the immediate future.

This means that over the days and weeks ahead, there should still be some activity on the college UFA market.  While there is a chance that some players could be granted an extra year of eligibility, that would be restricted to tournament-bound teams, not ones that were already eliminated.  As a result, there will still be some players on teams that wouldn’t have made the top-16 playdowns that will be seeking NHL contracts.  Only this time, the playing field will be more levelled out with this current restriction of future contracts being the only ones allowed.

Will College Hockey Players Earn An Extra Year Of Eligibility?

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Few groups have been hit harder by the COVID-19 pandemic than college athletes. The NCAA announced on Thursday that all 2020 winter and spring championships have been canceled, effectively ending college sports for the year. While the decision did not specifically ban conferences from continuing to host postseason tournaments for winter sports and regular season games and tournaments for spring sports, all winter tournaments have been canceled nonetheless and the vast majority of conferences have canceled all practice and competition for the year.

While obviously the proper decision was made in regards to public safety, student-athletes who work year-round to play a relatively short college season have lost their chance at a championship and in many cases the majority of their regular season as well. This is particularly hard on seniors competing in their final season. To make matters worse, college athletes typically have just four seasons and five years to participate in NCAA athletics, and the possibility that this year would be lost entirely had students around the country reeling. To remedy the situation, the NCAA was quick to announce that eligibility relief will be available for spring sports athletes, extending their playing opportunities by another year.

However, the NCAA also made mention that they “will also discuss issues related to seasons of competition for winter sport student-athletes who were unable to participate in conference and NCAA championships.” So could college hockey players also receive an additional year added to their eligibility? The case against this idea is that the vast majority of the season had already been completed, with most conference tournaments already underway by the time of this announcement. However, the statement alluded to the opportunity only being available to the athletes whose teams were still competing in conference tournaments or expected to earn an NCAA Tournament berth.

At the time the decision to cancel all college athletics competition occurred, 40 programs were still competing in conference tournaments and technically all had an equal chance at winning their respective conference and an automatic berth into the national tourney. If the NCAA decides to grant waivers for an extra year of eligibility for winter athletes, they could choose to grant that aid to hockey players on all of these rosters.

The alternative option, one being championed by men’s basketball coaches around the country, is to instead name the teams that would have been selected to the national tournament based on conference standings and national rankings. Some quick “bracketology” using the Pairwise rankings would produce the following list of teams whose players could qualify for an additional year of eligibility under this model:

No. 1 North Dakota – NCHC regular season champion
No. 2 Minnesota State – WCHA regular season champion
No. 3 Cornell – ECAC regular season champion
No. 4 Minnesota-Duluth
No. 5 Denver
No. 6 Boston College – Hockey East regular season champion
No. 7 Penn State – Big Ten regular season champion
No. 8 UMass
No. 9 Clarkson
No. 10 Ohio State
No. 11 UMass Lowell
No. 12 Bemidji State
No. 13 Arizona State
No. 14 Michigan
No. 15 Maine
No. 26 American International – Atlantic Hockey regular season champion

The problem with this process is that the actual NCAA Tournament field likely would have had some slight differences from the final standings and rankings. The Atlantic tournament for instance is often a crap shoot, while skilled teams that underachieved in the regular season, such as Boston University, Harvard, and Minnesota, could have made a run in their respective tournaments. It could be deemed as unfair to select the field without the usual basis of complete tournaments and a final ranking.

It remains to be seen whether winter college athletes will receive eligibility relief at all and by what means the NCAA chooses to award that relief. For now, student-athletes and fans alike will have to appreciate that they got to enjoy a full regular season and will look forward to a return to action next year. Whether or not that return includes some seniors who otherwise would have ended their college careers this year will be the major question.

Blackhawks Expected To Discuss Contracts With Ian Mitchell, Evan Barratt

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Within the next few days, the Chicago Blackhawks are expected to begin discussion with University of Denver’s defenseman Ian Mitchell and Penn State forward Evan Barratt, both college juniors, on signing with the team on entry-level contracts, according to The Athletic’s Scott Powers and Mark Lazerus (subscription required). Early reports suggest that both have shown little interest in returning to their collegiate teams for their senior season.

Both players had their college seasons cut short due to the NCAA opting to cancel all winter championships on Thursday due to the Coronavirus. It was assumed that both players would have the first year of their entry-level deal burned if their college seasons ended before the Blackhawks’ season was over. That could conceivably still happen and a player doesn’t even have to play an NHL game to burn the first year of his contract. They just need to be on an active roster.

Regardless, Mitchell could be a key addition to a Blackhawks team that needs help on defense, whether that is this year or starting next season. Chicago was hoping to bring Mitchell in after his sophomore year at Denver, but the 21-year-old wanted to return to his team in hopes of challenging for a collegiate championship as well as to challenge for the Hobey Baker award. Mitchell had a dominant season with Denver this season, posting 10 goals and 32 points in 36 games as well as playing at the Spengler Cup for Team Canada, where he posted a goal and two points in four games.

Barratt is another surprise for a Blackhawks, who drafted the forward in the third round of 2017. Barratt is more likely to find himself starting his pro career in the AHL. He had a dominant sophomore season in 2018-19, posting 16 goals and 43 points in 32 games, but saw a minor drop in his production this season as he has 12 goals and 34 points in 34 games. Regardless, it would add another talented prospect into the team’s cupboard.

Of course, with a stoppage in work for the moment, both players and the team have plenty of time to work out a deal.

Jack Rathbone Taking Time On NHL Decision

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When the NCAA season was suddenly ended when the Frozen Four tournament was canceled, a whole other group of players became eligible for NHL contracts. The question during this league “pause” becomes how a contract would even be filed and whether a player could negotiate a deal  that starts this season to burn the first year of entry-level status. Those uncertainties and many others make it very easy to understand any hesitation on the part of college players, meaning it didn’t come as much of a surprise when Rick Dhaliwal of TSN reported today that Jack Rathbone will take his time deciding whether or not to sign with the Vancouver Canucks.

Rathbone, 20, was a fourth-round pick in 2017 by the Canucks and has had two excellent seasons at Harvard. Registering 31 points in 28 games this season he was the highest-scoring defenseman on his team, ahead of lauded New Jersey Devils draft pick Reilly Walsh.

With Quinn Hughes making such an impact in his first season in the NHL, the Canucks’ defensive group already has huge upside for the next decade. Adding in players like Rathbone will only provide some depth behind that star power, especially if they happen to lose Chris Tanev in free agency.

To be sure, it would be hard to expect Rathbone stepping directly into the NHL. But after two excellent seasons at a top program like Harvard, he’d certainly be on a strong development path.

U18 World Championship, Frozen Four Canceled

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The fallout from the coronavirus outbreak continues, this time to the amateur ranks. The IIHF U18 World Championship and the NCAA Frozen Four have both been cancelled for this year. The U18 event was set to be held later this month in Plymouth and Ann Arbor, Michigan while the Frozen Four tournament is part of a wider swath of cancelations from the NCAA. The OHL Cup, the top midget hockey tournament and the prime location for junior hockey teams to scout upcoming talent, has also been canceled.

While not unexpected, these moves will once again have an indirect effect on the NHL as teams can no longer scout the next wave of prospects. The Frozen Four especially is a chance for undrafted collegiate talent to showcase their skills, while the U18 event is always attended by scouts from every NHL organization.

One event still technically on the calendar is the IIHF Men’s World Championship, which is normally attended by NHL players that have been eliminated from the postseason. That tournament is set to start in eight weeks, but could obviously face the same fate.

Minor College Signings: O’Leary, Beaudoin, Michigan State

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While many of the NCAA’s elite can jump right into an NHL contract, and sometimes the NHL itself, the majority must work their way up through the pro ranks. Minor league contracts and amateur tryout (ATO) contracts are common at this time of year and after a number of those deals were signed yesterday, a few more rolled in today:

  • From preseason contender to unranked and out in the first round of the Big Ten Tournament, it was a season to forget for Notre Dame. However, senior forward Mike O’Leary enjoyed the best campaign of his collegiate career, recording 23 points in 37 games. The two-way winger is now on his way to the AHL, signing a contract with the Hartford Wolf Pack.
  • Another four-year starter up front has found a spot in the pros. Brown senior Brent Beaudoin will stay close to home, joining the ECHL’s Worcester Railers. The New Hampshire native recorded 14 points in 31 games to lead all Brown forwards in scoring.
  • Perhaps the best team to have already called it a year, Michigan State sent Patrick Khodorenko to the New York Rangers yesterday and today saw fellow seniors Logan Lambdin and Butrus Ghafari head to the ECHL. Lamdin will stay nearby, as he has inked a deal with the Kalamazoo Wings. Meanwhile, Ghafari joins the Toledo Walleye. The Lebanese-American defender was a dominating stay-at-home presence at times this year.

New York Rangers Agree To Terms With Patrick Khodorenko

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The New York Rangers aren’t going to let the Pittsburgh Penguins be the only team signing college free agents. While they may watch Drew O’Connor head to Pittsburgh, the Rangers have agreed to terms with  Patrick Khodorenko. He will sign a three-year entry-level contract which begins during the 2020-21 season and will report to the Hartford Wolf Pack on an amateur tryout for the rest of the season.

The 21-year old forward just finished his senior season with the Michigan State Spartans, in which he scored 16 goals and 33 points. Khodorenko, who was born in Walnut Creek, California, has been a consistent presence in the lineup for the Spartans and has 120 points across 143 NCAA games. Like O’Connor, there was plenty of NHL interest in the Michigan State forward but he looks like he’ll go to an organization known for getting the best out of the college ranks.

New York is always mining the college free agent ranks, with recent players like Neal Pionk, Jimmy Vesey and Vinni Lettieri all choosing them as the destination to start their professional careers. With so much positivity surrounding the club and their direction right now, it’s hard to blame any young player for wanting to be a part of the rebuild.

Minor College Signings: Zimmer, Lodermeier, Giuttari

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While some college players will step right out of the NCAA and into professional organizations under NHL contracts, many others will have to go another route. Those who aren’t able to secure an NHL deal right away can jump into the minor leagues under amateur tryout (ATO) contracts, trying to prove they can produce at the higher level. There have been several of those today:

  • Max Zimmer from the University of Wisconsin has signed an ATO with the Charlotte Checkers, now that his NCAA career is over. In four years with the Badgers, Zimmer totaled 45 points in 115 games. A 2016 fourth-round pick of the Carolina Hurricanes, his draft rights will expire in August.
  • Derek Lodermeier has inked his ATO with the Manitoba Moose, following four years at the University of Vermont. The 25-year old forward had just 11 points in his senior season but has served as captain since 2018.
  • Zach Giuttari from Brown University has signed an ATO with the Hartford Wolf Pack, giving him a chance to play in the AHL after four years in the NCAA. The undrafted defenseman served as captain for the team this season, scoring 15 points in 31 games.
  • Sometimes it isn’t even the AHL, as Matt Alvaro and Nick Hutchison have found out. The two collegiate forwards have signed with the Orlando Solar Bears and Adirondack Thunder of the ECHL respectively. Alvaro is coming off four years at the University of Vermont, while Hutchison recently completed his senior season at Canisius College.

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