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Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins forward Zach Aston-Reese insists his approach hasn’t changed despite being nominated for the most prestigious award in college hockey.
Aston-Reese quickly gained attention as he led the nation in goals and points during his senior season at Northeastern University. By January, he was in the running to be a finalist for the Hobey Baker Award.
And a day after Aston-Reese signed a two-year entry level deal with Pittsburgh, it was also announced that he was one of 10 finalists.
Still, his approach didn’t change.
“During the season at Northeastern I was focusing on Northeastern, and now that I’m here I’m focusing on this team,” Aston-Reese said.
But that doesn’t mean the Hobey Baker award isn’t on his mind.
“It’s the Heisman of hockey. It’s something to be proud of,” Aston-Reese said. “It would be an honor to win that award, but right now I’m just focused on what’s in front of me.”
On Thursday, the field of 10 finalists will be reduced to three, and a Hobey Baker winner will be announced on April 7. With a 31-goal, 63-point season at Northeastern, Aston-Reese is a strong candidate to win the award, which takes into consideration a player’s character on and off the ice, skills, scholastic achievement and sportsmanship.
While Aston-Reese waits for the fields of candidates to narrow, several of his Penguin teammates have already been through the Hobey Baker process. Josh Archibald and Ethan Prow made the initial nomination phase, while Kevin Porter won the award in 2008 while he was with Michigan.
So what’s it like to go through the process vying for college hockey’s top award?
“You hear a lot about it from family and friends, but as a player you’re trying to move on in your career and focus on that,” said Prow, who was a top 10 finalist for the Hobey Baker in 2016 during his final season at St. Cloud State. “But then again, you don’t want to go too fast. You want to look back on it and appreciate that you are in the running for the Hobey Baker.”
Archibald also made it to the top 10 in 2014 when he played for the University of Nebraska-Omaha. That season, Archibald scored 29 goals and 43 points in 37 games, but it wasn’t enough to be a top-3 finalist.
Archibald said the process is a waiting game, and he feels Aston-Reese has a good shot to make it to the final three.
“I don’t see why he wouldn’t get there,” Archibald said. “Even if you don’t win it, just to be considered as a finalist for that award is a huge accomplishment. To be viewed by your peers and other coaches as one of the top players is something special.”
And it’s even more special when one is voted as the top player.
As Porter’s name advanced through the award process in 2008, he was trying to focus on his first appearance in the Frozen Four and dong what he could to help his team advance.
Unfortunately for Porter, Michigan lost their first game to Notre Dame, but the very next day he got the call.
“That was pretty special,” Porter said, who won the award after scoring 33 goals and 63 points in 43 games with the Wolverines. “It’s something I’ll remember the rest of my life.”
And an experience that Porter was able to share with a few teammates during his pro career. When he played with the Buffalo Sabres in 2012-13, two of Porter’s teammates, goaltender Ryan Miller and defenseman Jordan Leopold, were also former Hobey Baker winners.
“It was pretty cool to have three Hobey Baker winners in one room,” Porter said. “It’s a pretty special award.”
And if Aston-Reese advances to the final three, there could eventually by two Hobey Baker award winners in the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton locker room this season.
“I know my family would be proud as well as Northeastern if I won,” Aston-Reese said. “It would be something to look back on down the road in my career.”
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