Blackhawks Prospects Eligible For Hobey Baker Award
Fans are currently able to vote to determine the ten finalists for the 2017 Hobey Baker Memorial Award, awarded to the best player in college hockey. Tyler Motte was a finalist last year at the University of Michigan, and this year fans can choose from four Blackhawks prospects.
Dylan Sikura, Northeastern
29 games, 18 goals, 30 assists, 48 points
John Hayden, Yale
23 games, 16 goals, 12 assists, 28 points
Matt Iacopelli, Western Michigan
27 games, 15 goals, 9 assists, 24 points
Anthony Louis, Miami
27 games, 13 goals, 19 assists, 32 points
D-Cat four more points-96 total
What are Sikura’s strengths and limitations? He must be the only one of the four that has any shot at the Hobey.
I attended the Omaha vs Western Michigan games this weekend and am pleased to report that the 3 Hawks prospects I viewed were EXCELLENT,
Luc Snuggerud is Omaha’s version of Duncan Keith. He is out there every other shift and plays the top of the point in an umbrella type power play. He has a wicked low shot from the point the often makes it through traffic. Even the ones that miss the net are so close, they come off the end boards back out in front and create chaos. On defense, he competes extremely hard in the corners. He is noticeable on every single shift.
Freddy Olofsson. Big, smart, fantastic from the circles in. He plays the right side as a left handed shot on the power play. He scored 3 goals this weekend from the slot and even a bit closer. His game has advanced in the past year. The puck finds him and he has a nose for the net. Great instincts.
Matt Iocopelli. I watched him a lot this weekend and I thought he was very very good. He’s big, skates really well, plays north/south and in my opinion “lurks” in the offensive zone. That’s a positive. On the power play he was constantly moving to get open and when he did,and the pass came, he unleashed a one timer. He is very positionally aware. When he gets the puck he has a sizzling wrist shot. Saturday he got free on the left wing from the blue in and just wired it into the back of the net. He does not dominate out there and dangle with stickhandling, nor did I leave the rink saying Wow ! But, he is a much much better player than he was a year ago and trending in a very good direction.
Craig- thanks for the update…
very high on Olofsson and Snuggy… predicted Ololfsson would skate for the Hawks in near future-years ago.
Had a slow start ( I think he was injured… early- but trending well)