That’s a wrap on Week 5 in college hockey.

Michigan’s perfect start is over, as Ohio State handed the Wolverines their first loss with a 5-2 win in Columbus, though Michigan bounced back with a 5-4 overtime win on Sunday to earn the split. Augustana hamm…

Read more

On to Week 5.

Michigan is still perfect after Will Horcoff beat Western Michigan (and the clock) with 0.1 seconds left in regulation. Now the No. 1 Wolverines open Big Ten play with a Halloween weekend series at Ohio State. On Saturday night, No. 4 Michigan State and No. 8 North Dakota meet in the U.S. Hockey Hall of F…

Read more

Every shot has a value. Expected goals (xG) measures the quality of a team’s chances based on factors like shot location and type, and tells us how many goals an average team would score on those looks.

Finishing is the gap between …

Read more

That’s a wrap on Week 4 in college hockey.

Michigan stayed perfect with a literally last-second 3-2 win over Western Michigan to move to 7-0, and Minnesota beat North Dakota twice by matching 5-3 scores. Augustana won twice at Ohio State and still hasn’t lost in regulati…

Read more

On to Week 4.

Michigan left Magness Arena with a sweep of the defending national champions and the No. 1 ranking. Now the Wolverines host another unbeaten top-five team. No. 5 Western Michigan visits Yost Ice Arena on Friday for a one-game, 6-0 vs. 4-0 showdown.

The rest of the weekend is just as busy.

No. 4 Denv…

Read more

Welcome to the first edition of my Freshman Power Rankings, a biweekly feature tracking the top first-year players in college hockey.

The rankings blend production, usage and underlying analytics. Skaters are evaluated on points, ice time and expected goals share, and goaltenders are judged by goals…

Read more

That’s a wrap on Week 3 in college hockey.

Michigan passed its toughest test yet, winning twice at Denver to move to 6-0. North Dakota’s Caleb Heil posted back-to-back shutouts against Bentley, and Augustana kept rolling with two more wins over Omaha. Niagara swept Bowling Green a week after the Falcons won the Ice Breaker, and Arizona State swept UMass Lowell despite being outchanced in both games.

The goaltending storylines didn’t slow down either. St. Cloud State’s Yan Shostak made 45 saves to steal a game at Boston College, Minnesota’s Luca DiPasquo made 39 saves to steal a shootout in Duluth, and Michigan Tech’s Owen Bartoszkiewicz blanked Alaska.

Here are the scores, standout performances, and my biggest takeaways from the third weekend of the season.

(Note: Stats are from Sportlogiq and may differ from other media outlets.)

Give a gift subscription

Thursday, Oct. 15

Miami 7, Robert Morris 1. Miami nearly quadrupled Robert Morris in chances in the most one-sided game of the night. Matteo Giampa had four assists for Miami. Luca Primerano scored RMU’s lone goal.

Boston College 4, St. Cloud State 0. Boston College held a modest edge in chances and got a perfect night in net. Louka Cloutier made 28 saves for the shutout. Patriks Berzins made 26 saves for St. Cloud State.

Augustana 2, Omaha 1. Augustana controlled more of the play and made its chances count in a low-scoring game. Nace Langus and Heath Nelson scored for Augustana. William Lacelle made 36 saves for Omaha.

Air Force 5, Lindenwood 2. Lindenwood held the edge in chances, but Air Force finished far better. Brady Arneson had two goals and two assists for Air Force. Noah Dziver and Adam Raesler scored for Lindenwood.

Notable Performances

• Louka Cloutier (Boston College) made 28 saves in a shutout of St. Cloud State for +1.70 GSAx.

• Matteo Giampa (Miami) had four assists against Robert Morris with a 97.1 xGF%.

• Kocha Delic (Miami) had two goals and an assist with a 98.1 xGF%.

• Ilya Morozov (Miami) scored twice with an 82.0 xGF%.

• Brady Arneson (Air Force) had two goals and two assists against Lindenwood with a 76.9 xGF%.

• Nick Sajevic (Air Force) had three assists with a 70.1 xGF%.

• Oscar Hemming (Boston College) scored twice with an 86.1 xGF%.

• William Lacelle (Omaha) made 36 saves at Augustana for +0.95 GSAx.

Friday, Oct. 16

Niagara 3, Bowling Green 2 (OT). Chances were nearly even, and Niagara won it in overtime on the road. Hunter Wallace had a goal and an assist for Niagara. Tyler Hotson scored both BG goals.

Northern Michigan 5, Stonehill 1. Chances were dead even, but Northern Michigan finished at a much higher rate. Darik Olson scored twice for Northern Michigan. Matt Romer scored Stonehill’s lone goal.

Western Michigan 6, Notre Dame 1. Western Michigan tripled Notre Dame in chances and controlled the game from start to finish. Joona Väisänen had three assists for Western Michigan. Danny Nelson scored Notre Dame’s lone goal.

UNH 5, Colgate 2. UNH nearly tripled Colgate in chances and won comfortably on the road. Émile Guité scored twice for UNH. Isaiah Norlin and Easton Wainwright scored for Colgate.

Merrimack 4, Minnesota State 3 (OT). Merrimack held a modest edge in chances and finished it off in overtime. Nick Pierre scored twice for Merrimack. Liam Watkins, Mason Kraft, and Ean Somoza scored for Minnesota State.

Lindenwood 7, Air Force 4. Lindenwood held the edge in chances for a second straight night, and this time the goals followed. Andrew LeBlanc scored twice for Lindenwood. Brendan Gibbons had two goals and an assist for Air Force.

Michigan 4, Denver 1. Denver held a slight edge in chances, but Michigan got the better goaltending and finishing. Malcolm Spence scored twice for Michigan. Kyle Chyzowski scored Denver’s lone goal.

Providence 3, Union 2 (OT). Providence held a slight edge in chances and won it in overtime on the road. Logan Sawyer had a goal and an assist for Providence. Alex Laurenza and Nathan Free each had a goal and an assist for Union.

Michigan Tech 3, Alaska 0. Michigan Tech nearly doubled Alaska in chances and got a perfect night in net. Owen Bartoszkiewicz made 28 saves for the shutout. Tyler Shea made 31 saves for Alaska.

Minnesota Duluth 7, Minnesota 1. Chances were nearly even, but UMD finished far better and chased Minnesota’s starter. Victor Plante had a goal and two assists for UMD. Jacob Kvasnicka scored Minnesota’s lone goal.

North Dakota 5, Bentley 0. North Dakota had roughly 10 times Bentley’s chances in the most lopsided chance share of the weekend. Caleb Heil made 16 saves for the shutout. Lukas Swedin made 36 saves for Bentley.

Sacred Heart 5, Ohio State 3. Ohio State held the edge in chances, but Sacred Heart finished better and added an empty-net goal. Aiden VanRooyan and Gavin Bryant each had a goal and an assist for Sacred Heart. Evan Jardine scored twice for Ohio State.

Quinnipiac 6, Penn State 3. Quinnipiac and Penn State combined for the most chances of any game this weekend, and Quinnipiac had far more of them. Ethan Wyttenbach had a goal and two assists for Quinnipiac. Joshua Fleming made 40 saves for Penn State.

UMass 4, Northeastern 1. Chances were close, but UMass made more of its looks. Vaclav Nestrasil scored twice for UMass. Miguel Marques scored Northeastern’s lone goal.

UConn 3, Colorado College 2 (OT). UConn more than doubled CC in chances and won it in overtime. Ethan Gardula scored twice for UConn. Seth Constance and Philippe Blais-Savoie scored for CC.

Vermont 2, Boston University 1. This was a low-event game with nearly even chances. Jacob Oster made 25 saves for Vermont. Jack Murtagh scored BU’s lone goal.

Arizona State 5, UMass Lowell 4. UMass Lowell nearly doubled ASU in chances, but the Sun Devils got strong goaltending and finished efficiently. Samuel Urban made 39 saves for ASU. Jak Vaarwerk had a goal and an assist for UMass Lowell.

Canisius 4, Clarkson 3 (OT). Clarkson held the edge in chances, but Canisius won it in overtime on the road. Rhys Chiddenton had a goal and two assists for Canisius. Tyler Wallace had a goal and two assists for Clarkson.

Alaska Anchorage 5, Lake Superior State 2. Alaska Anchorage held a modest edge in chances and finished efficiently on home ice. Oren Shtrom had a goal and two assists for Anchorage. Adam Belusko and Markus Loponen scored for Lake Superior State.

RPI 2, LIU 1. LIU held the edge in chances, but RPI got the better goaltending. Nate Krawchuk made 26 saves for RPI. Zack Benayon scored LIU’s lone goal.

Notable Performances

• Owen Bartoszkiewicz (Michigan Tech) made 28 saves in a shutout of Alaska for +2.76 GSAx.

• Tyler Shea (Alaska) made 31 saves at Michigan Tech for +2.34 GSAx.

• Jack Ivankovic (Michigan) made 27 saves at Denver for +2.25 GSAx.

• Nate Krawchuk (RPI) made 26 saves against LIU for +1.98 GSAx.

• Joona Väisänen (Western Michigan) had three assists against Notre Dame with a 97.8 xGF%.

• Émile Guité (UNH) scored twice at Colgate with a 92.8 xGF%.

• Victor Plante (Minnesota Duluth) had a goal and two assists against Minnesota with a 54.1 xGF%.

• Kim Elfving (Lindenwood) had a goal and two assists at Air Force with a 90.7 xGF%.

• Malcolm Spence (Michigan) scored twice at Denver with a 57.2 xGF%.

• Ethan Wyttenbach (Quinnipiac) had a goal and two assists at Penn State with an 84.5 xGF%.

  Subscribe now

Saturday, Oct. 17

Niagara 2, Bowling Green 1. Chances were nearly even again, and Niagara got the saves it needed to finish a road sweep. Dallon Melin and Brayden Boehm scored for Niagara. Jake Sloan scored BG’s lone goal.

UNH 2, Colgate 0. UNH nearly doubled Colgate in chances and held the Raiders to almost nothing. Michael Simpson made 12 saves for the shutout. Reid Dyck made 24 saves for Colgate.

Merrimack 8, Minnesota State 2. Merrimack more than tripled Minnesota State in chances and pulled away early. Ty Daneault had two goals and an assist for Merrimack. Ean Somoza and Jack Christ scored for Minnesota State.

Army 5, Holy Cross 2. Army doubled Holy Cross in chances and won comfortably on the road. Rhys Wallin scored twice for Army. Owen Kim scored both Holy Cross goals.

Miami 3, Robert Morris 2. Miami nearly tripled Robert Morris in chances but needed every goal to finish the sweep. Ilya Morozov scored twice for Miami. Charlie Schenkel made 34 saves for RMU.

St. Cloud State 5, Boston College 3. Boston College had the better chances, but St. Cloud State got outstanding goaltending to earn the split. Yan Shostak made 45 saves for St. Cloud State. Matias Vanhanen, Carson Woodall, and Teddy Mutryn scored for BC.

Augustana 3, Omaha 2 (OT). Augustana held the edge in chances on the road and won it in overtime. Leonid Bulgakov scored twice for Augustana. William Lacelle made 34 saves for Omaha.

Michigan 4, Denver 3. Chances were dead even, and Michigan got just enough scoring depth to finish the sweep. Michael Hage had two assists for Michigan. Samuel Harris and Kristian Epperson each had a goal and an assist for Denver.

Michigan Tech 4, Alaska 2. Michigan Tech held the edge in chances and finished the sweep on home ice. Luke Shipley scored twice for Michigan Tech. Jack Rogers and Rylen Roersma scored for Alaska.

Minnesota Duluth 2, Minnesota 2 (Minnesota wins shootout). UMD had nearly five times Minnesota’s chances but couldn’t get a third goal past Luca DiPasquo. Aaron Pionk had a goal and an assist for UMD. Brodie Ziemer scored both Minnesota goals.

North Dakota 5, Bentley 0. North Dakota controlled play again to finish the sweep. Caleb Heil made 19 saves for his second straight shutout. Easton Rye made 24 saves for Bentley.

Ohio State 5, Sacred Heart 1. Ohio State nearly tripled Sacred Heart in chances to earn the split. Evan Jardine had three assists for Ohio State. Diego Buttazzoni scored Sacred Heart’s lone goal.

Michigan State 5, RIT 1. Michigan State held the edge in chances and pulled away on the road. Chase Reid had a goal and an assist for Michigan State. Lucas Romeo scored RIT’s lone goal.

