Jimmy Vesey wins 2016 Hobey Baker award

[StuntMan12]

He beat out Kyle Connor who was thought by many to be the shoe in for the award. Vesey played in the ECAC and Connor played in the Big-10. Is there much difference skill wise between the two leagues?

[Zorro]

I'm shocked.. Wow!!

[Jabroni Slayr]

Wow. I don't know who votes for this trophy or how exactly they come to their conclusions but this is down right embarrassing. How anyone could beat out Kyle Connor is mind blowing, he was the best NCAA player by a mile this year.

Vesey even being on the ballot honestly is a bit of a stretch to me. My gut says he only won because he didn't last year after a great year - but got upstaged by Eichel - and this was his last shot where as if Connor doesn't go pro, he's got a few more cracks at it. Can't imagine why Connor wouldn't go pro though considering how badly he dominated everyone else. This has to sully the trophies reputation a bit though, not sure how you maintain respect after awarding the "best player" trophy to someone who clearly wasn't the best player.

[The Bottlenecker]

Worthy of the Hobey Baker, maybe...maybe not. Going to sign with the Leafs in August. You betcha, Captain.

[JagrBomb]

Worthy of the Hobey Baker, maybe...maybe not. Going to sign with the Leafs in August. You betcha, Captain.

he'll go to boston.

poor nashville, teams need to get compensated when shit like this happens.

[Jabroni Slayr]

If he goes to the Leafs I'd have to think the Preds would potentially have a tampering case worth legally investigating. Surprised no one - that I've heard or seen - has mentioned that as a possibility. I guess maybe because he's not formally under any kind of contract it wouldn't be considered "tampering" but damn, we can all see the writing on the wall there. That's just poor ethics on the Leafs part, if nothing else.

[CascadeFilly]

Wow, he's the last of the nominees I thought would win. I was pretty sure it would be Connor, but thought there was a chance Demko might win it. Vessey, though? That's kind of a joke. I'm not so sure he was even the third best, let alone the best.

[Mr. Guru]

If he goes to the Leafs I'd have to think the Preds would potentially have a tampering case worth legally investigating. Surprised no one - that I've heard or seen - has mentioned that as a possibility. I guess maybe because he's not formally under any kind of contract it wouldn't be considered "tampering" but damn, we can all see the writing on the wall there. That's just poor ethics on the Leafs part, if nothing else.

There would be no way to prove it.

Same could be said about Boston. He has way more tied into the Bruins organization (Harvard) than he does with Toronto.

Who knows what this kid does.

40% Toronto
45% Boston
15% Other

Lastly, the Hobey Baker is meaningless. The last two have been good with Eichel and Gaudreau but before that who were they? There is no chance anyone can name me the previous 5 winnners without looking it up.

2015-2016 Jimmy Vesey (LW)
2014-2015 Jack Eichel (C)
2013-2014 Johnny Gaudreau (LW)
2012-2013 Drew LeBlanc (C)
2011-2012 Jack Connolly (C)
2010-2011 Andy Miele (C/LW)
2009-2010 Blake Geoffrion (C/LW)
2008-2009 Matt Gilroy (D)
2007-2008 Kevin Porter (LW/RW)
2006-2007 Ryan Duncan (LW/RW)
2005-2006 Matthew Carle (D)
2004-2005 Marty Sertich (C/LW)
2003-2004 Junior Lessard (RW)
2002-2003 Peter Sejna (LW)
2001-2002 Jordan Leopold (D)
2000-2001 Ryan Miller (G)
1999-2000 Mike Mottau (D)
1998-1999 Jason Krog (C)
1997-1998 Chris Drury (C)
1996-1997 Brendan Morrison (C)
1995-1996 Brian Bonin (C)
1994-1995 Brian Holzinger (C)
1993-1994 Chris Marinucci (RW)
1992-1993 Paul Kariya (LW)
1991-1992 Scott Pellerin (LW)

Going back 25 years and the only players there are Kariya in 92. Morrison was good I guess for a couple years. Drury meh. He was fantasy relevant I suppose. Ryan Miller, he was a great own at once. Carle, Gilroy, Miele?? Horrible.

This is award is shit.

[blackaces]

The Hobey Baker is, to use your words, "shit and meaningless" in projecting fantasy relevance and future success but it is very meaningful to NCAA players and their schools. Context is everything

BTW Connor got robbed. What he did as a freshman compared to Vesey as a senior should have garnered him the award in my opinion. Is there something we're missing about Connor? He was also snubbed by Team USA for the 2016 World Junior team.

[Zorro]

he'll go to boston.

poor nashville, teams need to get compensated when shit like this happens.

I agree, Nashville got robbed on this one.. Especially when the player was saying he would sign..

[Slug]

he'll go to boston.

poor nashville, teams need to get compensated when shit like this happens.

What kind of compensation? Vesey was a 3rd round pick and will be 23 by the time next season rolls around. The team had plenty of time to sign him. He chose to play college hockey, get an education and not get paid to play up until this point. Just my opinion but I don't think they or any other team that loses a player this way deserves compensation.

[Mr. Guru]

The Hobey Baker is, to use your words, "shit and meaningless" in projecting fantasy relevance and future success but it is very meaningful to NCAA players and their schools. Context is everything .

This is a fantasy hockey forum. So I was taking it in that context.

And I'd still kinda disagree with you. The Hobey Baker isn't that big of a deal to schools or even the players that win it.

[Big Ev]

This is a fantasy hockey forum. So I was taking it in that context.

And I'd still kinda disagree with you. The Hobey Baker isn't that big of a deal to schools or even the players that win it.

sure it is. It's the mvp of the entire NCAA and some guys never play pro hockey after college

[blackaces]

This is a fantasy hockey forum. So I was taking it in that context.

And I'd still kinda disagree with you. The Hobey Baker isn't that big of a deal to schools or even the players that win it.

I'm assuming you've never played NCAA hockey or gone to a school that plays because that's just wrong

[Mr. Guru]

No one cares about it.