UConn men’s hockey’s Jonny Evans named 2021 Hobey Baker Award candidate

For just the second time in UConn’s Hockey East Era, the Huskies have a candidate for the Hobey Baker Award. Junior forward Jonny Evans is one of 50 players named on the ballot for the award, which is given to the best player in college hockey each year.

Previously, Adam Huska, Max Letunov, and Tage Thompson were all candidates back in 2017, though no UConn player has ever made the list of 10 finalists. The process of selecting a winner goes through three phases, each of which includes a fan vote which accounts for one percent of the total ballot in each phase.

Evans has 11 goals and nine assists this season. He leads both UConn and Hockey East in goals scored and is one point behind UMass’ Bobby Trivigno for the conference lead in points despite playing four fewer games. Evans’ 0.73 goals and 1.33 points per game rank fifth and sixth in the country, respectively.

On the defensive end, he has 15 blocks this season, which is fourth-most on the team and second-most by a forward.

“He’s had a terrific year so far,” head coach Mike Cavanaugh said about Evans prior to the Huskies’ recent series against Boston College. “I think the biggest jump he’s made is becoming a 200-foot player. He was always a good player and he could always play well defensively but it seemed like he would either be good offensively or good defensively. Now he’s putting both in and he’s effective at both ends of the ice which really makes him a top-notch, elite player.”

In the Huskies’ last game against Merrimack, Evans scored four goals — the most ever by a single player in a game in UConn’s Division I history (1998-present). It was his third career hat trick, which means he’s now responsible for half of the Huskies’ total hat tricks since they moved to Hockey East in 2014.

Evans was named Hockey East Offensive Player of the Week for that performance — the second time he’s earned the honor in the last three weeks. The junior has also made the league’s honor roll three times this season.

The list of 50 players will be cut down to ten on March 17 and then further whittled down to just three on April 1. The winner of the 2021 Hobey Baker Award will be announced during the Frozen Four in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania on April 9.

Voting is now open with phase one running until Sunday, March 8 at midnight. Fans can cast their ballot at hobeybaker.com/vote.