BU's Macklin Celebrini, BC's Cutter Gauthier named finalists for 2024 Hobey Baker Award
BOSTON -- The Boston College and Boston University hockey teams are hoping to match up one more time this season with an NCAA championship on the line. But two of the best players on each side -- Macklin Celebrini and Cutter Gauthier -- are currently fighting for the title of best player in college hockey.
Celebrini (the dynamic 17-year-old forward at BU) and Gauthier (a sophomore who has put up a ton of points for the Eagles) were both named finalists for the 2024 Hobey Baker Award on Thursday, along with University of North Dakota sophomore Jackson Blake.
A Vancouver native, Celebrini has the Boston University Terriers back in the Frozen Four after he put up 64 points over 37 games this season. His 32 goals ranked second nationally, and four of those goals were of the game-winning variety for the Terriers.
Celebrini has already taken home a handful of awards for his stellar freshman season. He earned both Hockey East Rookie of the Year and Player of the Year honors, was named to the Hockey East First Team and All Rookie Team, and was the Most Outstanding Player of the Sioux Falls Regional last week after he racked up a goal and four assists in BU's tournament wins over Minnesota and RIT.
Gauthier has an equally strong case for this year's Hobey Baker crown after leading all of college hockey with 37 goals this season. He scored 10 game-winners for Boston College to lead the nation in that category too, and recorded a goal or an assist in 34 of his 39 games. Gauthier had 18 multi-point games for the Eagles this season, earning him Hockey East First Team honors. He was the runner-up to Celebrini for Hockey East Player of the Year.
Blake tallied 22 goals and 38 assists over 40 games for the University of North Dakota. This year's Hobey Baker Award winner will be announced on Friday, April 12 at 6 p.m.
Both Celebrini and Gauthier will be in action on April 11 for the Frozen Four in St. Paul, Minnesota. Two-seeded Boston University will take on Denver in the early game, followed by top-ranked Boston College going against Michigan in the late game.
If both Boston schools make it through the Frozen Four, they'll square off for the fifth time this season in the NCAA title game on Saturday, April 13. Boston College is 3-1 against Boston University this season, with their most recent win in the Battle of Comm. Ave a 6-2 victory in the Hockey East title game.