ST. PAUL, Minn. — Jamie McBain was the first to admit he was surprised.
But whether or not the junior defenseman saw it coming, McBain was named the WCHA’s Player of the Year Thursday at the conference’s annual award banquet.
The award wasn’t the only accolade he received on the weekend. It was also announced McBain is one of 10 finalists for the 2009 Hobey Baker Memorial Award, given annually to the top player in Division I men’s hockey.
“No one’s more surprised than me, I’ll tell you,” McBain said Thursday.
In fact, McBain was quick to name a player from the rival Minnesota Golden Gophers as one of the league’s best.
“You look around the league at all the great players, the one that came to my mind is Ryan Stoa,” McBain said. “I was surprised, but obviously it’s a huge honor. It’s something I’m very proud of.”
A second-round draft pick of the Carolina Hurricanes, McBain finished the season as the top scorer on the Badgers with 37 points on seven goals and 30 assists. He collected just one point during the Final Five — an assist on Brendan Smith’s goal against North Dakota.
McBain insisted the pair of accolades didn’t put any added pressure on him entering the tournament weekend.
“I’ve learned to be pretty good at just letting things go and just worry about going out and playing the same way I’ve always played,” McBain said.
McBain will try to become the first Badger to win the Hobey. The last to be nominated was goaltender Brian Elliott in 2006, when Elliott was a top three finalist.
“It’s a huge honor obviously, top ten,” McBain said. “I had a little skid there where I didn’t get any points and I thought maybe I’d be out of it.”
McBain may not have been the only one surprised by his nomination. At the banquet, master of ceremonies Jim Rich said the wrong name when announcing the award, calling him Justin, not Jamie.
“Just a little mix-up, I guess,” McBain said.
No other WCHA players made the Hobey field of 10. Joining McBain as finalists are Louie Caporusso (Michigan), Matt Gilroy (Boston University), Chad Johnson (Alaska Fairbanks), Zane Kalemba (Princeton), Jacques Lamoureux (Air Force), David McIntyre (Colgate), Viktor Stalberg (Vermont), Brad Thiessen (Northeastern) and Colin Wilson (Boston University).
Many speculated McBain would leave for the NHL after his sophomore season last year, in which he scored 24 points to lead all Badger defenders. That question will likely arise again for the Faribault, Minn. native as Wisconsin’s season has come to an end.
One other Badger was honored at the banquet: defenseman Jake Gardiner, a freshman from Minnetonka, Minn., who made the WCHA’s All-Rookie team. Gardiner finished the season with 21 points, third most among Wisconsin defensemen.
