Every season has its own flavor, and the 2025-26 men’s college hockey campaign has seen the balance of power shift firmly in the Midwest and West.
The NCHC and Big Ten dominated the top of the national rankings for almost the entire season, with Michigan coming out on top as the No. 1 team in the country and Top overall seed in NCAA Tournament.
The Wolverines are not alone among Big Ten teams in the 16-team field, as Michigan State, which won the conference regular season title, also earned the No. 1 seed. Penn State and Wisconsin, who spent time in the top five of the national rankings, also made the field.
In the NCHC, North Dakota and defending national champion Western Michigan earned No. 1 seeds and did not even make the conference tournament title game. This pitted Denver against Minnesota Duluth – both NCAA Tournament teams – with the Pioneers winning 4–3 in double-overtime.
• Every game of the NCAA Men’s Hockey Tournament can be seen on ESPN networks and will stream live on the ESPN app.
NCHC and Big Ten teams accounted for seven of the top nine teams in the NPI, the metric used to determine NCAA fields and seeds. And the former top teams were not typical power brokers. ECAC champion Dartmouth, No. 6 in the NPI, made the NCAA Tournament for the first time since 1980, and No. 7 Providence won its first Hockey East regular-season title before losing in the tournament quarterfinals to 8-seed Merrimack, which became the biggest surprise in the area by ultimately winning the Hockey East title.
What does all this mean for the NCAA Tournament, which begins with regional games on Thursday and Friday? We asked ESPN college hockey analysts Andrew Raycroft and Sean Richlin what to expect, including teams to beat, players to watch and their picks for the Frozen Four in Las Vegas on April 9 and 11.
How confident are you that one of the No. 1 seeds — Michigan, North Dakota, Michigan State or Western Michigan — will win the title?
Andrew Raycroft: I’m confident we’ll see a 1-seed win a national championship this season. They have been the best four teams all season and should be a very tough matchup. That being said, Denver, Minnesota Duluth and Dartmouth can’t be counted out.
Shawn Richlin: Historically, the NCAA hockey tournament is tight-knit, with the No. 1 and No. 2 seeds usually claiming the national title. This year’s top seeds are deep, balanced and have strong goaltending, which is always a recipe for success in one-on-one games. But I could easily see Denver, which is not a 1-seed, winning the tournament, so I’m not overly confident that any of the top four will win.
Which team from the bottom half of the bracket will be the toughest?
Raycroft: Quinnipiac. Getting Providence in the first round is a big attraction for the Bobcats. Both teams have a similar style and have been on the field for more than a week. Rand Pecknold’s team is led by Ethan Wittenbach, who leads the nation in scoring, and the Bobcats’ 4.13 goals per game are second in the nation.
Richlin: Penn State. The Nittany Lions have been one of the more dynamic offensive teams in college hockey at times this year. They play fast and can attack in a hurry. They also bring an experienced group that performed well in last year’s tournament and that experience matters at this time of year. With high-end talent like Gavin McKenna, the expected No. 1 pick in June’s NHL Draft, and his ability to score, they are a dangerous team in a one-game elimination format and a team higher seeds would not want to see in their regional.
Which player is most important to his team’s success?
Raycroft: Michigan State goalie Trey Augustine. In one-on-one playoff games, goaltenders are always important, and Augustin is the best in the tournament. The potential Richter Award winner, who is also among the Hobey Baker Top 10 finalists, has the ability to lead the Spartans to a championship on his own.
Richlin: If you’re looking at one player in these tournaments, it has to be the goaltender, and most recently, it has to be Denver’s Johnny Hicks. Hicks is coming off an incredible 41-save game as the Most Outstanding Player of the Frozen Faceoff Tournament, leading his team to the NCHC title. If he can maintain his .958 save percentage and 1.14 goals-against average in the conference tournament, Denver can certainly win it all.
Who will emerge from the crowded field to win the Hobey Baker Award?
Raycroft: Max Plante from Duluth, Minnesota is my favorite. He ranks fifth in goals and points and plays over 21 minutes per night in the extremely tough NCHC. The Detroit Red Wings prospect has 14 multipoint games this season.
Richlin: There is no clear choice this year, and this could be one of the closest votes in recent memory. Hayden Stavroff’s 29 goals in 34 games are impressive, and he helped Dartmouth get back to the tournament for the first time in decades. TJ Hughes has been as consistent as any other player in college hockey over the last four years at Michigan and was the Big Ten Player of the Year on the No. 1 team in the country. Eric Pohlkamp has been a force on the blue line for Denver, scoring 17 goals and leading the team in points. Several others also qualified, including Quinnipiac freshman Ethan Wittenbach, who led the nation with 58 points. I bet Hughes will win as the best player on the No. 1 team in the country.
Who do you expect to be in Vegas for the Frozen Four?
raycroft
North Dakota: The Hawks got a great bracket and their 3.84 goals per game will serve them well against low-scoring teams.
Denver: With its regional in nearby Loveland, Colorado, Denver is hoping for another epic showdown in the regional finals against Western Michigan. David Carle and the Pios won the NCHC and are ready for another NCAA run.
Michigan State: The Spartans have the best goalkeeper of the tournament in Augustine, who is allowing only two goals per game. Michigan State is tough to play against and has 15 NHL draft picks.
Minnesota Duluth: After defeating North Dakota 5–1 in the semi-finals, the Bulldogs lost to Denver in the conference finals in double-OT. I think UMD has the talent and structure to beat No. 1 Michigan in the regional finals, but it won’t be easy.
richlin
North Dakota: Playing close to home in Sioux Falls and having a favorable bracket will help the Fighting Hawks reach Vegas.
Denver: After the NCHC win, the Pios are playing with a lot of confidence and have shown their ability to win tough games under Carle’s leadership.
Michigan State: The Spartans are deep and play a physically responsible game with a world-class goaltender. They will be coming off a tough game last year in Toledo, Ohio, when they lost to Cornell in the first round.
Michigan: The Wolverines have been playing consistently well all year with great depth and have improved defensively this season, which should help them punch their ticket to Vegas. However, the Albany bracket is brutal.
