Kevin Porter does not embrace the spotlight. Throughout the season whenever Porter was asked about his individual attributes he seemed to be following the five rules of dodgeball that were immortalized in the Vince Vaughn/Ben Stiller comedy of the same name. He would continue to duck questions about his Hobey Baker since his name was first brought up for consideration in December.

However, on the Friday night at the Frozen Four, the Michigan senior could not dodge the questions any longer, because on center ice at the Pepsi Center, he was named the 2008 Hobey Baker Memorial Award winner. And even after winning the highest honor an individual can win in college hockey, he still seemed uncomfortable with the lone spotlight.

“It feels good. It’s a great individual award, but I couldn’t have done it without my teammates especially my linemates,” Porter said, after receiving the award. “I wouldn’t be up here without them.”

And for the most part, Porter is right. He and linemate Chad Kolarik formed the most prolific line in college hockey throughout the season. However, it was Porter who became a team leader and along the way racked up impressive point totals during the season.

He entered the Frozen Four with the nation’s lead in goals (32) and points (62). More importantly to Porter, his team finished the regular season ranked no. 1 in all major polls. However, Michigan’s successful season came to a grinding halt in the national semifinals when Notre Dame defeated their football rival, 5-4, in overtime.

Despite the loss, Porter’s season will be remembered for the Hobey. But Porter had trouble finding the words to describe what the award will mean to him in the future.

"It's tough to describe. It's an amazing honor, and to be put in the category with the past players that have won (the Hobey Baker Award) and even (fellow Hobey Hat Trick finalists) Nathan Gerbe and Ryan Jones, both tremendous, players, is a great feeling," Porter said.

The Hobey Baker Award recipient not only displays exceptional on-ice ability, but also must show sportsmanship, good character traits, and have significant scholastic achievement, according the Award’s board. Porter displayed all of those qualities.
One of the things that Porter is most proud of is his off-ice commitment to charities and non-profit organizations such as the Make-A-Wish Foundation.

“Our team would go (to Children’s Hospital) every Thursday and visit children for an hour, two hours. Just to see those kids in the hospital and what they’ve been through makes my life seem easy,” Porter said. “Those are tremendous opportunities.”

Porter’s coach Red Berenson is proud of the player and person that Porter has become.

“He came back on the mission and I’ve never seen a player take the whole team in his grasp, put them on his back, and make it happen on a regular basis,” Berenson, who was named 2008 NCAA Coach of the Year, said. “He’s been a tremendous leader and he’s grown up. There’s no way this team would be this successful without his leadership.”
And now that his college hockey career is over, Porter will take his leadership and puck-handling abilities to the NHL. Just two days after winning the Hobey, he signed a contract with the Phoenix Coyotes, who drafted him in 2004.

Joining him in Phoenix will be a familiar face. His linemate, Kolarik, also signed with the Coyotes in the week following the Frozen Four. There, the two U of M grads will play for hockey legend Wayne Gretzky. Gretzky wrote a congratulatory letter to Porter after he was named the Hobey winner.

The letter called Porter one of the best college hockey players the Great One had ever seen. Porter seemed stunned by the gesture.

“For one of the greatest hockey players to ever play to say that about me, that’s pretty special,” Porter said.