Tolvanen nominated for Hobey Baker Award

MARQUETTE — Northern Michigan University Men’s Ice Hockey (13-10-0, 12-4-0-0 WCHA) senior goaltender Atte Tolvanen has been nominated for the Hobey Baker Award, presented annually to the top player in NCAA Division I Men’s Ice Hockey.

Fan voting, which is open until March 10, will help narrow down the nominees to ten candidates for the award. Fans can vote for Tolvanen once per day by clicking HERE.

Tolvanen owns a 13-10-0 record as a senior along with a .925 save percentage and a 2.06 goals against average. Currently, he owns the fourth-most wins in the NCAA while his four shutouts are second-most and his 579 saves are fifth-most. Tolvanen leads the Western Collegiate Hockey Association in all three categories.

In his best collegiate season, so far, Tolvanen has continued his climb up the NMU record book. After tying the career shutouts record with 12 two weekends ago, Tolvanen needs just 12 more games played and 323 saves to tie those NMU records. He is also within reach of the career goals against average and save percentage marks.

The Hobey Baker Award
Teamwork. Dedication. Integrity. Exceptional play. Humility. And, above all, character. These are the values that set the game of hockey, and those who play it, apart from any other. They are also the values that the Hobey Baker Award honors each year.

The most coveted award in collegiate hockey, the Hobey Baker Award is given to the top NCAA men’s ice hockey player in the nation. Winners are chosen not for raw skill or stats or character alone, though those are important. They are selected for everything they do.

Candidates must:

• Exhibit strength and character, both on and off the ice

• Contribute to the integrity of the team

• Display outstanding skills in all phases of the game

• Show scholastic achievement and sportsmanship

Candidates must also comply with all NCAA rules, be full-time students in an accredited NCAA college or university, and complete 50% or more of the season.

The Hobey Baker Award was named for hockey legend and World War I veteran Hobey Baker. Universally recognized as the best amateur player in the United States, Baker was the ultimate gentleman sportsman, always playing the game with courage, honor, and humility.

Nominating and Selection Criteria
The selection process for the award is 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. Price Waterhouse Coopers tabulates the votes and the top 10 candidates are announced.

Voting then commences for the “Hobey Hat Trick,” which is a narrowing of the field from ten players to three, from which the winner is selected. The primary voting in this part of the process is by the Hobey Baker Memorial Award Selection Committee, a geographically balanced group of 27 individuals representing print and electronic sports media, college hockey coaches and officials, and NHL scouts. Fans may also vote online for their favorite candidate during this phase of the process.

After the three finalists for the award are announced (“Hobey Hat Trick”), the countdown begins toward the announcement of the award winner in a nationally televised ceremony.