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Colorado Avalanche prospect Cale Makar wins the 2019 Hobey Baker Award

As if there was any doubt.

By LaurenKelly24
2019 Hobey Baker Memorial Award Photo by Elsa/Getty Images

Cale Makar was announced as the winner of the 2019 Hobey Baker Award Friday night in Buffalo — capping off one of the best individual NCAA seasons in recent memory. Harvard’s Adam Fox (Carolina for now) and St. Cloud State’s Jimmy Schuldt (Vegas) finished as runners-up. It’s the second time in three years that a Colorado Avalanche draft pick was named the best player in college hockey.

The fourth overall selection in 2017 has 49 points in 40 games (16 goals, 33 assists) as a sophomore with the Minutemen this season. Not only does he have the most points among defensemen in the country, but he’s one point away from leading the entire NCAA in points this season. His emergence as a dominant, game-changing player for UMass has been a large part of the Minutemen’s stellar, record-setting year.

Makar was also named an All-American along with teammate Mitchell Chaffee:

Makar’s tenure with UMass will last one more game as they play for a national championship on Saturday night against reigning the national champion in Minnesota-Duluth. He could become the seventh player in NCAA history to win the Hobey Baker Award and the National Championship in the same season. Avalanche draft pick and current New Jersey Devil Will Butcher was the last player to win both in 2017.

Congratulations, Cale!