Colorado College 4, UConn 1. CC held the edge in chances and bounced back to earn the split. Connor Hvidston scored twice for CC. Kaden Shahan scored UConn’s lone goal.

Northeastern 4, UMass 1. Chances were nearly even, but Northeastern made more of its looks to earn the split. Giacomo Martino had a goal and two assists for Northeastern. Gavin Cornforth scored UMass’ lone goal.

Arizona State 4, UMass Lowell 2. UMass Lowell held the edge in chances again, but ASU finished the sweep behind its goaltender. Samuel Urban made 35 saves for ASU. Dalyn Wakely and Josh Mori scored for UMass Lowell.

Boston University 2, Vermont 1 (OT). BU more than doubled Vermont in chances and won it in overtime to earn the split. Ryder Ritchie scored both BU goals. Jacob Oster made 33 saves for Vermont.

Clarkson 5, Canisius 0. Clarkson doubled Canisius in chances and won comfortably to earn the split. Shane Soderwall made 18 saves for the shutout. Jack Lisson made 23 saves for Canisius.

RPI 3, LIU 2. RPI held a modest edge in chances and finished off the sweep. Kazimier Sobieski had two goals and an assist for RPI. Sixen Jennersjö and Dylan Kinch scored for LIU.

Western Michigan 4, Notre Dame 0. Western Michigan more than doubled Notre Dame in chances to finish a dominant sweep. Quentin Miller made 19 saves for the shutout. Nick Kempf made 39 saves for Notre Dame.

Lake Superior State 4, Alaska Anchorage 2. Lake Superior State earned the split on the road behind balanced scoring. Calem Mangone and Cooper Foster each had a goal and an assist for Lake Superior State. Jacob Terpstra and Ethan Warrener scored for Anchorage.

Notable Performances

• Charles-Edward Gravel (Niagara) made 32 saves at Bowling Green for +2.02 GSAx.

• Joshua Ravensbergen (Michigan State) made 31 saves at RIT for +1.91 GSAx.

• Caleb Heil (North Dakota) made 19 saves in a shutout of Bentley for +1.90 GSAx.

• Yan Shostak (St. Cloud State) made 45 saves at Boston College for +1.86 GSAx.

• Luca DiPasquo (Minnesota) made 39 saves at Minnesota Duluth for +1.78 GSAx.

• Quentin Miller (Western Michigan) made 19 saves in a shutout of Notre Dame for +1.41 GSAx.

• Ty Daneault (Merrimack) had two goals and an assist against Minnesota State with a 90.9 xGF%.

• Barron Woodring (Army) had a goal and two assists at Holy Cross with a 79.0 xGF%.

• Connor Hvidston (Colorado College) scored twice at UConn with a 79.6 xGF%.

• Kazimier Sobieski (RPI) had two goals and an assist against LIU with a 57.7 xGF%.

Sunday, Oct. 18

Army 3, Holy Cross 1. Army held the edge in chances for a second straight game and sealed the weekend sweep with an empty-net goal. Noah Mertz had a goal and an assist for Army. Matt Kursonis scored Holy Cross’ lone goal.

Notable Performances

• Noah Mertz (Army) had a goal and an assist at Holy Cross with a 90.6 xGF%.

• Ben Ivey (Army) had two assists and a 100.0 xGF%.

• JJ Cataldo (Army) made 16 saves for +0.95 GSAx.

10 Takeaways From Week 3

1. Michigan passes its first real test
   After four wins against Bowling Green and Alaska Anchorage, Michigan went to Denver and won 4-1 and 4-3 to move to 6-0. This was a different kind of weekend for the Wolverines, and I think it said more about them than either of their first two sweeps. Denver had the better chances Friday, but Jack Ivankovic made 27 saves for one of the best goaltending performances of the night, and Malcolm Spence scored twice. Saturday was dead even on chances, and Michigan got goals from four different players while Michael Hage set up two of them. Ivankovic finished the weekend with 58 saves on 62 shots. Michigan won’t outscore everyone by six goals a night, but this weekend showed it can win a tight game in a hostile environment.

2. Minnesota steals a shootout in Duluth
   Minnesota Duluth beat Minnesota 7-1 on Friday, but the chances were nearly even and the score had more to do with UMD’s finishing. Victor Plante and Zam Plante each had three points over the weekend, and Braden Fischer, Hunter Anderson, and Ty Hanson each scored twice. On Saturday, the Bulldogs had nearly five times Minnesota’s chances and outshot the Gophers 41-22, but Luca DiPasquo made 39 saves to push the game to a shootout, and Minnesota won it. Brodie Ziemer scored both Minnesota goals.

3. Caleb Heil and North Dakota blank Bentley twice
   North Dakota beat Bentley 5-0 twice, and it’s hard to imagine a more complete weekend than this one. Friday’s chance share was the most lopsided of any game on the slate, and Bentley finished the weekend with 35 shots in two games. Caleb Heil stopped all 35 for back-to-back shutouts. Cody Croal, Connor Davis, Jack Kernan, and Gavin Lindberg each had three points, and Anthony Menghini scored twice Saturday. Lukas Swedin made 36 saves for Bentley on Friday and kept that game from getting worse.

4. Augustana might be legit
   A week after taking Minnesota Duluth to overtime twice, Augustana beat Omaha 2-1 at home and 3-2 in overtime on the road. Mathis Langevin was outstanding again, making 56 saves on 59 shots over the two games. Leonid Bulgakov scored twice Saturday, and Easton Young, Owen Baumgartner, and Hunter Bischoff each had two assists over the weekend. Augustana held the edge in chances in both games, so this wasn’t just goaltending. William Lacelle made 70 saves for Omaha and was the only reason both games were close. Augustana has yet to lose in regulation through four games, and I think it’s time to start treating them as a real player in the CCHA.

5. Niagara sweeps the Ice Breaker champs
   Bowling Green won the Ice Breaker last weekend, but Niagara came into Bowling Green and swept the Falcons 3-2 in overtime and 2-1. Chances were nearly even in both games, and Niagara’s goaltending made the difference. Tomas Anderson made 26 saves Friday, and Charles-Edward Gravel made 32 saves Saturday for the best goaltending mark of the night. Hunter Wallace had a goal and an assist, and Niagara got goals from five different players over the weekend. Tyler Hotson scored both BG goals Friday and finished with three points. After being swept by Notre Dame in Week 2, this was a strong response from Niagara.

