Just a quick note here on Drew LeBlanc, the Hobey Baker winner whom the Hawks signed last night to a one year deal, or essentially for the rest of this season.

When you first hear that the player who won the award for best college player this season is coming to your team, it might sound like a big deal. It’s not, or tends not to be. Much like college basketball, if you stick around the college ranks in hockey to compete for the Hobey Baker award, either you’re a phenom who lorded over the competition or stuck around long enough for your senior year because you weren’t good enough to go pro.

Looking at the list of past Hobey Baker Award winners, you won’t get out of your seat. There was a lot of hubbub over Matt Gilroy, and he’s pretty much been a poor man’s…..poor man. Blake Geoffrion may have become something one day, but now we’ll never know thanks to his horrific injury. Kevin Porter? Matt Carle? You really have to go all the way back to 2002 and Ryan Miller to find an impact NHL-er who also won hockey’s top prize.