This time last year, Penn State had one rostered player who had previously been named a nominee for the Hobey Baker Memorial Award, given to the top Division I college hockey player.
There have been no finalists, no Hobey Hat Trick finishers and no award recipients in program history.
The Nittany Lions now have two skaters who finished in the top 10 of voting, seven draft picks and one of the most exciting talents in college hockey on their squad, resulting in no shortage of front-runners for the coveted trophy.
Although the award presentation is over nine months away, and the college hockey season has yet to begin, here are some early predictions for the blue and white’s top Hobey Baker candidates.
Gavin McKenna
Starting with the most obvious answer, incoming superstar forward Gavin McKenna is an early frontrunner for the MVP award.
McKenna is widely regarded as a generational talent, earning the consensus title of the highest-rated college hockey recruit ever, which is why his commitment to Hockey Valley made shockwaves across the athletic world.
The 17-year-old has it all — an unmatched creative ability, high hockey IQ levels and a physical skill set that rivals the best.
McKenna previously played in the Canadian Hockey League, dominating with the Medicine Hat Tigers of the WHL and recording 129 points in just 56 games played, a staggering 2.30 points per game.
Though he has yet to play against college-level talent, the reigning CHL and WHL Player of the Year has the capability to be one of the best in the NCAA once he steps on the ice this winter.
Forward Aiden Fink (18) shoots the puck during the Penn State men’s hockey playoff game against Michigan on Friday, March 7, 2025 in the Yost Ice Arena in Ann Arbor, Mi. The Nittany Lions beat the Wolverines 6-5 in overtime.
Jacob DeLuca
Aiden Fink
Aiden Fink has been spoken about at length around Pegula Ice Arena over the past year, and for good reason.
The 2023 seventh-round draft pick dominated Hockey Valley and the Big Ten last season, setting new Penn State single-season records in almost every category, leading the conference in points and ranking third nationally in points per game.
Fink racked up plenty of accolades, including being named a 2025 West ACHA second team All-American and a finalist for the Big Ten Player of the Year, but the one that jumps off the page is the forward’s top-10 finalist recognition for the Hobey Baker Award — the first one in program history.
The rising junior has only improved since his freshman campaign, and now with the ability to share the ice with players who will only help elevate his game to a new level, a return to the Hobey Baker spotlight doesn’t seem too far out of the picture.
Photo by Steven Ellis/Daily Faceoff
Jackson Smith
Another new name headlining the incoming class this season is defenseman Jackson Smith.
Smith was drafted No. 14 overall in this year’s NHL draft, making history as the first Nittany Lion to be selected in the first round.
The 6-foot-4, two-way defenseman joined McKenna as a dominant force in the WHL, playing for the Tri-City Americans and tallying 54 points in 68 games played, which ranked 10th amongst all WHL defenseman.
Along with impressive speed and a strong two-way skillset, Smith will bring even more creativity and flashy plays to the ice in front of the Roar Zone this winter.
The defenseman will come into State College as a likely lock for a first-line pairing as one of the top defenders on the roster, and possibly, in the NCAA.
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