6. Samuel Urban carries Arizona State in Lowell
   Arizona State swept UMass Lowell 5-4 and 4-2, and Samuel Urban was the biggest reason why. UMass Lowell nearly doubled ASU in chances on Friday and held the edge again on Saturday. Urban made 74 saves on 80 shots over the two games and finished the weekend at +2.18 GSAx. Ben Muthersbaugh and Jack Beck each had three points for ASU. UMass Lowell’s goaltenders allowed nine goals on fewer quality chances than ASU faced. Dalyn Wakely had three points for the River Hawks.

7. Western Michigan sweeps Notre Dame
   Western Michigan beat Notre Dame 6-1 and 4-0, and the Broncos controlled the series about as thoroughly as any team on the slate. They tripled Notre Dame in chances Friday and outshot the Irish 47-21. Nick Kempf allowed one goal in two games last week, but he faced so many quality chances that he allowed six goals despite making 41 saves. Joona Väisänen had three assists Friday, and Cole Spicer, Tommy Lafreniere, and Zach Nehring each had a goal and an assist. Quentin Miller made 19 saves for the shutout Saturday and has now allowed two goals in four appearances. Western Michigan looks like one of the best teams in the country through three weeks.

8. Miami sweeps Robert Morris
   Miami beat Robert Morris 7-1 and 3-2, outchancing the Colonials by a wide margin in both games. Matteo Giampa led the way with a goal and five assists, and he had four of those assists on Thursday. Ilya Morozov scored four goals over the two games, and Kocha Delic added two goals and two assists. Charlie Schenkel was pulled Thursday after allowing five goals in just over 25 minutes. He bounced back Saturday with 34 saves and nearly stole another game. After a quiet opening weekend, Miami’s offense finally showed what it can do when it finishes.

9. Yan Shostak steals a split at Boston College
   Boston College won the first game 4-0 on Thursday, as Louka Cloutier made 28 saves for the shutout and Oscar Hemming scored twice. Saturday looked headed for a BC sweep on paper, with the Eagles outshooting St. Cloud State 48-24 and holding the better chances. Yan Shostak had other ideas, making 45 saves in a 5-3 win. St. Cloud State got goals from Darels Uljanskis, Nolan Roed, Finn McLaughlin, Thor Byfuglien, and Jake Southgate. Leo Henriquez allowed five goals on 24 shots for BC.

10. Merrimack’s offense wakes up against Minnesota State
    Merrimack swept Minnesota State 4-3 in overtime and 8-2, scoring 12 goals and roughly doubling the Mavericks in chances over the weekend. Ty Daneault had two goals and an assist Saturday, and Nick Pierre finished the weekend with three goals and an assist. Seamus Powell had four assists from the back end, and Caelan Fitzpatrick added four points. Raiden LeGall allowed 8 goals across the two games for Minnesota State. Ean Somoza scored in both games for the Mavericks. Merrimack hadn’t scored this much all season, and this weekend gave its offense a reason to feel good.

    RMS Hockey is a reader-supported publication. To receive new posts and support my work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber.

Just three weekends into the college hockey season, and we already have a No. 1 versus No. 2 series. Michigan heads to Magness Arena for the first regular season meeting with Denver since 1981, six months after the Pioneers ended the Wolverines’ season in double overtime at the Frozen Four. Denver raises its national championship banner Friday night before puck drop, something Michigan could very well be doing a year from now.

The rest of the weekend slate is deep, too. Minnesota and Minnesota Duluth renew their rivalry in Duluth. Western Michigan and Notre Dame play a home-and-home in Kalamazoo on Friday and South Bend on Saturday. Colorado College brings one of the best defensive starts in the country east to UConn, and Providence takes a perfect record into a meeting with an unbeaten Union team.

The analytics notes below come from the ranked matchup preview graphics, which are shown below and reflect (finally) 2026-27 data now that most teams have at least one non-exhibition game under their belt.

(Note: All times are Eastern)

Give a gift subscription

No. 2 Michigan at No. 1 Denver

Friday 9 p.m. and Saturday 8 p.m.

This is THE series of the first half. The last time these two shared the ice, Denver won 4-3 in double overtime in Las Vegas and went on to win its 11th national title two nights later. Michigan is 4-0 and sits at or near the top of the country in goals, expected goals (xG) and finishing, with Jayden Perron leading the nation in scoring and Michael Hage leading it in assists.

The question for Michigan is on the other side of the puck, where its chance suppression and penalty kill have both been average thus far, and that will matter against a Denver team that drives play as well as anyone. The Pioneers have only two non-exhibition games on their record, but they already own one of the best possession profiles in the country even with the finishing and goaltending closer to average than elite. I think Saturday is where the real chess match shows up, once both coaches have a game of tape to work from.

Jack Ivankovic vs. Johnny Hicks. Michigan vs. Denver.

No. 20 Minnesota at No. 9 Minnesota Duluth

Friday 8:07 p.m. and Saturday 7:07 p.m.

Brett Larson is still seeking his first win at Minnesota, and Duluth is going to be a tough place to find it. The Gophers’ shot share and power play have been respectable, but even strength scoring, xG and finishing all sit near the bottom.

Duluth is the opposite story after an 11-goal opening weekend, followed by an overtime loss and a tie at Augustana. UMD was without Max Plante last weekend and will be without the Hobey Baker winner again this weekend. The Bulldogs grade out near the top of the country in goals, xG, finishing and possession. Their penalty kill has also been sharp. I really like Duluth at home Friday, and the Gophers’ best shot at a split is a tight game on Saturday.

Notre Dame and No. 6 Western Michigan

Friday 7 p.m. and Saturday 6 p.m.

One of the best goaltending matchups early on.

Both Notre Dame and Western Michigan are 2-0, and they get one night in each of their home barns. The Broncos swept Ferris State to open the final season at Lawson Arena, and Notre Dame swept Niagara. The Broncos drive possession and finish at an elite rate, though their xG sits closer to average than their actual goals.

The Irish have the opposite issue, generating better looks than Western but not finishing many of them, and captain Danny Nelson and freshman sensation Sammy Nelson are the ones leading the charge. I expect two low scoring games, and Saturday at Compton is where Notre Dame has its best chance to take one.

Subscribe now

No. 12 Colorado College at No. 17 UConn

Friday 7 p.m. and Saturday 5 p.m.

