The road to the Frozen Four is officially set.
The NCAA Men’s Hockey tournament bracket was released on Sunday, including a mix of seasoned powerhouses and newcomers to the tournament. The bracket is filled with electric matchups and storylines, as the sixteen participants battle for college hockey’s ultimate prize.
UConn and Bentley make tournament debuts
Two schools made the tournament field for the first time in program history, the Connecticut Huskies and the Bentley Falcons. UConn was selected as an at-large after an impressive 22-11-4, with several wins against top Hockey East opponents. The Huskies are coming off a deep conference tournament run before ultimately falling to Maine. Bentley, meanwhile, entered the Atlantic Hockey tournament as a No. 3 seed at 23-14-2. However, a late season surge propelled them to a conference title to secure an automatic bid to the big dance.
Hockey East sends six teams to the field
This year’s bracket is dominated by Hockey East with a record-tying six of the participants coming from the conference, reaffirming its status as one of the top hockey leagues. Boston College and Maine earned No. 1 seeds after dominant regular seasons and the Black Bears claimed the Hockey East championship. UConn, Providence and Boston University each secured No. 2 seeds, and UMass rounded out the field as a No. 4 seed. This marks the highest number of Hockey East teams in the tournament since 2015, and the first time having two No. 1 seeds since 2012. Despite the dominance of the top teams, the league was highly competitive in-conference and had strong out-of-conference performances. The next most-represented conference was the Big Ten, with four teams in the tournament, led by powerhouse Michigan State.
NHL draft prospects on display
The tournament is filled with potential NHL draft picks, headlined by Boston College center James Hagens. Hagens is projected to go early in the first round in this year’s draft and was ranked No. 2 in the NHL scouting midterm rankings. The freshman has 35 points this season (10 goals, 25 assists) and has been a key factor in the Eagles’ dominant regular season. Michigan State is also on the field with wing Shane Vansaghi. Despite being mostly a third-line player with such a talented Spartans roster, Vansaghi has demonstrated his physicality and balanced skillset. Boston University freshman defenseman Sascha Boumedienne is another name to look out for. He has demonstrated his high hockey IQ and fluid skating ability that has impressed NHL scouts, making him a potential second round pick in the draft.
Longtime coach gets last shot at the tournament
Cornell coach Mike Schafer announced he would be stepping down at the conclusion of this season after 30 years coaching the Big Red. His team did not meet its lofty expectations over the regular season, finishing sixth in the Eastern College Athletic Conference. However, Cornell looked like a whole new team once the playoffs arrived, blowing out Yale in the first round before stunning Quinnipiac to advance to the final. Schafer’s squad took down Clarkson in the championship to cap off an exceptional run to make the NCAA tournament. Now, with momentum on their side, Cornell could be a dangerous dark horse looking to send their coach off in storybook fashion.
Denver seeks back-to-back titles
The reigning champions are back in the tournament looking to repeat and earn their 11th NCAA Hockey championship. That would be their third title in four years, which hasn’t happened since 1958-1961 by none other than Denver. Coming off a devastating double overtime loss in the NCHC championship, the Pioneers will once again have a tough path to the Frozen Four in the Manchester regional. This also sets up a potential rematch of last year’s championship against Boston College, who was placed in the same bracket. The Broncos return with key pieces from last year’s run, including two Hobey Baker award finalists, forward Jack Devine and defenseman Zeev Buium.
Predictions
The road to the frozen four is always filled with surprises, with dark horses emerging to challenge the top seeds. Here are my picks to make it to St. Louis in this year’s tournament.
Michigan State, Toledo Regional
The Spartans were recently tested in the Big Ten championship, edging out Ohio State in double overtime. The Spartans have been dominant all season, boasting impressive non-conference wins against Boston College and Western Michigan, and finishing 15-5-4 in a tough conference schedule. The Spartans are 9-3-4 against teams in the tournament, proving they are built for a deep run.
Boston College, Manchester Regional
The Eagles are the No. 1 overall seed for a reason. Their early exit in the Hockey East tournament raised some concerns, but the Eagles have proven their resilience before. This team is filled with talent, including Hockey East Player of the Year Ryan Leonard, and sophomore forward Gabe Perreault. They should be able to handle Bentley and would then face either Denver in a rematch or Providence in a conference matchup. Either way, the Eagles should be fired up in their revenge tour and will be a true threat if they play to their potential.
Western Michigan, Fargo Regional
After their first ever NCHC championship, Western Michigan is looking to carry their success into the NCAA tournament. The Bronco offense is lethal, as the highest scoring team in the nation, powering them to 30 wins and dominating in-conference. The program has been unable to make a Frozen Four appearance despite participating in the tournament in the past three seasons. WMU should be eager to finally get over the hump, and this may be their best chance to do so.
UConn, Allentown Regional
The Huskies aren’t satisfied with just making the tournament for the first time— they’re looking to make a deep run. UConn has been able to grind out wins in a grueling Hockey East schedule, including the No. 1 seed in the regional, Maine. They will start out their path in an in-state matchup against Quinnipiac, who they met in the CT Ice tournament in January. If they can win that matchup, the Huskies would likely face Maine, who recently defeated them in the Hockey East final. Connecticut will be hungry to take revenge should they meet again.
This year’s field features elite squads and rising programs and could be one of the most exciting tournaments in recent memory. Whether it’s a powerhouse showing off their dominance or an unexpected Cinderella run, the road to St. Louis should prove to be a must-watch for hockey fans.