DENVER — Remember the name Bobby Brink, because he's already cozying up to pretty elite company.
"It's really cool to be in the company that's been up for this award in the past," he said.
Brink is one of the three Hat Trick finalists for the Hobey Baker Award, the trophy for the top college hockey player in the nation. Minnesota State senior goaltender Dryden McKay and Minnesota junior forward Ben Meyers are the other two finalists.
The junior forward leads the country in three categories: 56 points, 42 assists, and a 1.44 points-per-game average.
"His competitiveness and his ability to make plays and he wants to be on the ice in big moments and he executes in them, I think that's a tell-tale sign of a hockey player," DU hockey head coach David Carle said. "Bob's had an incredible year, but our team's had an incredible year and that's a testament to our team that he's up for that award."
Brink would be the first to tell you that he couldn't do it alone.
"I definitely wouldn't be here without my teammates--every single one of them," Brink said.
His linemates Cole Guttman and Carter Savoie have had a symbiotic relationship with the nation's point leader.
"I've been so lucky to play with a guy like that. To be a top-three Hobey Baker Award finalist, in that general talk, is such a huge honor for him and he deserves it so much," Guttman said. "He's such a creative player and so skilled that he opens up a lot for me. It's been really fun playing with him."
Savoie leads the team in goals scored with 22 and ranks sixth in the nation in goals-per-game with .59.
"He's obviously had an unbelievable year. He's led our team offensively all year, he sees the ice so well, and I've been fortunate enough to play with him all year," Savoie said.
If he hears his name announced, Bobby Brink would become only the third Hobey Baker Award winner in program history, and the first since Will Butcher in his 2017 national championship year. Head coach Carle's older brother Matt Carle earned the prestigious award first for the university in 2006.
The winner will be announced at 4 p.m. MT on April 8 on the NHL Network.
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