Jack Eichel wins 2015 Hobey Baker Award

Boston -- To the surprise of very few, Boston University freshman forward Jack Eichel won the 2015 Hobey Baker Award, presented at a ceremony at Northeastern's Matthews Arena Friday afternoon.

The nation's leading scorer has led the Terriers to within a game of winning the 2014-15 NCAA Championship. The North Chelmsford, Mass. native has 26 goals and 40 assists for 70 points on the season. It is the most points by an NCAA rookie since Maine's Paul Kariya during the 1992-93 season.

Eichel had two goals and an assist in his team's 5-3 win over North Dakota in Thursday's Frozen Four semifinal at the TD Garden. BU faces Hockey East foe Providence College in Saturday's national championship game.

Eichel, the captain of the U.S. team at the 2015 World Junior Championship, is expected to be selected No. 2 overall in the 2015 NHL Draft, just behind Connor McDavid of the Erie Otters in the Ontario Hockey League (OHL).

A product of the US National Team Development Program in Ann Arbor, Mich., Eichel beat out Harvard University junior forward Jimmy Vesey and University of North Dakota junior goaltender Zane McIntyre.

Eichel is the second Hockey East player to win the Hobey Baker Award in as many years. Calgary Flames rookie Johnny Gaudreau, a Boston College junior at the time, won the award last season.

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Jeff Cox covers college, junior, high school and prep hockey, NCAA recruiting and NHL Draft prospects. Follow him on Twitter @JeffCoxSports.