Penn State men’s hockey’s Aiden Fink can do it all. He has a knack for scoring and assisting regularly, potentially setting himself and the Nittany Lions up for major success.

Fink, a right winger on Penn State’s first line, is having a prolific season for the history books. He leads college hockey with 44 points (1.47 per game) and trails only Boston College’s Ryan Leonard with 22 goals.

Fink, along with Leonard and a few others, is a finalist for the Hobey Baker Award, given annually to the best college hockey player. He’d be the first player in program history to win the award.

“What separates him from other players is that when the lights are on and the puck drops, he’s giving a lot of himself. He works really, really hard,” head coach Guy Gadowsky said on Monday.

Gadowsky gave a ringing endorsement of Fink to win the Hobey Baker Award on Monday, citing his ability to make plays against other top players, his puck control, and his consistency.

“I hope that the committee does their homework and looks at how he gets points and how he manages the puck, because a lot of players who have put up a lot of points are not the safest players, and Aiden Fink is the opposite,” Gadowsky said. “He’s extremely safe. He manages the puck so well. You trust him. You’re not just hoping he scores or he produces. You trust him in whether he produces or not, you know he’s going to manage the puck really well. And I think that’s a difference between him and a lot of other top scorers.”

A Changed Approach

Coming off an impressive freshman season, the Calgary, Alberta, native tallied 15 goals and 19 assists for 34 points. A changed approach is among the reasons for Fink’s stellar sophomore campaign.

Fink operates differently — both physically and mentally. He spends more time in the weight room than he used to, which Gadowsky credits for his success. He tweaked his mental approach to focusing on remaining positive, which hasn’t always been easy.

“I never let myself get negative. Last year, I’d get negative all the time if things weren’t going my way. I’ve really worked on it,” Fink said. “It’s a big thing in the NCAA — sometimes it’s not going to go your way, and if you get negative, you’re gonna get off your game.”

Most of Fink’s time in the weight room is during team lifts on Mondays and Tuesdays. The day typically starts at 7:30 a.m. with a workout of around one hour and 45 minutes in Pegula Ice Arena during the season.

Fink, who was drafted in the seventh round by the Nashville Predators in 2023, has been overlooked by some for his size. He stands 5’10” and 160 pounds, and he uses it as fuel to continue working toward eventually playing in the NHL.

“For me, to get to the next level, there’s a lot of doubters that are saying that I’m not strong enough, not big enough, and that stuff. So that gives me a little bit more motivation in the workout room,” Fink said.

Chemistry With His Linemates

Fink shares a tight bond with center Reese Laubach and left-wing Danny Dzhaniyev. Fink and Laubach have been roommates for two years, while Dzhaniyev is a neighbor. The trio ranks in Penn State’s top three in points, with 97 combined this season.

Laubach is a prospect for the San Jose Sharks, and Dzhaniyev is on pace to have a career year. Their abilities and production, in Fink’s opinion, have been important to his success.

“It’s unbelievable,” Fink said. “Our off-ice chemistry is really good. Obviously, on-ice chemistry comes from communicating and seeing what’s open.”

“He’s the best natural hockey player I’ve ever played with,” Laubach said. “He’s so skilled. He’s so smart. He’s so good with the puck. Aiden Fink for Hobey.”

NCAA Tournament Pursuit

It’s well-known by now that Penn State has had quite the turnaround. The Nittany Lions, who were winless in Big Ten play entering the New Year, have only had two regulation losses and three ties since then.

The Nittany Lions are red-hot as they swept back-to-back opponents for the first time in program history in the last two series. They’ve climbed into the rankings and currently sit No. 18 in the USCHO Poll and No. 16 in the PairWise. They’ll likely need to be ranked at least No. 14 in the PairWise to receive a bid for the NCAA Tournament.

Standing in their way, though, is a trip to No. 1 Michigan State this weekend, followed by a visit from No. 2 Minnesota to end the regular season. The Spartans’ Isaac Howard and Golden Gophers’ Jimmy Snuggerud are also viewed as Hobey Baker candidates.

Fink said he’s excited for the competition. However, his primary focus continues to be getting the Nittany Lions into the NCAA Tournament for the first time since 2023.

Like Penn State, Fink has been red-hot with 11 goals and five assists for 16 points in his last 10 games. As long as he remains healthy, it’s reasonable to envision Penn State continuing to play well, despite the strength of its schedule.

“We’re playing for a tournament spot right now. That’s a big thing for us,” Fink said. “We got to win as many games as we can, and obviously, we know [Michigan State] is No. 1, but we know we can beat anyone in the country.”