NIAGARA UNIV., N.Y. – Senior forward Derian Plouffe and sophomore defenseman Noah Delmas of the Niagara Purple Eagles hockey team have been nominated for the prestigious Hobey Baker Award, presented annually to the top player in NCAA Division I men’s ice hockey.
Fan voting is open until March 4, when the initial pool of nominees presented will be narrowed to ten. Fans can vote on Facebook once per day for both Plouffe and Delmas.
One season removed from a fractured skull that cut his breakout junior season short, Niagara’s Derian Plouffe returned to the ice and has taken his game to a new level this season. Plouffe currently leads the Purple Eagles and ranks fourth in Atlantic Hockey with 26 points through 24 games, tallying 13 goals and 13 assists. Plouffe has excelled in all situations for Niagara this season, as he is tied for the Atlantic Hockey lead in power-play points (11) and ranks second in game-winning goals (four). On the defensive side, Plouffe is tied for first in Atlantic Hockey and fourth nationally in shorthanded goals (two), and he is tied for tenth nationally among forwards with 26 blocked shots. Plouffe has at least one point in 18 of 24 games this season after starting the year on an eight-game point streak that included five goals and six assists, and he leads Niagara with seven games of two or more points.
After leading the Purple Eagles with 15 assists in his freshman season, Noah Delmas has stepped up as a sophomore and currently ranks third in the nation in scoring by a defensemen, tallying 22 points (2+20) in 24 games. Delmas is tied for fifth in the country at 20 assists, a total that leads all NCAA defensemen and all Atlantic Hockey players. Delmas has at least one point in 17 of 24 games this season and started the year on an eight-game point streak, totaling one goal and 10 assists in that time. He also leads the Purple Eagles and ranks ninth in Atlantic Hockey with 38 blocked shots. Delmas trails only Plouffe for the Niagara team lead with five game of multiple points, and he has four two-assist games. Delmas needs 11 points to break Chris Mackenzie’s 18-year-old program record for points by a defenseman (32 in 38 games). He needs eight assists to set a new program record in assists by a defenseman of 28; Mackenzie and Timo Makela both posted 27 helpers in the 1999-00 season.
Plouffe, Delmas, and the rest of the Purple Eagles head to Holy Cross for a two-game series with the Crusaders next weekend, with opening faceoff set for 7:05 p.m. on Friday, Jan. 19 and Saturday, Jan. 20. Jeremy White has the play-by-play call all weekend on WLVL 1340 AM.
About The Hobey Baker Award
Teamwork. Dedication. Integrity. Exceptional play. Humility. And, above all, character. These are the values that set the game of hockey, and those who play it, apart from any other. They are also the values that the Hobey Baker Award honors each year. Candidates must:
Exhibit strength and character, both on and off the ice
Contribute to the integrity of the team
Display outstanding skills in all phases of the game
Show scholastic achievement and sportsmanship
Candidates must also comply with all NCAA rules, be full-time students in an accredited NCAA college or university, and complete 50% or more of the season. The Hobey Baker Award was named for hockey legend and World War I veteran Hobey Baker. Universally recognized as the best amateur player in the United States, Baker was the ultimate gentleman sportsman, always playing the game with courage, honor, and humility.
