Men's Ice Hockey | 1/21/2026 2:40:22 PM
Fifty-two United States Hockey League (USHL) alumni have been named nominees for the 2026 Hobey Baker Memorial Award.
Each year, the Hobey Baker is bestowed upon the player who best exhibits strength of character on and off the ice, contributes to the integrity of the game, and displays outstanding skills in all phases of the game. Eight of the last 10 Hobey Baker winners played in the USHL, including the last six: Isaac Howard (Michigan State, NTDP), Macklin Celebrini (Boston University, Chicago Steel), Adam Fantilli (Michigan, Chicago Steel), Dryden McKay (Minnesota State, Madison Capitols), Cole Caufield (Wisconsin, NTDP), and Scott Perunovich (Minnesota Duluth, Cedar Rapids RoughRiders).
Below is a list of those players nominated for this season. Selected players were nominated and voted on by the Division I coaches for their respective schools.
| Name |
NCAA |
USHL |
| Chris Hedden |
Air Force |
YNG, OMA |
| Michael Citara |
Alaska Fairbanks |
SF |
| Bennett Schimek |
Arizona State |
OMA, SC |
| Cruz Lucius |
Arizona State |
NTDP |
| Adam Flammang |
Bemidji State |
CR |
| James Hagens |
Boston College |
NTDP |
| Cole Hutson |
Boston University |
NTDP |
| Tyler Hotson |
Bowling Green |
MUS, SC |
| Ryan St. Louis |
Brown |
NTDP, DBQ |
| Grant Porter |
Canisius |
YNG |
| Owen Beckner |
Colorado College |
TC |
| Kaidan Mbereko |
Colorado College |
NTDP |
| Ryan Walsh |
Cornell |
CR |
| Boston Buckberger |
Denver |
LIN |
| Eric Pohlkamp |
Denver |
CR |
| Max Lundgren |
Merrimack |
DM |
| Will Horcoff |
Michigan |
NTDP |
| Michael Hage |
Michigan |
CHI |
| Trey Augustine |
Michigan State |
NTDP |
| Charlie Stramel |
Michigan State |
NTDP |
| Stiven Sardarian |
Michigan Tech |
YNG |
| Owen Bartoszkiewicz |
Michigan Tech |
YNG |
| Brodie Ziemer |
Minnesota |
NTDP |
| Luke Mittelstadt |
Minnesota |
LIN, MAD |
| Max Plante |
Minnesota Duluth |
NTDP |
| Ty Hanson |
Minnesota Duluth |
SC |
| Zam Plante |
Minnesota Duluth |
CHI, FGO |
| Evan Murr |
Minnesota State |
SF |
| Alex Tracy |
Minnesota State |
SC |
| Morgan Winters |
New Hampshire |
YNG, OMA |
| Jake Livanavage |
North Dakota |
CHI |
| Dylan Hryckowian |
Northeastern |
CR |
| Vinny Borgesi |
Northeastern |
TC |
| Paul Fischer |
Notre Dame |
NTDP |
| Simon Latkoczy |
Omaha |
CHI, MAD |
| Matt DiMarsico |
Penn State |
GB |
| Ethan Wyttenbach |
Quinnipiac |
SF |
| Tyson Gross |
St. Cloud State |
FGO, CR |
| Barrett Hall |
St. Cloud State |
GB |
| Austin Burnevik |
St. Cloud State |
NTDP, MAD |
| Lucas Wahlin |
St. Thomas |
LIN |
| Tyler Muszelik |
UConn |
NTDP |
| Jake Richard |
UConn |
MUS, TC |
| Joey Muldowney |
UConn |
DM |
| TJ Schweighardt |
UMass Lowell |
CR, OMA, YNG |
| Tyler Dunbar |
Union |
MUS, LIN |
| Hampton Slukynsky |
Western Michigan |
FGO |
| Grant Slukynsky |
Western Michigan |
FGO, SC |
| Owen Michaels |
Western Michigan |
LIN |
| Ben Dexheimer |
Wisconsin |
MAD |
| Quinn Finley |
Wisconsin |
CHI, MAD |
| Gavin Morrissey |
Wisconsin |
FGO |
About the USHL
The United States Hockey League (USHL) and its 16 teams are committed to being the world's leading junior hockey league. This season, more than 50% of NCAA Division I men's hockey players and nearly 25% of NHL players have USHL experience. The USHL has developed more than 285 direct NHL Draft picks since 2020, and eight of the last 10 Hobey Baker Award winners, including Macklin Celebrini (Chicago Steel).
Elevated through the recently announced
Declaration of Excellence with the NHL and USA Hockey, the league's player-first approach, including a 2:1 practice-to-game ratio and a schedule with 92% of games played on weekends, provides its players with the optimal environment for athletic and personal growth, creating pathways for the next generation of stars like
Auston Matthews (NTDP),
Kyle Connor (Youngstown Phantoms),
Jeremy Swayman (Sioux Falls Stampede), and
Johnny Gaudreau (Dubuque Fighting Saints).