The Hobey Baker Memorial Award Committee announced today the 2022 recipient of college hockey’s top individual prize is Dryden McKay from the Minnesota State University. The announcement came during a live broadcast on NHL Network and hobeybaker.com.
For three straight years, McKay has been a Hobey top ten finalist and for the past two seasons, a Hobey Hat Trick finalist as one of the top three players in college hockey. The third time is the charm. Additionally, McKay has been a Mike Richter Award finalist as the top goalie in college hockey three straight seasons, and again, as a top three finalist each of the past two seasons.
His brilliant goaltending helped his Mavericks to their second straight Frozen Four national championship tournament. That’s coming off an NCAA record fifth straight conference regular season title as Minnesota State captured the CCHA championship in the circuit’s inaugural season. McKay played in all but 10 games in his storied four-year career at Minnesota State. The three-time All American from Downers Grove, Illinois was honored by the conference as its Player of the Year, Goalie of the Year and First Team all-conference. McKay has now earned the distinction as the conference Goaltending Champion four straight seasons. He also earned four straight all-conference honors (First Team three times, Second Team once).
The senior goalie’s play of the ice has been nothing short of spectacular with his technically sound positioning and his keen ability to anticipate the action coming his way. He has established two NCAA records: most wins in a season with 38 and most career shutouts with 34, shattering the mark of 26 by 2001 Hobey Baker winner Ryan Miller, Michigan State.
McKay enters the national championship game against the Denver Pioneers facing national scoring leader and fellow Hat Trick Finalist Bobby Brink. His current record is 38-4-0 with a goals against average of 1.27 (3nd in the nation) and a saves percentage of .934 (3rd in the nation). Additionally, McKay recorded ten shutouts (tied-2nd in the nation) – doing so for the third straight season. McKay entered the Frozen Four national tournament with a 17-game winning streak and has allowed two or fewer goals in 34 of the 42 games he has played this season.
His intelligent play on the ice is duplicated in the classroom where Dryden is a Finance major with a 3.83 GPA and is a two-time scholar-athlete and three-time WCHA All-Academic. He is a pro hockey free agent. Mackay is the third goaltender to win the Hobey Baker Memorial award joining Minnesota’s Robb Stauber, 1988, and Michigan State’s Ryan Miller, 2001 as recipients of college hockey’s top individual honor.
