Macklin Celebrini, the number one pick in the forthcoming 2024 NHL Draft, made history on Friday night when he won the Hobey Baker Award.

The 17-year-old rookie forward from Boston University defeated two other contenders, Cutter Gauthier from Boston College and Jackson Blake from the University of North Dakota, to win the coveted title of best men’s hockey player in the NCAA.

Macklin Celebrini Claims Hobey Baker Award in NCAA Hockey

Celebrini expressed his gratitude, calling his hectic season a blessing and highlighting how appreciative he is of the changes that have been presented to him.

Celebrini has had an incredible season, scoring an astounding 64 points in 38 games to rank third in the NCAA. Notably, he became just the fourth player to win Hockey East’s Rookie of the year and Player of the year awards.

Celebrini had an indisputable effect on the game, even if Boston University lost in the Frozen Four semifinal. His extraordinary skill has led to parallels to NHL player Jonathan Toews, who is acclaimed for his versatility in the game.

NHL Central Scouting director Dan Marr highlighted Celebrini’s incredible accomplishments at such a young age while applauding his versatility and skill set.

With an astounding 38 goals in 40 games, Gauthier, who was selected by the Philadelphia Flyers in the 2022 draft and is currently with the Anaheim Ducks, led NCAA players. Blake demonstrated his ability by scoring 60 points in 40 games for the University of North Dakota before being drafted by the Carolina Hurricanes in 2021.

With this outstanding achievement and bright future, Celebrini becomes one of the previous Hobey Baker alumni.