Robb Stauber was the first goaltender to receive the Hobey Baker Award. The 1988 WCHA Player of the Year from Duluth, Minnesota, helped the Golden Gophers to WCHA regular season titles in 1988 and 1989, and had an NCAA runner-up finish in 1989. He received Minnesota’s John Mariucci Most Valuable Player Award in 1988, and set Golden Gopher single season records for games played (44), minutes played (2,621), saves (1,711), and shutouts (5) in 1987-88 while posting a 2.72 goals against average and .913 save percentage . He also holds Golden Gopher career records for games played (98), minutes played (5,717), wins (73), and save percentage (.906). He was named All-WCHA first team and All-America first team in 1988, as well as WCHA Goaltender of the Year in 1988 and 1989. He retired from professional hockey in 1998 after a ten-year pro career that included four seasons in the NHL with the Los Angeles Kings and Buffalo Sabres. Stauber currently operates Robb Stauber’s Goalcrease training center in Minnesota.
Top Ten:
Player Stats
| Type | Season | Team Name | League | Games Played | Saves | Save % | Wins | Losses |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Current Season | 2005-2006 | Jacksonville Barracudas | SPHL | 3 | 105 | 93.3 | 2 | 1 |
| Hobey Winning Season | 1987-1988 | Univ. of Minnesota | NCAA | 44 | 1362 | 91.3 | 34 | 10 |
1988 Runner Up
As a dominant forward for Lake Superior State University, Mark Vermette was a hattrick finalist for the Hobey Baker Memorial Award in 1988. In his senior season, Vermette led the nation in goals with 49 and amassed 79 points in 46 games, leading his team to the NCAA National Championship. This performance earned him a spot as a First-Team All-American, the CCHA Player of the Year award, and he scored the overtime goal that clinched the national title for the Lakers, cementing his legacy as a collegiate star.
Following his standout college career, Vermette was drafted by the Quebec Nordiques in the seventh round of the 1986 NHL Entry Draft. He would go on to play 67 games in the NHL with the Nordiques, recording 5 goals and 13 assists for 18 points. His professional career also included several seasons in the American Hockey League (AHL) with the Halifax Citadels, where he was a highly productive player, showcasing the offensive skill that made him a two-time Hobey Baker finalist.