Colorado College is 2-0 and has climbed the poll rather quietly. The Tigers grade out near the top of the country in chance suppression, goals against and penalty kill, and their goaltending is the best in the country. Their xG is only average, but they have been opportunistic with their chances.

UConn split at the Ice Breaker, beating Penn State before Bowling Green ran away with the title game. The Huskies have struggled to tilt the ice, and both special teams units have been well below average. I think UConn’s best path is getting on the board early before CC can sit on a lead.

No. 7 Providence at Union

Friday 7 p.m.

Union is just outside the poll with a 2-0 record after a 4-2 win over Army and 7-1 win over Alaska. This is a special teams game to me. Union’s power play has been one of the most efficient in the country, and Providence brings one of the better penalty kills to counter it.

Flip it around and the Friars’ power play has been strong while Union’s penalty kill sits around average. Providence beat St. Lawrence 6-2 and Clarkson 4-0 to start the year, and the Friars have shown they can drive possession and keep pucks out of their own net. Whichever team wins the special teams exchange probably wins this one in what is likely one of the more underrated matchups this weekend.

Other games to watch

No. 8 Quinnipiac at Penn State (Friday 7 p.m.) Quinnipiac grades out as the best finishing team in the country and one of the top offenses overall, but its chance suppression and penalty kill sit near the bottom. Penn State is 0-2 after the Ice Breaker with defense and goaltending that have left a lot to be desired, so this one could turn into a track meet.

Northeastern at No. 19 UMass (Friday 7 p.m. and Saturday 5:30 p.m.) Northeastern has played once, a 5-1 win at Bentley, and suffocated chances against while finishing almost everything it got. UMass is the reverse, generating good looks but not burying them and leaking chances the other way. The Minutemen are 1-2-1 and need this weekend.

No. 11 Boston University at Vermont (Friday and Saturday 7 p.m.) BU has controlled play and limited chances very well, backed by top tier goaltending. The power play has been the one cold spot early on. Vermont was shut out at Bentley in its only game and has struggled to generate anything at 5v5.

Alaska at No. 14 Michigan Tech (Friday 7:07 p.m. and Saturday 6:07 p.m.) Michigan Tech is 3-1 after splitting last weekend with St. Cloud and creates as much as nearly any team in the country, but the finishing has lagged and it gives up more than you would like. Alaska already owns a road win at Boston College, so the Huskies should not take this lightly.

Niagara at No. 18 Bowling Green (Friday 7:07 p.m. and Saturday 6:07 p.m.) The Falcons won the Ice Breaker and have one of the more efficient power plays in the country. Niagara gets to the inside more than its record suggests but has not finished and gives up too much in its own end.

Bentley at No. 4 North Dakota (Friday 8:07 p.m. and Saturday 7:07 p.m.) North Dakota swept Bemidji State by a goal each night. The power play and possession numbers are excellent and Will Zellers is among the national scoring leaders, but the goaltending has graded out below average so far. Bentley shut out Vermont before losing to Northeastern and defends well enough to keep this close.

St. Cloud State at No. 16 Boston College (Saturday 6 p.m.) Boston College opened with a home loss to Alaska and grades near the bottom of the country in goals and expected goals so far. The Eagles’ power play has been their best weapon. St. Cloud State is 1-2 and plays a Thursday and Saturday series at Conte Forum.

No. 3 Michigan State at RIT (Saturday 7:05 p.m.) The Spartans have a perfect power play grade and dominate possession, but their finishing has been among the worst in the country. RIT generates real chances but has been badly outshot so far. Still, the Tigers have to be thinking upset with this game in Rochester.

That’s a wrap on Week 2 in college hockey.

Minnesota Duluth came out of a visit to Augustana without a regulation win, while Michigan kept rolling with 17 goals in a two-game sweep of Alaska Anchorage. Wisconsin swept Minnesota State 4-0 and 4-1 while allowing just 40 shots all weekend, and Providence outscored St. Lawrence and Clarkson 10-2. North Dakota swept rival Bemidji State with a pair of one-goal wins, and Holy Cross stole another game on the road, this time in Tempe.

Goaltenders stole the show again. Western Michigan’s Quentin Miller and Notre Dame’s Nick Kempf combined to allow two goals in four starts, and Lake Superior State’s Anders Miller made 52 saves to steal a game at Lindenwood. Providence, North Dakota, and Bowling Green also handled their business, with BG following up its Michigan sweep by going 2-0 en route to winning the Ice Breaker Tournament.

Here are the scores, standout performances, and my biggest takeaways from the second weekend of the season.

(Note: Stats are from Sportlogiq and may differ from other media outlets. Non-exhibition games only.)

Give a gift subscription

Thursday, Oct. 8

Western Michigan 6, Ferris State 0. Western Michigan controlled play on home ice and turned its edge in chances into a lopsided final. Quentin Miller made 29 saves for the shutout. Martin Holtet Lundberg made 34 saves for Ferris State.

Notre Dame 3, Niagara 1. Chances were close to even, but Notre Dame got the better goaltending and pulled away late. Nick Kempf made 31 saves for Notre Dame. Noah Hackett scored Niagara’s lone goal.

Merrimack 3, UNH 3 (Merrimack wins shootout). This was an even game that needed overtime and a shootout to settle. Simon-Pier Brunet, Caelan Fitzpatrick, and Trevor Hoskin scored for Merrimack. Nick Ring had a goal and an assist for UNH.

Lindenwood 7, Lake Superior State 4. Lake Superior State had the better chances, but Lindenwood outshot the Lakers 42-34 and added two empty-net goals. Ethan Zielke had a goal and two assists for Lindenwood. Charles Savoie scored twice for Lake Superior State.

Notable Performances

• Quentin Miller (Western Michigan) made 29 saves in a shutout of Ferris State for +2.47 GSAx.

• He’s back! Joona Väisänen (Western Michigan) had a goal and two assists with a 61.7 xGF%.

• Nick Kempf (Notre Dame) made 31 saves against Niagara for +1.60 GSAx.

• Ethan Zielke (Lindenwood) had a goal and two assists with a 68.8 xGF%.

• Caden Brown (Lindenwood) had a goal and two assists with a 63.2 xGF%.

• Charles Savoie (Lake Superior State) scored twice against his former team.

• Nick Ring (UNH) had a goal and an assist at Merrimack with a 74.7 xGF%.

