Where Did the 2025 NHL Award Winners Play NCAA Hockey?

2025 NHL Award Winners College Teams

As the Stanley Cup Finals unfold, the NHL has revealed its award winners for the 2024-25 season. Among those honored are three former NCAA DI hockey players: Connor Hellebuyck, Cale Makar, and Lane Hutson.

Let’s revisit the collegiate achievements and statistics of these NHL stars.

Connor Hellebuyck, G, UMass-Lowell, 2012-2014

Connor Hellebuyck concluded a career-best season by securing his second consecutive Vezina Trophy, awarded to the NHL’s top goaltender. He also earned his first Hart Trophy, recognizing him as the league’s most valuable player. By the end of the 2024-25 season, he achieved personal bests in wins (47), goals-against average (2.00), save percentage (.925), and shutouts (8).

During his college years, Hellebuyck played two seasons at UMass-Lowell, participating in 52 games and achieving a record of 38–12–2. He garnered multiple accolades throughout his college career, including the 2012 NCAA Tournament Northeast Regional MVP, which helped lead the River Hawks to the Frozen Four in his freshman year. In his sophomore year, he was honored with the inaugural Mike Richter Award, recognizing him as the most outstanding goalie in DI NCAA men’s ice hockey for the 2013-14 season.

Connor Hellebuyck’s stats in college:

Season	Record	gaA	sv%	SO
2012-13	20-3-0	1.37	.952	6
2013-14	18-9-2	1.79	.941	6
TOTAL	38-12-2	1.60	.946	12

Cale Makar, D, UMass, 2017-2019

Cale Makar achieved career highs in points (92) and goals (30), leading him to secure his second James Norris Memorial Trophy as the NHL’s top defenseman. His 2024-25 season marks the first instance of a defenseman netting 30 goals in a season since Mike Green did so in 2008-09. Makar also becomes only the fifth defenseman in NHL history to achieve consecutive 90-point seasons.

Additionally, Makar placed third in the voting for the Ted Lindsay Memorial Trophy, awarded to the league’s most outstanding player as determined by the NHL Players’ Association.

Since his college days at UMass Amherst, Cale Makar has been amassing accolades. During his sophomore year, he was honored as the Hockey East Player of the Year, received the 2019 Hobey Baker Award, and earned a spot on the Hockey East First All-Star Team.

Cale Makar’s stats in college:

Season	GP	G	A	PTS
2017-18	34	5	16	21
2018-19	41	16	33	49
TOTAL	75	21	49	70

Lane Hutson, D, Boston University, 2022-2024

Lane Hutson’s remarkable skating and offensive abilities transitioned effortlessly to the NHL, earning him the Calder Memorial Trophy as the league’s top rookie for the 2024-25 season. He topped all rookies in scoring with 66 points, playing a crucial role in the Montreal Canadiens’ return to the Stanley Cup Playoffs for the first time since the 2020-21 season.

Hutson’s fluid and inventive playing style made him a standout prospect during his two years at Boston University. He was honored as a First Team All-American on two occasions and was a top-10 finalist for the prestigious Hobey Baker Award. Additionally, he was recognized as a two-time Hockey-East First Team All-Star, among numerous other honors.

Lane Hutson’s stats in college: