Gophers

St. Cloud State's Schuldt, MSU Mankato's Suess among 10 Hobey Baker Award finalists

The winner will be announced April 6 during the NCAA Frozen Four in St. Paul.

By Randy Johnson

March 14, 2018 at 5:56PM

(The Minnesota Star Tribune)

(Star Tribune/The Minnesota Star Tribune)

St. Cloud State defenseman Jimmy Schuldt and Minnesota State Mankato forward C.J. Suess are among 10 finalists for the Hobey Baker Award, given annually to the top player in college hockey, the award's committee announced Wednesday.

Schuldt, a junior from Minnetonka, and Suess, a senior from Forest Lake, join eight other candidates: Denver forward Henrik Borgstrom, Harvard forward Ryan Donato, Cornell goalie Matthew Galajda, Northeastern forward Adam Gaudette, Canisius forward Dylan McLaughlin, Notre Dame goalie Cale Morris, Colgate goalie Colton Point and Northeastern forward Dylan Sikura.

The 10 finalists were selected by voting of all 60 NCAA Division I head coaches and by online fan balloting. The 27-member selection committee and an additional round of fan balloting at www.hobeybaker.com from today through March 25 will determine the winner. Criteria for the award include: displaying outstanding skills in all phases of the game, strength of character on and off the ice, sportsmanship and scholastic achievements.

The Hobey Hat Trick of three finalists will be announced March 25, and the winner will be announced 6 p.m. April 6 at Roy Wilkins Auditorium in St. Paul during the NCAA Frozen Four.

Here is a look at the 10 finalists, in alphabetical order, from the Hobey Baker committee:

Henrik Borgstrom, forward, Denver

Sophomore, Helsinki, Finland

Fresh off a national championship and All-America honors, Borgstrom continues to star for the Pioneers, leading them in scoring for a second straight season. A big, highly skilled winger, he was named to the NCHC First Team all-conference and is a finalist for the Player of the Year and Forward of the Year. Going into the conference championship tourney, he is fifth in the nation in scoring.

* Has 21 goals, 28 assists for 49 points in 36 games, and had 43 points as a freshman.

* Florida Panthers draft pick (first round) has 13 multiple point games.

* Regular-season scoring champion in NCHC.

Ryan Donato, forward, Harvard

Junior, Boston.

A prolific goal-scorer, Donato led Team USA in scoring at the recent Winter Olympics with five goals and an assist. At Harvard, he has tallied 26 goals in just 28 games and tops the nation in shots, averaging six per game. A powerful-skating two-way center, he has been recognized as first-team all-conference and is a finalist for ECAC Player of the Year.

* Has 26 goals, 15 assists for 41 points in 28 games, including seven power-play goals.

* Second-round draft pick of the Boston Bruins opened the season with a 14-game point streak.

* Sociology major participates in several team community service events.

Matthew Galajda, goalie, Cornell.

Freshman, Aurora, Ontario

Quickly developed into one of the best goalies in the nation. Entering the ECAC tournament, he had the best goals-against average in the nation in six years with an impressive 1.43 mark. He's received a plethora of post season awards already including: ECAC Goalie and Rookie of the Year, inclusion on both the league first-team all-conference and all-rookie teams, received three Ivy League honors including Ivy League Player of the Year and is a finalist for ECAC Player of the Year.

*His record is 21-3-2 in 27 games, and his 1.43 GAA leads the nation.

*Has a nation's best nine shutouts, and his save percentage of .943 ranks third.

* Hotel Administration major had a shutout streak of over 227 minutes, 13^th longest in NCAA Division history.

Adam Gaudette, forward, Northeastern.

Junior, Braintree, Mass.

The hardworking, 200-foot game Gaudette plays has paid off in big dividends. He leads the nation in points, goals and points per game and along the way claimed the Hockey East scoring championship. Named to the circuit's all-conference first team, he is also a finalist for Hockey East Player of the Year. Gaudette's 27 power-play points also leads the nation.

*Has 30 goals, 29 assists for 59 points in 36 games. His 1.64 points per game leads the nation.

* Has points in 9 straight games and has 20 multiple-point games.

* Fifth-round draft pick of the Vancouver Canucks is active in a variety of community service projects

Dylan McLaughlin, forward, Canisius

Junior, Lancaster, N.Y.

A skillful, puck possession scoring threat has made McLaughlin one of the top forwards in the nation. The Atlantic Hockey scoring champion and first-team all-conference playmaker has vaulted to sixth in the national scoring charts. He got off to a fast start, collecting points in 15 of his first 16 games. His 31 assists in 36 games ranks him sixth in the nation.

* Has 17 goals, 31 assists for 48 points in 36 games, and only five minor penalties all season.

* Seventh in the nation at 1.33 points per game.

* Economics major is active in cancer fundraisers and several community outreach programs.

Cale Morris, goalie, Notre Dame

Sophomore, Larkspur, Colo.

After reaching the Frozen Four last season, how would the Irish find another goalie to replace Cal Peterson? Meet Cale Morris. He stepped right in to lead Notre Dame to the regular-season conference title as first year members of the Big Ten. Morris sits first in the nation in save percentage at .946 and tied for first in wins. He was named first-team all-conference, Goalie of the Year and Big Ten Player of the Year. Not bad after playing just one period as a freshman.

* His record is 23-7-1 in 32 games, and he has a 1.93 GAA with four shutouts.

* Has started 28 straight games leading into the Big Ten championship game.

* Business major had a 16-game winning streak during the season.

Colton Point, goalie, Colgate

Sophomore, North Bay, Ontario

In 16 of the 33 games he played, Point had 30 or more saves, including a 51-save effort in shutting out Harvard. After leading Team Canada to a gold medal in the World Junior Championship, Point returned to campus the next day and shut out Princeton. He is a finalist for the ECAC Player of the Year Award after earning second-team all-star recognition.

* His final record is 16-12-5 with six shutouts in 33 games. His GAA (1.74) and save percentage (.944) are both second in the nation.

* A fifth-round draft pick of the Dallas Stars, Point participates in Colgate's Adopt-A-Classroom program

Jimmy Schuldt, defenseman, St. Cloud State

Junior, Minnetonka

The lone defenseman in the Hobey top 10, Schuldt is a complete player at both ends of the rink with high-end offensive skills. Already named to the NCHC all-conference first team, he is a finalist for Player of the Year and Offensive Defenseman of the Year. Schuldt's eight power-play goals have helped elevate him to third in the nation in points by a defenseman. Also is a two-time captain.

* Has 10 goals, 28 assists for 38 points in 37 games, and his plus-21 ranks eighth in nation.

* Finance major carries a 3.74 grade-point average and is an NCHC distinguished scholar-athlete award winner

* Volunteers with Special Olympics programs and coaches Dynomites inner-city program.

Dylan Sikura, forward, Northeastern

Senior, Aurora, Ontario

As a linemate of fellow Hobey candidate Adam Gaudette, Northeastern possessed the top one-two offensive punch in the nation. Third in the nation in scoring with 52 points, Sikura is known as a creative playmaker but tops the nation in power-play goals with 13. He finished second in conference scoring to Gaudette and was named first-team all-conference.

* Has 20 goals, 32 assists for 52 points in 33 games and ranks third in nation in assists.

* His plus-23 rating is second in nation.

* The sixth-round draft pick of the Chicago Blackhawks is a criminal justice major and is active in a variety of community service efforts.

C.J. Suess, forward, Minnesota State Mankato

Senior, Forest Lake

After capturing the WCHA regular-season scoring title, Suess was named Offensive Player of the Year, first-team all-conference and is a finalist for Player of the Year. A diligent two-way center and a key faceoff man, Suess helped guide the Mavericks to the regular-season title and sits 12^th in the nation in scoring.

* Has 22 goals, 21 assists for 43 points in 39 games. He ranks 10^th in the nation in goals.

* A fifth-round draft pick of the Winnipeg Jets, Suess is a management major.

* He assists with Kiwanis Holiday Lights and local pond hockey tournament.