>
> Brian Morris writes :
>
> The question again:  Is there something unique to the player who wins the
> Hobey that somehow negates his pro potential--and I'm not talking about
> all the intangible elements that are included in the consideration of the
> award.  What traits might be common to Hobey winners, but fatal to NHL
> success: size,
> strength, shotmaking, etc.
>
> =====================================================================
 
> Steve Sweisfeldt writes:
 
>
> I think it's basic:  the two games (pro and college) are totally
> different.  What makes one a good college player doesn't make one a good
> pro and vice-versa.  The Hobey awards the best college player.  Period.
>
>    - Steve
 
I think that Brian is closer to the mark here in listing size, strength,
and shotmaking, but the problem is not limited to Hobey Baker winners - it
concerns the talent pool in general.
 
There are three types of players in college hockey - skill players,
larger, physical players, and the rest.  Those with PRO skills AND
size tend to go directly to the pros - e.g., the Lindros types.  In the
pros if you don't play big, you had better have the PRO skill game to
compensate - e.g., Gretzky and (hopefully) Kariya.  Notice that I
emphasize the PRO in PRO skills.  Gretzky, by the
way, can play big when the situation arises, and Kariya's going to have to
do the same.
 
UMaine players struggling to make it in the pros over the years give a
good indication of what is happening:
 
- those players whose college skill levels shine but who lack pro size
(6+ feet, 200+ lbs.) have struggled.  Walsh tends to load up on such
players, and they've been VERY successful at UMaine. They include
Scott Pellerin, Jean Ives Roy, David Capuano, the Ferraros, and Jim
Montgomery.  Pellerin's a Hobey Baker winner, and Roy, Capuano, and
Montgomery were all candidates, skill players, and 30 goal scorers.
But they're all smaller, and they've all struggled.  Kariya's a
special case, with (again hopefully) the pro skills to overcome his
size.
 
- those larger, physical, but less skilled players haven't fared that much
better (who does).  But, there have been some successes.  Eric Weinrich
and Bob Beers are both defensemen with size, and Bob Corkum of the Ducks
is a big forward who played on the third line of the big '87-'88
Maine team.  We in Maine were excited a few years back when Steve
Tepper, a forward known more for his out of control skating style than
anything else, was called up by the Black Hawks.  He was (is) 6 ft. 4 in.,
225 lbs.
 
Now, about the Hobey - it has been pretty much a skill player
award, and the only recent winner I've seen that has skills surpassing
the majority of pro players is Paul Kariya.  The rest simply are
not big fish in a small pond anymore, with the result being that they
have to play bigger than they did in college.  This is easier said than
done.
 
Larry Latour
UMaine