Friday, Oct. 9

Michigan State 6, Northern Michigan 2. Michigan State created more than triple Northern Michigan’s chances and outshot the Wildcats 49-21. Anthony Romani scored twice and added an assist for Michigan State. Oliver Auyeung-Ashton made 43 saves for Northern Michigan.

Notre Dame 4, Niagara 0. Notre Dame finished the two-game set with another tight defensive effort. Evan Werner scored twice for Notre Dame. Tomas Anderson made 25 saves for Niagara.

Western Michigan 5, Ferris State 1. Western Michigan outshot Ferris 42-19 to finish a dominant two days. Adam Benak had four assists for Western Michigan. Alan Lendak made 37 saves for Ferris State.

Michigan 10, Alaska Anchorage 1. Michigan controlled this one from start to finish in the most lopsided game of the weekend. Cole McKinney scored twice and added two assists for Michigan. Ethan Warrener scored Anchorage’s lone goal.

Alaska 3, Boston College 2. Alaska held a slight edge in chances and came away with a massive road win. Davis Borozinskis scored twice for Alaska. Dean Letourneau and Teddy Stiga scored for BC.

North Dakota 3, Bemidji State 2. North Dakota held a modest edge in chances in a tight road win. Cole Reschny scored twice for North Dakota. Will Dawson and Ethan Miedema scored for Bemidji State.

Air Force 5, St. Thomas 1. St. Thomas carried the play, but Air Force got outstanding goaltending and added two empty-net goals. Dominik Wasik made 43 saves for Air Force. Jakub Altrichter scored St. Thomas’ lone goal.

Augustana 4, Minnesota Duluth 3 (OT). Chances were nearly even, and Augustana finished it off in overtime. Mathis Langevin made 30 saves for Augustana. Callum Arnott and Zam Plante scored for UMD.

Michigan Tech 3, St. Cloud State 2 (OT). Michigan Tech had the better of play and finally beat Yan Shostak in overtime. Teydon Trembecky scored twice for Michigan Tech. Shostak made 30 saves for St. Cloud State.

Wisconsin 4, Minnesota State 0. Wisconsin allowed almost nothing, holding Minnesota State to just 17 shots. Alexis Cournoyer made all 17 saves for the shutout. Lassi Lehti made 32 saves for Minnesota State.

Bowling Green 3, Sacred Heart 2. Bowling Green held a modest edge in chances and won a close one on the road. Noah Morneau had two assists for BG. Diego Buttazzoni scored twice for Sacred Heart.

Providence 6, St. Lawrence 2. Providence more than doubled St. Lawrence in chances and won comfortably. Julius Sumpf had four assists for Providence. Gunnar Thoreson had a goal and an assist for St. Lawrence.

RIT 2, UMass 2 (RIT wins shootout). UMass outshot RIT 42-26, but Jakub Krbecek held the Tigers in it. Krbecek made 40 saves for RIT. Francesco Dell’Elce had the game-tying goal before the end of regulation and picked up an assist for UMass.

UConn 3, Penn State 1. Penn State outshot UConn 47-27 but ran into a goaltender who stopped all but one. Kam Hendrickson made 46 saves for UConn. Kale Dach scored Penn State’s lone goal.

Bentley 3, Vermont 0. Vermont outshot Bentley 35-17, but Bentley created the better chances. Lukas Swedin made 35 saves for the shutout. Aiden Wright made 15 saves for Vermont.

RPI 3, Ohio State 0. Chances were close to even, but RPI got a perfect night in net. Nate Krawchuk made 36 saves for the shutout. Kristoffer Eberly made 21 saves for Ohio State.

Quinnipiac 2, Maine 1. Maine doubled Quinnipiac in chances, but the Bobcats got the saves they needed. Christian Kirsch made 32 saves for Quinnipiac. Lee Parks scored Maine’s lone goal.

Clarkson 3, UMass Lowell 2. This was a close game on chances, and Clarkson found a bit more finish on the road. Adrian Misaljevic scored twice for Clarkson. Jacob MacDonald and Libor Nemec scored for UMass Lowell.

Holy Cross 2, Arizona State 1. Arizona State outshot Holy Cross 38-19 and held the edge in chances, but the Crusaders got two goals in 11 seconds to close it out. Danick Leroux made 37 saves for Holy Cross. Samuel Urban made 18 saves for ASU.

Stonehill 2, Colgate 1 (OT). Chances were dead even in a goaltending duel that needed overtime. Linards Lipskis made 33 saves for Stonehill. Reid Dyck made 33 saves for Colgate.

Canisius 3, LIU 2. LIU held the edge in chances, but Canisius made its looks count on the road. Jack Lisson made 32 saves for Canisius. Sixen Jennersjö and Brennan Nelson scored for LIU.

Lake Superior State 4, Lindenwood 3. Lindenwood outshot the Lakers 55-24, but Lake Superior State stole the game on the back of its goaltender. Anders Miller made 52 saves for Lake Superior State. Tyler Loughman, Chase LaPinta, and Adam Raesler scored for Lindenwood.

Notable Performances

• Danick Leroux (Holy Cross) made 37 saves at Arizona State for +3.21 GSAx.

• Dominik Wasik (Air Force) made 43 saves at St. Thomas for +2.62 GSAx.

• Nate Krawchuk (RPI) made 36 saves in a shutout of Ohio State for +2.57 GSAx.

• Kam Hendrickson (UConn) made 46 saves against Penn State for +2.26 GSAx.

• Anders Miller (Lake Superior State) made 52 saves at Lindenwood for +0.93 GSAx.

• Cole McKinney (Michigan) had two goals and two assists against Alaska Anchorage with an 88.9 xGF%.

• Nick Moldenhauer (Michigan) had a goal and three assists with an 81.2 xGF%.

• Anthony Romani (Michigan State) had two goals and an assist against Northern Michigan with an 80.4 xGF%.

• Julius Sumpf (Providence) had four assists against St. Lawrence with a 94.7 xGF%.

• Adam Benak (Western Michigan) had four assists at Ferris State with a 92.0 xGF%.

  Subscribe now

Saturday, Oct. 10

Michigan 7, Alaska Anchorage 2. Michigan dominated play again to finish a 17-3 weekend sweep. Jayden Perron had a hat trick and an assist for Michigan. Joey Rocha made 39 saves for Anchorage.

St. Thomas 4, Air Force 2. St. Thomas carried the play again, and this time the goals followed for a split. David Rozsival had a goal and an assist for St. Thomas. Dominik Wasik made 34 saves for Air Force.

