The Hobey Baker Memorial Award Committee announced today the 2022 recipient of college hockey’s top individual prize is Dryden McKay from the Minnesota State University. The announcement came during a live broadcast on NHL Network and hobeybaker.com.

For three straight years, McKay has been a Hobey top ten finalist and for the past two seasons, a Hobey Hat Trick finalist as one of the top three players in college hockey. The third time is the charm. Additionally, McKay has been a Mike Richter Award finalist as the top goalie in college hockey three straight seasons, and again, as a top three finalist each of the past two seasons.

His brilliant goaltending helped his Mavericks to their second straight Frozen Four national championship tournament. That’s coming off an NCAA record fifth straight conference regular season title as Minnesota State captured the CCHA championship in the circuit’s inaugural season. McKay played in all but 10 games in his storied four-year career at Minnesota State.  The three-time All American from Downers Grove, Illinois was honored by the conference as its Player of the Year, Goalie of the Year and First Team all-conference. McKay has now earned the distinction as the conference Goaltending Champion four straight seasons. He also earned four straight all-conference honors (First Team three times, Second Team once).

The senior goalie’s play of the ice has been nothing short of spectacular with his technically sound positioning and his keen ability to anticipate the action coming his way. He has established two NCAA records: most wins in a season with 38 and most career shutouts with 34, shattering the mark of 26 by 2001 Hobey Baker winner Ryan Miller, Michigan State.

McKay enters the national championship game against the Denver Pioneers facing national scoring leader and fellow Hat Trick Finalist Bobby Brink.  His current record is 38-4-0 with a goals against average of 1.27 (3^nd in the nation) and a saves percentage of .934 (3^rd in the nation). Additionally, McKay recorded ten shutouts (tied-2^nd in the nation) – doing so for the third straight season. McKay entered the Frozen Four national tournament with a 17-game winning streak and has allowed two or fewer goals in 34 of the 42 games he has played this season.

His intelligent play on the ice is duplicated in the classroom where Dryden is a Finance major with a 3.83 GPA and is a two-time scholar-athlete and three-time WCHA All-Academic. He is a pro hockey free  agent.  Mackay is the third goaltender to win the Hobey Baker Memorial award joining Minnesota’s Robb Stauber, 1988, and Michigan State’s Ryan Miller, 2001 as recipients of college hockey’s top individual honor.

Hobey Baker was the legendary Princeton (1914) hockey player known as America’s greatest amateur athlete over one hundred years ago. He redefined how the game was played with his coast-to-coast dashes in an era when hockey was contested by seven players and no forward passes. Baker, a member of the U.S. Army’s Air Corp, died testing a repaired aircraft at the end of World War I after he had completed his military service. The Hobey Baker Award criteria includes: displaying outstanding skills in all phases of the game, strength of character on and off the ice, sportsmanship and scholastic achievements. McKay was selected from a group of ten finalists by a 30-member selection committee and online fan balloting.

Known as a dangerous offensive threat anytime he’s on the ice, Brink enters the NCAA Frozen Four national championship tournament as the nation’s leader in points, assists and points per game, averaging 1.44 per game. Gifted with creative skills and an elite hockey sense, Brink had a breakout season winning the NCHC scoring title. Additional accolades from the conference included Player and Forward of the Year honors and First Team all-conference. A player who is used in all situations, Brink helped the Pioneers to a first-place tie in the NCHC regular season. Now, Brink will help DU go for their ninth national title and first since 2017.

Meyers trademark style of play as a responsible, competitive 200-foot player has elevated him into the national spotlight. He co-captained the Golden Gophers to the Big Ten regular season title while finishing second in conference scoring. The conference rewarded him as its Player of the Year and First Team all-conference. Additionally, Meyers played for Team USA at the recent Beijing Olympics finishing second in team scoring with 4 points in 4 games. Since his return to campus, Meyers has produced six goals and nine assists for 15 points in just seven games, including an overtime goal and three assists at last weekend’s Worcester Regional

When he arrived in Ann Arbor as a highly touted freshman, he scored two goals in his first college hockey game and hasn’t stopped. Gifted offensively with a sniper-like shot, Beniers has followed that inaugural season with a 40-point performance and laid claim to the Big Ten scoring title, First Team all-conference honors and is a finalist for Player of the year.

Known as a power forward with a shoot first mentality, Halonen made history by becoming the first player to lead the newly formed CCHA conference in points (36) and goals (16) in conference play, earning him First Team all-conference recognition. His 132 shots on goal ranks eighth in the nation while his 18 even strength goals are the most in the country.

It’s been an incredible year for the first-year defenseman, beginning with Hughes becoming the third brother of his family to be a first-round NHL draft pick. He followed that up as the highest scoring defenseman in the nation, collecting 36 points in 37 games. The Big Ten honored him as co-Freshman of the Year, All Rookie Team and Second Team Big Ten.

Not many goalies can make this claim: Levi began his college career with two shutouts in his first two starts. After being sidelined as a freshman due to injury, his debut was just the beginning of a fabulous season. The Huskies went on to claim their first ever Hockey East regular season title as Levi hauled in a truckload of awards including: Goalie of the Year, Rookie of the Year, First Team Hockey East, All Rookie Team and was a finalist for Player of the Year.

Producing the best statistical goaltending record in the storied history of the ECAC, Perets established league records for goals against average, saves percentage and shutouts. He had an amazing 0.89 goals against average helping the Bobcats to the regular season crown. Plenty of awards followed as ECAC Player of the Year, Goalie of the Year and First Team all-conference.

A skilled, elite playmaking forward, Smith is tied for second in the nation in scoring with teammate Julian Napravnik with 48 points each. Smith has picked up points in 28 of 33 games this season and has had scoring streaks of 10 and 11 games. A First Team all-CCHA selection, he represented the U.S. at the recent Beijing Olympics.

Trivigno’s tenacious and dynamic play allows him ice time in all situations. After helping UMass to its first ever national title last year, he has followed that up with 45 points in 34 games to rank fifth in the nation in scoring. Having won the Hockey East scoring title, he was named the circuit’s Player of the Year and First Team all-conference.