26 NAHL Alumni Nominated for the 2026 Hobey Baker Award
The race to the 2026 Hobey Baker Memorial Award is underway and the North American Hockey League (NAHL) is proud to announce that 26 alumni have been nominated for this honor. This award recognizes the top NCAA men’s ice hockey player in the nation.
Earning a Hobey Baker award is not only about the work and success the athlete has on the ice, but also off of it. Nominees must exhibit character traits like integrity and sportsmanship, while also having outstanding skills in all phases of the game and showcases scholastic achievement.
Of the 89 players nominated, 26 NAHL alumni are on the ballot. Players are nominated and voted on by their Division I coaches and athletic departments, with each program allowed to submit a maximum of three candidates.
The NAHL is proud to have eight former athletes win this prestigious award. The most recent NAHL Hobey Baker Award winner was goaltender Dryden McKay in 2022 (Corpus Christi/Springfield Jr. Blues) of Minnesota State University.
2026 Hobey Baker Award Nominees with NAHL ties:
Atlantic Hockey America
Chris Hedden: Air Force Academy, Sr. (Shreveport Mudbugs, 2020-21)
JJ Cataldo: Army-West Point, So. (Springfield Jr. Blues, 2023-24)
Big Ten
Ben Dexheimer: Univ. of Wisconsin, Sr. (Austin Bruins, 2020-21)
Gavin Morrissey: Univ. of Wisconsin, So. (Austin Bruins, 2021-23)
CCHA
Leo Bulgakov: Augustana Univ., Fr. (Aberdeen Wings, 2023-25)
Gavin Best: Ferris State Univ. Sr. (Minnesota Magicians, 2020-22)
Owen Bartoszkiewicz: Michigan Tech, Jr. (Wichita Falls Warriors, 2020-21; Oklahoma Warriors, 2023-24)
Quinn Emerson: Bowling Green State Univ., Sr. (Lone Star Brahmas, 2020-21)
Lucas Wahlin: Univ. of St. Thomas, Sr. (Kenai River Brown Bears, 2020-21)
Adam Flammang: Bemidji State Univ., Sr. (St. Cloud Blizzard, 2019-20)
Evan Murr: Minnesota State Univ., Jr. (St. Cloud Norsemen, 2021-22)
Alex Tracy: Minnesota State Univ, Sr. (Johnstown Tomahawks, 2019-20)
ECAC
Christian Catalano: Rochester Inst. of Tech, Jr. (Maryland Black Bears 2023-26)
Jakub Krbecek: Rochester Inst. of Tech, So. (Philadelphia Rebels, 2022-24)
Chrisopher Pelosi: Quinnipiac Univ., So. (Janesville Jets, 2022-23)
Hockey East
Lawton Zacher: Northeastern Univ., Jr. (Minot Minotauros, 2022-23)
Dillan Bentley: UMass-Lowell, Sr. (New Mexico Ice Wolves, 2020-22)
Jay Ahearn: UMass-Lowell, Sr. (Johnstown Tomahawks, 2020-21)
Morgan Winters: Univ. of New Hampshire, Sr. (Kenai River Brown Bears, 2020-21)
Jack Musa: UMass, Jr. (Odessa Jackalopes, 2020-21)
Independent
Lassi Lehti: Univ. of Alaska-Fairbanks, Sr. (El Paso Rhinos & Minot Minotauros, 2021-22)
Evan Orr: Stonehill College, Sr. (Odessa Jackalopes, 2020-22 Northeast Generals, 2022)
NCHC
Barrett Hall: St. Cloud State Univ., Jr. (Minnesota Wilderness, 2021-22)
Owen Michaels: Western Michigan Univ., Jr. (Bismarck Bobcats, 2020-22)
Eric Pohlkamp: Univ. of Denver, So. (Minnesota Magicians, 2020-21)
Zam Plante: Univ. of Minnesota-Duluth, So. (Minnesota Wilderness, 2020-21)
The selection process for this award is done in three parts. First, the head coaches of NCAA Division I schools nominate the top three players in their league and the top three players in the nation. College hockey fans can also vote online at this time—and fan voting can be an important factor in the balloting outcome. Fan voting started on January 21, and runs until Sunday, March 8. From the initial nominations, the field will narrow down to the top ten finalists on Wednesday March 18. Phase two of voting for the top ten will close on Sunday, March 29.
From the top ten, the voting commences for the “Hobey Hat Trick,” this is when the field of nominations narrows from ten athletes to three. The top three athletes will be announced on Thursday, April 2. The winner is then selected from this trio of athletes and in this phase of the selection process, the Hobey Baker Memorial Award Selection Committee will choose the 2026 winner.
After the three finalists for the award (“Hobey Hat Trick”) are announced, the countdown begins toward the announcement of the award winner in a nationally televised ceremony on April 10 during the NCAA Frozen Four in Las Vegas, Nevada.