Wisconsin 4, Minnesota State 1. Wisconsin controlled play again to finish the sweep in Mankato. Vasily Zelenov had a goal and an assist for Wisconsin. Raiden LeGall made 30 saves for Minnesota State.

St. Cloud State 5, Michigan Tech 3. Michigan Tech had the edge in chances, but St. Cloud State finished better to earn the split. Gavyn Thoreson had a goal and two assists for St. Cloud State. Luke Shipley had two assists for Michigan Tech.

Minnesota Duluth 1, Augustana 1 (Augustana wins shootout). UMD outchanced Augustana and outshot 38-26, but couldn’t solve Augustana’s goaltender after the first goal. Mathis Langevin made 37 saves for Augustana. Ty Hanson scored UMD’s lone goal.

Union 7, Alaska 1. Union nearly doubled Alaska in chances and pulled away for a lopsided home win. Luke Garry scored twice and added an assist for Union. Calvin Vachon made 40 saves for Alaska.

North Dakota 4, Bemidji State 3. North Dakota outshot Bemidji State 46-22 but needed every goal to finish the sweep. Will Zellers scored twice and added an assist for North Dakota. Raythan Robbins made 42 saves for Bemidji State.

Providence 4, Clarkson 0. Providence doubled Clarkson in chances and allowed nothing. Jack Parsons made 28 saves for the shutout. Shane Soderwall made 35 saves for Clarkson.

Sacred Heart 6, Penn State 3. Sacred Heart held the edge in chances and sealed it with two empty-net goals. Landen Gunderson scored twice for Sacred Heart. Kale Dach had a goal and an assist for Penn State.

Ohio State 3, RPI 2. Ohio State had more than double RPI’s chances and earned the split. Jake Karabela, Sam Deckhut, and Max Montes scored for Ohio State. Nate Krawchuk made 30 saves for RPI.

Bowling Green 5, UConn 2. UConn outshot BG 38-24, but the Falcons got strong goaltending and added two empty-net goals. Noah Morneau scored twice and added an assist for BG. Carter Sproule and Mike Murtagh scored for UConn.

UMass 5, RIT 1. UMass controlled play again and finally broke through. Jack Musa had four assists for UMass. Collin MacKenzie made 31 saves for RIT.

Northeastern 5, Bentley 1. Northeastern doubled Bentley in chances and won comfortably on the road. Jacob Mathieu scored twice and added an assist for Northeastern. Jack Dalton scored Bentley’s lone goal.

UMass Lowell 4, St. Lawrence 2. UMass Lowell held a modest edge in chances and finished efficiently. Austin Elliott made 25 saves for UMass Lowell. Ihnat Pazii and Nicholas Beneteau scored for St. Lawrence.

Maine 5, Quinnipiac 3. Maine controlled play for a second straight night, and this time the goals came. Max Scott had three assists for Maine. Jack Stockfish and Jan Golicic scored for Quinnipiac.

Arizona State 5, Holy Cross 4 (OT). Arizona State had more than three times Holy Cross’ chances but needed overtime to earn the split. Olivier Houde had a goal and an assist for ASU. David Hymovitch scored twice for Holy Cross.

Stonehill 4, Colgate 2. Stonehill controlled the chance share and finished off a sweep. William Renfrew had a goal and an assist for Stonehill. Reid Dyck made 33 saves for Colgate.

LIU 3, Canisius 2. Chances were nearly even in a tight game, and LIU found the extra goal to earn the split. Trent Powell had a goal and an assist for LIU. Walter Zacher scored for Canisius.

Notable Performances

• Mathis Langevin (Augustana) made 37 saves against Minnesota Duluth for +2.62 GSAx.

• Jack Parsons (Providence) made 28 saves in a shutout of Clarkson for +2.10 GSAx.

• Brayden Gillespie (Union) made 28 saves against Alaska for +1.97 GSAx.

• Jayden Perron (Michigan) had three goals and an assist against Alaska Anchorage with an 80.1 xGF%.

• Luke Garry (Union) had two goals and an assist with a 91.4 xGF%.

• Will Zellers (North Dakota) had two goals and an assist against Bemidji State with an 86.7 xGF%.

• Jack Musa (UMass) had four assists against RIT with an 84.5 xGF%.

• Noah Morneau (Bowling Green) had two goals and an assist at UConn with a 77.9 xGF%.

• Jacob Mathieu (Northeastern) had two goals and an assist at Bentley with an 80.6 xGF%.

• David Hymovitch (Holy Cross) scored twice at Arizona State with a 94.4 xGF%.

Sunday, Oct. 11

Michigan State 5, Northern Michigan 1. Michigan State tripled Northern Michigan’s chances and outshot the Wildcats 40-31 to finish a weekend sweep. Jack Hextall had a goal and two assists for Michigan State. Michael Burchill scored Northern Michigan’s lone goal.

Notable Performances

• Jack Hextall (Michigan State) had a goal and two assists against Northern Michigan with an 85.3 xGF%.

• Jimmy Clark (Michigan State) had a goal and an assist with a 98.4 xGF%.

• Quentin Sigurdson (Michigan State) made 30 saves for +0.24 GSAx.

10 Takeaways From Week 2

1. Augustana stuns Minnesota Duluth
   Augustana took the Bulldogs to overtime twice and came away without a regulation loss. Granted, UMD was without Max Plante, but Augustana won Friday 4-3 in overtime, then tied 1-1 Saturday before winning the shootout. Mathis Langevin was the story, making 67 saves on 71 shots across the two games, and his Saturday performance was the best single-game goaltending mark of the night. UMD outshot Augustana 71-53 over the weekend and held the better chances on Saturday, which tells me the Bulldogs didn’t play poorly. Leonid Bulgakov scored in both games, and Brett Meerman, Jacob Fletcher, and Landon Fandel also scored Friday. Ty Hanson and Zam Plante each had a goal and an assist for UMD. I still think UMD is one of the best teams in the country, but this weekend showed it can be frustrated by a hot goaltender, especially when their best player is not in the lineup.

