Macklin Celebrini (CAS’27) (center) with his teammates, brothers, and coaches after receiving the 2024 Hobey Baker Award, given annually to the nation’s top collegiate men’s hockey player, at the Saint Paul RiverCentre in St. Paul April 12. Photo by Matt Wolverton

Athletics

BU’s Macklin Celebrini Wins 2024 Hobey Baker Memorial Award

Fourth Terrier and fourth freshman to be named college hockey’s most outstanding player

For the fourth time in the award’s 44-year history, college hockey’s best player is a Boston University Terrier. On Friday Macklin Celebrini (CAS’27) was named the 2024 Hobey Baker Memorial Award recipient—given annually to the country’s most outstanding college hockey player, who exhibits “excellence and character on and off the ice, academic achievement, and community service.”

The announcement was made Friday evening at the RiverCentre Convention Center in St. Paul, Minn., less than 24 hours after the Terriers lost their Frozen Four semifinal matchup with Denver in a 2-1 overtime heartbreaker. Celebrini beat out Cutter Gauthier of Boston College and Jackson Blake of the University of North Dakota for the honor. 

Celebrini, who scored 64 points in 38 games, is the first Terrier to win the prize since Jack Eichel in 2015 (71 points), joining Matt Gilroy (MET’09) in 2009 (37 points), and Chris Drury (CAS’98) in 1998 (57 points). 

“This is an honor to receive this award and I’m truly humbled and grateful to receive it,” Celebrini said in his acceptance speech. “It’s surreal, I’m shaking right now.”

Celebrini’s 86 points for the Chicago Steel in 2022-2023 was a United States Hockey League (USHL) record. He became the second player ever named USHL Player of Year, Forward of Year, and Rookie of Year. In his freshman year at BU, Celebrini, who grew up in Vancouver, British Columbia, became the first player in Hockey East history to average a goal per game in conference play. His 23 goals in 23 league games are a single-season league record for a freshman. The Hockey East Player of the Year and Rookie of the Year is just the second BU freshman—and fourth freshman overall—to win the Hobey, joining Eichel, who won in 2015 and had a 71-point season.

“Yeah, it’s obviously very impressive to win this award and [considering] how hard it is to do it as a 17-year-old,” says Jay Pandolfo (CAS’96), BU head coach. “But I’m not surprised, just because of what I saw the second he stepped on campus and just his passion for the game and his approach to the game and just everything he does every day. It’s very impressive. So I’m really proud of that.”

“He is the full package,” says Drew Marrochello, BU athletic director. “He has been a great teammate. He’s got a great drive to win. He’s unselfish and he’s a heck of a hockey player.”

Celebrini is not just the fourth freshman in the award’s history. He’s also the youngest ever. The 17-year-old forward is the youngest player in college hockey and is projected by many analysts to be selected first overall in the 2024 NHL Draft, being held June 28 and 29, just weeks after Celebrini turns 18. 

“I want to thank my coaches, my teammates for all that they’ve done for me this season,” Celebrini said in his acceptance speech. “I also want to thank the athletic department, our athletic trainers, and our equipment staff for all that they’ve done to support us this season. I think I can speak on behalf of our team that they meant everything to us and helped us throughout the season to do everything we wanted to do.”

Celebrini’s BU success increased from the outset of the 2023-2024 campaign. In the October 7 season opener against Bentley, he notched a goal and an assist. This was the first of 22 games Celebrini would finish with multiple points. He was kept off the scoresheet in just 6 of his 38 games and has managed to contribute a point in every BU win except one. 

Away from BU, Celebrini found more on-ice success—he was named to Team Canada during the IIHF World Junior Championship midseason, leading the team in points in five games. 

Celebrini’s 32 NCAA goals and .84 goals per game are second-best in the nation, behind BC’s Gauthier. His offensive contributions helped fuel the Terriers to the 2024 Frozen Four.

The day was made even more special for Celebrini and BU when it was announced he also had won the 2024 Tim Taylor Award as Rookie of the Year, and along with teammate Lane Hutson (CAS’26), was named a First-Team All American.

The 2024 NHL Draft will be held on June 28 and 29, where Celebrini is expected to be unanimously selected first overall. As it stands, the San Jose Sharks and general manager Mike Grier (CAS’97) are the odds-on favorite to land the first overall selection. The draft lottery is expected in early May.