Ryan Miller
Miller became just the second goaltender to win the Hobey Baker Award doing so in only his sophomore season. He led the nation in all major goalie categories including wins (31), goals against average (1.32), shutouts (10) and set an NCAA record for saves percentage (.950). His two-year total of 18 shutouts also set an NCAA career shutout record. Ryan’s outstanding year was capped with six CCHA post season awards including Player of the Year and Best Goaltender honors. The business major set several team and CCHA records along the way helping guide his Spartans to the #1 national ranking heading into the NCAA Frozen Four Championship Tournament. In 2001-02, Miller was again a Hobey Baker top ten finalist while garnering CCHA MVP honors for the second straight year and being named Goalie of the Year for the third straight season, adding eight more shutouts to his NCAA career shutout record (26). Miller spent his first 11 NHL seasons with the Buffalo Sabres, was traded in March of 2013 to the St. Louis Blues, then signed an off-season (2014) deal with the Vancouver Canucks where he played for three seasons. Miller also backstopped the United States to a silver medal at the 2010 Vancouver Olympics. In February of 2019, Miller became the winningest American-born goalie in NHL history, and, is one of only 30 goalies in NHL history to record over 300 wins. Miller completed 18 NHL seasons including four with the Anaheim Ducks and retired following the 2020-21 season having played in 796 career regular season games, finishing with a career 2.64 GAA and .914 SP along with 44 career shutouts. Ryan was inducted into the U.S. Hockey Hall of Fame, class of 2022, as the winningest American born goaltender in NHL history.
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2001 Runner Up
Brian Gionta was a highly successful player for Boston College from 1997 to 2001. In his senior season (2000-01), he served as team captain and was a dominant force, leading the nation with 33 goals and tallying 54 points in 43 games. His outstanding performance earned him a top-ten nomination for the Hobey Baker Award and the Hockey East Player of the Year award. Gionta capped off his college career by leading the Eagles to a National Championship. He is also the program’s all-time leading goal scorer.
After college, Gionta went on to have a long and distinguished professional career. Drafted by the New Jersey Devils in 1998, he would win a Stanley Cup with the team in 2003. In 2005-06, he set a franchise record with 48 goals. He later served as captain for both the Montreal Canadiens and Buffalo Sabres. Over his 16-season NHL career, he played in over 1,000 games and was the captain for Team USA at the 2018 Winter Olympics.