Jeremy Swayman is a Hobey Baker Award Finalist. The ceremony is April 11. Here’s an insiders look behind the scenes to that ceremony the last time the University of Maine had a Hobey finalist. I have been blessed that I still have my job and have been able to work from home. My new office space is a corner in my loft as working downstairs was too tough. My puppy did not understand why I was home all day but unable to play all the time.

As I was working upstairs, I noticed one of the framed and autographed posters on my wall. It was of the Hobey Baker Hat Trick from 10 years ago in 2010. I let myself stop for a moment to reminisce. The Frozen Four was played at Ford Field in Detroit that year and the Hobey Baker finalists were Gustav Nyquist, Blake Geoffrion, and Bobby Butler.

Coach Whitehead, Gustav, and I arrived in Detroit on Thursday. We saw a bit of the two semifinals games that day. The Hobey Baker presentation was the next day. Friday was a full day. I remember Coach Whitehead, Gustav, and I heading to do interviews with ESPN early Friday morning before the ceremony.

The Hobey Baker Ceremony was early evening as I recall. It was right on the ice at Ford Field. There were probably several hundred people in the huge NFL stadium. Blake Geoffrion ended up winning the award. His Wisconsin Badgers team was in the Frozen Four and playing for the National Championship the following night against Boston College, a game that the Eagles won.

Gustav received a ton of attention as he had been drafted by the Detroit Red Wings. This was the first time that the majority of the Detroit media had ever spoken to him in person. They all knew his impressive hockey skills.

Gustav has gone on to have the best NHL career by far. He is playing for the Columbus Blue Jackets this season and is second on the team in scoring with 15 goals and 27 assists for 42 points in 70 games. He has played the majority of his career with the Detroit Red Wings. He was traded at the trade deadline last year to San Jose, before signing with Columbus last offseason. He has 146 career goals and 202 assists for 348 points in 570 NHL games.

Although the result was not as I had wished, it still provides a great memory. In this ultra-challenging time, I encourage you to reminisce about some of your own favorite sports memories.

By Laura Reed
www.sportschowdah.com