Really, when it gets down to it, trying to establish successors to Hobey finalists - especially Hobey winners - can be impossible a lot of the time. I mean, could you imagine sitting around in the summer of 2003 and asking, "OK, now who's going to score 82 points next year like Peter Sejna just did?"

Then again, Zach Parise was around at the time, and given that a certain portion of fans began to describe him as a deity, 82 points may have been considered well within his supposed omnipotence.

But I digress. You get the point.

The point is, that there are more Hobey hopefuls out there for 2007-08 than fit neatly into the roles of the finalists from 2007, and while I certainly consider the 10 players I named on Thursday - be Ryan Duncan, Eric Ehn, Nathan Davis, Joe Fallon, Jeff Lerg, Kevin Regan, Matt Gilroy, Brandon Wong, Kevin Porter and T.J. Oshie - to be contenders, they're hardly the only ones. So, let's see who else is out there. Here are five more to keep an eye on heading into the 2007-08 season.

Ryan Jones, F, Miami: Jones is going into his second season as captain of the RedHawks, and that kind of leadership doesn't hurt when you're talking about the Hobey. He also embodies the intensity and work ethic that define Miami Hockey. And then, there's the goals. 29 of them last season, to be exact. Only Ted Cook, Mike Santorelli and Ryan Duncan had more, and Santorelli isn't coming back. Overall, Jones was 28th in the country in points per game last season, but if his numbers jump this season, don't be surprised to see Jones as a finalist.

Kyle Okposo, F, Minnesota: How many times have you watched "The Goal?" I think I'm getting up into the 90-100 range myself. Flashy plays like that don't necessarily win you the Hobey, but they speak well of the skill that Okposo has, and if he can show that skill over the full length of the season, then he's certainly a contender. His scoring average dropped half a point from the first half of the season to the second - chalk it up to a freshman hitting the wall, or possibly the dismissal of linemate Tyler Hirsch, or both - so the challenge for him will be to produce consistently over the course of hte season.

Nick Dodge, F, Clarkson: Dodge is a phenomenal talent, and while playing at a small school may hurt his chances of getting noticed, the Golden Knights' schedule will offer him plenty of opportunities to be seen by coaches and media. Clarkson will play UMass, Providence, Lake Superior, St. Cloud, Maine, Boston College and Colorado College this season, so he certainly won't be hard to find. As it was, he picked up some Hobey Watch recognition last season from our panel, so it could certainly happen again.

Nathan Gerbe, F, Boston College: The quintessential BC forward raised his game tremendously in 2006-07, more than doubling his point total (18 in 2005-06, 47 in 2006-07). I don't think his numbers will have that kind of dramatic growth in 2007-08, but as he develops more and absorbs more of Jerry York's teachings, he'll become more and more effective, and I think he could make a real push for the Hobey along the lines of Chris Collins' candidacy in 2006.

Taylor Chorney, D, North Dakota: I don't know about North Dakota having three Hobey Finalists...it isn't likely, and it wouldn't be good for the chances of any of them winning the big prize. On the other hand, he's a returning All-American defenseman, he's part of the pact that's also keeping Duncan, T.J. Oshie and Joe Finley in Grand Forks, and he'll enter 2007 as one of the top defensemen in college hockey.

So, who's missing from my extended list that should be on there? Let me know.