St. Cloud's LeBlanc Wins 2013 Hobey Baker Award

Drew LeBlanc of St. Cloud State University is the 2013 winner of the Hobey Baker Memorial Award as college hockey’s top player.

The award was presented to the senior forward tonight at the Consol Energy Center in Pittsburgh, site of the 2013 NCAA Frozen Four.

The Western Collegiate Hockey Association Player of the Year and the WCHA Outstanding Student-Athlete of the Year, the first such skater to earn both accolades simultaneously in the 52-year history of the league, LeBlanc finished the 2012-13 campaign with 13 goals and a nation-high 37 assists for 50 points, one year after suffering a severely-broken leg that limited him to 10 games and force him to redshirt the rest of the 2011-12 campaign.

"Wow," said LeBlanc on NHL Network upon taking the podium to accept the 33rd Hobey Baker Award. "This is one of those things ... It's an unreal moment for me. I'm humbled, honored, and blessed.

In 171 career games with the Huskies, the six-foot, 185-lb. LeBlanc collected 42 goals and 105 assists for 147 points. He ended his college career in Thursday's 4-1 loss to Quinnipiac and fellow Hobey Baker finalist Eric Hartzell in an NCAA semifinal. Johnny Gaudreau of Boston College was the other finalist.

A four-time WCHA All-Academic choice, LeBlanc, a Hermantown, Minn., native has also served as a high school math student-teacher this season.He prepped with the Chicago Steel of the United States Hockey League before enrolling at St. Cloud.

More on this story at Bleacher Report.

Hobey Baker Award Finalists Announced

The ten finalists for the 2013 Hobey Baker Memorial Award have been announced.

They include:

Greg Carey – St. Lawrence University
(Junior, Forward, Hamilton, Ont.)

Carsen Chubak – Niagara University
(Junior, Goalie, Prince Albert, Sask.)

Austin Czarnik – Miami University
(Sophomore, Forward, Washington, Mich.)

Kyle Flanagan – St. Lawrence University
(Senior, Forward, Canton, N.Y.)

Johnny Gaudreau – Boston College
(Sophomore, Forward, Carneys Point, N.J.)

Eric Hartzell – Quinnipiac University
(Senior, Goalie, White Bear Lake, Minn.)

Corban Knight – University of North Dakota
(Senior, Forward, High River, Alta.)

Danny Kristo – University of North Dakota
(Senior, Forward, Eden Prairie, Minn.)

Drew LeBlanc – St. Cloud State University
(Senior, Forward, Hermantown, Minn.)

Ryan Walters – University of Nebraska Omaha
(Junior, Forward, Rosemount, Minn.)

There are eight forwards and two goaltenders among the 10 nominees. Four of the Hobey Baker Award finalists hail from the Western Collegiate Hockey Association, and three from the Eastern College Athletic Conference, respectively. Five of the finalists are seniors, and four of the finalists are natives of Minnesota. 

The Hobey Hat Trick of the last three finalists will be named on April 3. The 2013 award winner will be announced on April 12 at the NCAA Men’s Division I Frozen Four in Pittsburgh, while the award banquet will be held on May 22 in St. Paul, Minn.