Hobey Voting

[RichH]

[Q]Beeeej Wrote:

 I think you're misconstruing how it works.  I don't believe that the fans have the power to limit the 58 coaches to choosing the Hobey Baker winner from only the ten players whom  we've voted for arbitrarily.  I believe that in this round, the fans are, in the aggregate, one voter out of 59 to determine the ten finalists - and in the next round, the fans are, in the aggregate, one voter out of 59 to pick the winner from those ten finalists.
Beeeej[/q]
Almost correct.  You have to piece together the exact (but not always specified) process from several sources on the hobey website.  For the fan balloting, they outline 3 "phases" here: http://www.hobeybaker.com/vote/guest_welcome.php   I'll try to reconcile the fan process with the actual Hobey determination process as best as I understand it.  This is outlined on a seperate page here: http://www.hobeybaker.com/vote/process.htm

Phase 1: Purely for the fans.  All this phase does is determines what names are eligible to appear on the phase 2 ballot in the fan-vote interface.

Phase 2: Fans stuff away.  58 head coaches compile two 3-person ballots: one for players in their league and one for players nationwide.  The votes are tabulated from all sources (somehow...see my discussion below) and the list of ten finalists is determined and announced.

Phase 3:  The Hobey Baker Memorial Award recipient is determined by a final vote of the Hobey Baker Selection Committee (comprised of coaches, media, and scouts) and the one-vote-only final phase of the fan balloting.  The top three are announced as the "Hobey Hat-Trick" Finalists (est. 2001) but another vote doesn't happen on these three.  The eventual recipient is already determined by this point.


Now there are some pretty obvious vagaries.  How does the accounting firm factor in national votes vs. conference-only votes from the coaches?  There is nothing I can find that says how the votes are tabulated or weighted in Phase 2.  Also nothing that guarantees how much the fan vote actually counts.  If they are treated as one coach, like many have assumed, do only the top 3 get considered (like a coaches ballot?)  or top 6?  or top 10?  Maybe the accountants of the tabulation firm, after working their magic on the two ballots from the 58 coaches, glance at the fan results, stroke their chins and say "gee, that's some good stuffing" and submit the top-10 list.

Phase 3 is also shrouded in mystery...again with how insignificant a role the fan ballot plays, but also who serves on the Hobey Baker Selection Committee.  "This committee is composed of print media, electronic media, NHL scouts, and the American Hockey Coaches Association (college hockey coaches).  So it doesn't go back to the 58 coaches, but a mix of media, scouts, and select coaches.  Who knows who is on it, how many are on it, how long the term is, and what the make-up is?  

Perhaps the committee is listed in the program for the awarding ceremony, but I'm too lazy right now to dig my past ones out.  In fact, now that I think about it, I'm pretty sure Grady Whittenberg was on the Hobey Committee one year.  Doing some sly Googling, I can confirm that and tell you the make-up of the 1997 committee:  4 head coaches (one from each of the 4 major conferences), 5 Broadcast Media members (one from each conference and one from "College Hockey USA"), 5 Print Media members (one from each conference region and one from USA Today), 3 NHL Scouts, and 1 representative from USA Hockey.  I'm betting that coach from each of the new conferences has been added, as well as a voice from USCHO.

The award has always been determined by committee...and since it is given by a private orgainization, (The Decathlon Athletic Club of Bloomington, Minnesota) they certainly have that right.  And I actually prefer the committee members are unknown to the masses...imagine the pestering and bribes that would be present.  

IMO, in recent years, they seem to have been getting away from the original criteria for the award (strength of character on and off the ice, scholastic achievement, and sportsmanship as well as skill) and it has just become another "best player" or rather "best stats" award.

[WC \' 83]

There has been 1536 visits today on elynah, if they had all voted, no problem it is just not important to them, the other schools support the ones nominated Cornell supports the team.

[Trotsky]

McKee now solidly in 10th.

[Pete Godenschwager]

[Q] There has been 1536 visits today on elynah, if they had all voted[/Q]

Are those all independent people though?  You can visit the site 100 times, and only vote once.

[Ben Rocky '04]

McKee is three votes ahead of Niagara's Ehgoetz, who is holding 10th place.