By Tyler King - Brooks Bandits

Bandits alumnus Cale Makar wins Hobey Baker Award

Apr 13, 2019 | 1:24 PM

BUFFALO, NY – One day away from leading his University of Massachusetts Minutemen into the NCAA national final against the University of Minnesota-Duluth, Brooks Bandits alumnus defenceman Cale Makar (Calgary, AB) has been named the recipient of the 2019 Hobey Baker Award, the most prestigious honour in college hockey.

Makar received the award one day after his UMass squad defeated Denver to advance to its first-ever championship game. He is the first Brooks Bandits alumnus to win the Hobey Baker.

The sophomore defenceman was also Hockey East Player of the Year, and a conference first-team all-star in his second season since being drafted 4th overall by the Colorado Avalanche in the NHL Entry Draft.

It followed up a freshman campaign in which he won a gold medal at the World Junior Hockey Championship, and was a Hockey East All-Rookie team honouree.

In his two-year campaign with Brooks, Makar capped off his stellar Junior A journey by being named AJHL Top Defenceman, AJHL Most Valuable Player, an AJHL All-League Team honoree, AJHL Playoff MVP, Western Canada Cup All-Tournament Team honoree and Top Defenceman, and RBC Cup Top Defenceman and Most Valuable Player, the first player to ever be named RBC Cup MVP in back-to-back years.

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Makar also became the first Bandit to ever win the CJHL Most Valuable Player Award, and the second Bandit ever to win the prestigious RBC National Junior A Player of the Year Award.

The Bandits would like to congratulate Cale and his family on this latest of his many incredible achievements, and the organization looks forward to his continued accomplishments at even higher levels. Makar and the Minutemen take on UMD beginning at 6 PM mountain time Saturday night for the national championship.