Mar 23, 2026, 08:15 AM ET
Every season has its own flavor, and the 2025-26 men's college hockey campaign has seen the balance of power firmly entrenched in the Midwest and West.
The NCHC and Big Ten dominated the top of the national rankings virtually the entire season, with Michigan settling at the top as the No. 1 team in the country and top overall seed in the NCAA tournament.
The Wolverines are not alone among Big Ten teams in the 16-team field, with Michigan State, which won the conference's regular-season title, also earning a No. 1 seed. Penn State and Wisconsin, which both 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 didn't even make the conference tournament title game. That pitted Denver against Minnesota Duluth -- both NCAA tournament teams -- with the Pioneers prevailing 4-3 in double-overtime.
• Every game of the NCAA men's hockey tournament can be seen on the ESPN networks and will stream live on the ESPN App.
Teams from the NCHC and Big Ten accounted for seven of the top nine teams in the NPI, the metric used to determine the NCAA field and seeds. And the top teams from the East were not the usual power brokers. ECAC champ 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 being bounced in the tournament quarterfinals by 8-seed Merrimack, which ultimately became the biggest surprise in the field by winning the Hockey East title.
What does all this mean for the NCAA tournament, which begins with regional play Thursday and Friday? We asked ESPN college hockey analysts Andrew Raycroft and Sean Ritchlin for their takes on what to expect, including the teams to beat, players to watch and their picks to make 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 am confident we will see a 1-seed win the national championship this season. Those have been the four best teams all season and should be very tough outs. That being said, Denver, Minnesota Duluth and Dartmouth can't be counted out.
Sean Ritchlin: Historically, the NCAA hockey tournament tends to be chalk-heavy, with No. 1 and No. 2 seeds typically claiming the national title. The top seeds this year are deep, balanced and have strong goaltending, which is always a recipe for success in one-and-done games. But I could easily see Denver, which is not a 1-seed, winning the tourney, so I am not overly confident one of the top four is going to win.
Which team from the lower half of the bracket will be the toughest out?
Raycroft: Quinnipiac. Getting Providence in the first round is a great draw for the Bobcats. Both teams have a similar style and have been off for more than a week. Rand Pecknold's team is led by Ethan Wyttenbach, who leads the nation in scoring, and the Bobcats' 4.13 goals per game ranks second in the country.
Ritchlin: Penn State. At times this year the Nittany Lions have been one of the more dynamic offensive teams in college hockey. They play with pace and can generate offense in a hurry. They also bring an experienced group that made a run in last year's tournament, and that experience matters this time of year. With high-end talent like Gavin McKenna, the expected No. 1 pick in June's NHL draft, and their ability to score, they are a dangerous team in a one-game elimination format and a team higher seeds will 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-and-done playoff games, goalies are always vital, and Augustine is the best in the tournament. The likely Richter Award winner who is also among the 10 finalists for the Hobey Baker has the ability to carry the Spartans to a championship on his own.
Ritchlin: If you are looking at one player in these tournaments, it has to be a goalie, and as of late, it has to be Johnny Hicks of Denver. 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 maintains the .958 save percentage and 1.14 goals-against average he had in the conference tourney, Denver absolutely can win it all.
Who will emerge from a crowded field to win the Hobey Baker Award?
Raycroft: Minnesota Duluth's Max Plante is my pick. He is fifth in goals and points and plays more than 21 minutes per night in the very difficult NCHC. The Detroit Red Wings prospect has 14 multipoint games this season.
Ritchlin: There is no clear-cut choice this year, and it may end up being one of the closest votes in recent memory. Hayden Stavroff's 29 goals in 34 games is impressive, and he helped lead Dartmouth back to the tournament for the first time in decades. T.J. Hughes has been as consistent as anyone in college hockey over the past four years at Michigan and was 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 are worthy as well, including Quinnipiac freshman Ethan Wyttenbach, who led the nation in scoring with 58 points. My bet is Hughes wins as the best player on the No. 1 team in the nation.
Who do you expect to make it to Vegas for the Frozen Four?
RAYCROFT
North Dakota: The Hawks received a great bracket and their 3.84 goals per game will serve them well against low-scoring teams.
Denver: With their regional in nearby Loveland, Colorado, Denver is looking at another epic matchup in the regional finals against Western Michigan. David Carle and the Pios won the NCHC and are poised for another NCAA run.
Michigan State: The Spartans have the best goalie in the tourney in Augustine, who is giving up just two goals per game. Michigan State is hard to play against and has 15 NHL draft picks.
Minnesota Duluth: The Bulldogs lost to Denver in the conference final in double-OT after beating North Dakota 5-1 in the semis. I think UMD has the talent and structure to knock off No. 1 Michigan in the regional finals, but it won't be easy.
RITCHLIN
North Dakota: Playing close to home in Sioux Falls and having a favorable bracket will help the Fighting Hawks make it through to Vegas.
Denver: Coming off the NCHC victory, the Pios are playing with a lot of confidence and have shown their ability to win tight games under Carle's leadership.
Michigan State: The Spartans are deep and play a physically responsible game with a world-class goalie. They will be ready after a tough game last year in Toledo, Ohio, when they lost to Cornell in the first round.
Michigan: The Wolverines have been consistent all year with great depth and have played much better defensively this season, which should help them punch a ticket to Vegas. The Albany bracket is brutal, however.
