While it is uncommon for a sophomore to be nominated for the Hobey Baker Award, it is even more unusual to win the prize. North Dakota forward Ryan Duncan became only the third sophomore player in the award’s history to be recognized as college hockey’s top performer. The high-scoring forward from Calgary, Alberta, helped the Fighting Sioux to their third straight NCAA Frozen Four appearance. In 43 games, the diminutive Duncan (5’8 and 155 pounds) scored 31 goals, second best in the nation, and had 26 assists for 57 points, making him fourth in the nation in scoring. Those efforts helped North Dakota to a 17-4-4 run that season as one of college hockey’s hottest teams. In addition to receiving the Hobey Baker Award, Duncan was named WCHA Player of the Year, First Team WCHA, and a first team West All American. Duncan was a business major and a WCHA All Academic student-athlete with a 3.20 GPA. A pro hockey free agent, he returned for his final two seasons at North Dakota, and then spent two seasons with Salzburg of the Austrian Elite League. He spent the 2011-12 season with Portland in the AHL and returned to Salzburg for the 2012-13 season. Now in 2013-14, he is playing for Munich in the German elite league.
