Macklin Celebrini stats: What the 2023 Hobey Baker award winner's numbers looked like for the 2023-24 calendar year

Macklin Celebrini won the Hobey Baker Award on Friday as the top men's player in NCAA ice hockey this season.

The Boston University freshman forward finished ahead of finalists Cutter Gauthier of Boston College and Jackson Blake of North Dakota. At 17, Celebrini is the youngest Hobey Baker winner.

Celebrini led the NCAA with 64 points (32 goals, 32 assists) in 38 games in the 2023-24 season. He was third in goals and second in assists. The young phenom was named both the Rookie of the Year and the Player of the Year in Hockey East.

"It’s kind of been a whirlwind," Celebrini said the NHL of his freshman season. "It’s a lot to take in. It’s gone by fast, and I’ve tried to enjoy it as much as possible."

He's just the fourth player to win both the Rookie and Player of the Year honors in Hockey East, joining Jack Eichel (2015), Paul Kariya (1993) and Brian Leetch (1987).

Celebrini played a key role in guiding Boston University to the Frozen Four, where they fell short with a 2-1 overtime loss to Denver in the national semifinals.

The standout freshman is the first Boston University player to capture the Hobey Baker since Jack Eichel in 2015. Eichel had 71 points that season. Other Terrier winners include Chris Drury in 1998 (57 points) and Matt Gilroy in 2009 (37 points).

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Macklin Celebrini's thoughts on his future

As Boston University's season comes to an end, the future is unclear for standout freshman Macklin Celebrini. Celebrini is likely the 2024 first-overall NHL draft pick, so he must decide if he turns pro or returns to BU for another season.

According to Celebrini's father Rick, it would not be surprising if his son opts to stay in college for another year.

"It's a difficult decision because it depends on what team drafts me, where I go, what the situation is like," Macklin Celebrini told The Athletic. "Obviously, I wouldn't be afraid of coming back, too.

We have a great group this year. We have a lot of guys coming back next year, so we'll have a special group again."

He added, "It's tough to tell what's going to happen. It's still up in the air."

Celebrini chose to pursue college hockey at BU to be as prepared as possible for the NHL. The college game has challenged him against quicker, stronger players, pushing him to develop his skills.

After the Frozen Four loss, a shocked Celebrini indicated that he expects to keep playing and has not yet processed the end of BU's season.

Macklin Celebrini will weigh his options carefully in the coming weeks. But whether he turns pro or heads back to BU, all signs point to a bright future for the young phenom.