2. Michigan’s offense is on another level
   Michigan beat Alaska Anchorage 10-1 and 7-2, outshooting the Seawolves 90-40, and I don’t think any offense in the country looks more dangerous right now. Jayden Perron had a hat trick Saturday and finished the weekend with six points. Cole McKinney added three goals and two assists, while Michael Hage set up five goals and Nick Moldenhauer added five points. Anchorage simply had no answer for Michigan’s top six, and both of its goaltenders saw a steady stream of quality chances. Jack Ivankovic only had to make 37 saves across two games. Michigan is now 4-0 with 28 goals, and that scoring has come from more than just Perron and Hage. The Wolverines look like one of the deepest, if not the deepest, teams in the country.

3. Quentin Miller and Nick Kempf close the door
   Western Michigan and Notre Dame both used Thursday and Friday sweeps to put two of the best goaltending performances of the weekend on display. Miller allowed one goal on 48 shots as Western Michigan beat Ferris State 6-0 and 5-1, and his +3.85 GSAx led all goaltenders this weekend. Kempf allowed one goal on 63 shots in Notre Dame’s 3-1 and 4-0 wins over Niagara, finishing at +3.69 GSAx. Niagara actually outshot the Irish 63-61 over the two games, which makes Kempf’s work stand out even more. Adam Benak had four assists for Western Michigan Friday, and Joona Väisänen finished the series with two goals and two assists. Evan Werner scored twice for Notre Dame on Friday. When goaltending looks like this, these teams are going to win a lot of hockey games, although it’s probably unfair to expect this every weekend.

4. Wisconsin smothers Minnesota State
   In Mike Hastings’ first trip back to Mankato, Wisconsin swept Minnesota State 4-0 and 4-1, and the Badgers’ defensive structure might be one of the best in the country right now. Minnesota State managed just 17 shots on Friday and generated almost nothing dangerous. Alexis Cournoyer made 17 saves for the shutout, and Daniel Hauser followed with 22 saves Saturday. Vasily Zelenov had a goal and three assists over the weekend with an 89.2 xGF%, and Oliver Tulk and Zach Wooten each added three points. Wisconsin outshot the Mavericks 75-40, and Lassi Lehti and Raiden LeGall made 62 saves combined just to keep the scores respectable. Two weekends in, Wisconsin has allowed three goals in four games.

5. Bowling Green responds after the Michigan sweep
   Bowling Green could have let last weekend linger, but the Falcons went on the road and beat Sacred Heart 3-2 and UConn 5-2 to win the program’s first Ice Breaker Tournament. Noah Morneau led the way with five points, including two goals and an assist Saturday. Brody Waters added four points, and Connor Levis had four assists. Tyler Palmer made 24 saves Friday, and Jacob Steinman made 36 saves in Saturday’s win after BG was outshot 38-24. The Falcons weren’t dominant in either game, but they found ways to win close ones on the road. I liked how BG responded after a tough opening weekend.

6. Providence looks like a Hockey East contender
   After narrowly escaping Stonehill in an exhibition last weekend, Providence beat St. Lawrence 6-2 and Clarkson 4-0. The Friars controlled both games from start to finish. Julius Sumpf had six assists over the two games and posted an 89.6 xGF%, which tells you how much Providence controlled play with him on the ice. Jonathan Fauchon and Blake Zielinski each scored twice, and Logan Sawyer added three assists. Jack Parsons made 28 saves for Saturday’s shutout. Providence owned the shot share, 74-49, and roughly doubled their opponent in chances both nights. If Providence keeps playing like this, it belongs in the Hockey East title conversation and potentially more.

7. Holy Cross steals another one
   For the second straight weekend, Holy Cross won a game it had no business winning on paper. Arizona State outshot the Crusaders 38-19 on Friday, but Quinn McCall and Ben Riche scored 11 seconds apart to give Holy Cross the lead late in regulation. Danick Leroux made 37 saves in a 2-1 win and posted the best GSAx of any goaltender on Friday. Saturday was even more lopsided, as ASU finished with more than three times Holy Cross’ chances. The Crusaders still pushed it to overtime behind two goals from David Hymovitch and 34 saves from Connor Towle before ASU won 5-4. Olivier Houde had a goal and an assist in the win, and Daniel Shlaine scored in both games for ASU. Holy Cross is going to need more than goaltending to keep this up, but Leroux gives them a chance every night.

8. North Dakota grinds out a sweep of Bemidji State
   North Dakota swept Bemidji State 3-2 and 4-3, and Will Zellers was at the center of both wins. He had three assists Friday and two goals and an assist Saturday to finish with six points. Cole Reschny scored twice Friday, and Mac Swanson added four points. North Dakota outshot Bemidji State 78-50 over the weekend, including 46-22 on Saturday. Raythan Robbins made 42 saves Saturday to keep Bemidji State in it. North Dakota wasn’t flashy, but sweeping a rival — one they have a lengthy overtime history with — with two one-goal wins is the type of weekend good teams find a way to have.

9. Anders Miller steals one for Lake Superior State
   Lake Superior State and Lindenwood split a Thursday-Friday series in Missouri, and Friday’s game belonged to Anders Miller. Lindenwood outshot the Lakers 55-24, but Miller made 52 saves in a 4-3 win. That came a night after Lindenwood won 7-4 with two empty-net goals, despite Lake Superior State holding the edge in chances. Charles Savoie had three goals and two assists over the two games, and Calem Mangone scored twice Friday. Ethan Zielke led Lindenwood with four points, while Caden Brown and Adam Raesler each added three. Without Miller, Lake Superior State likely leaves Missouri winless.

10. Quinnipiac and Maine trade wins in Orono
    Maine controlled both games against Quinnipiac but came away with only a split. On Friday, the Black Bears doubled Quinnipiac in chances and still lost 2-1, as Christian Kirsch made 32 saves. Saturday was more of the same in terms of play, and this time Maine broke through for a 5-3 win. Max Scott had three assists Saturday and finished the weekend with four, and Lee Parks scored in both games. Ethan Wyttenbach had four points for Quinnipiac, but the Bobcats were outplayed for a second straight night. After last weekend’s statement sweep, this was a early-season reminder that Quinnipiac is beatable.

    RMS Hockey is a reader-supported publication. To receive new posts and support my work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber.

Hey, that was fun!

College hockey’s opening weekend delivered a little bit of everything on Friday and Saturday, plus a rescheduled Sunday game. Minnesota Duluth and Quinnipiac looked like early heavyweights, Michigan rode its top line to a sweep against Bowling Green, and Boston University cleaned up in Fairbanks.

Goaltenders stole the spotlight in several spots, from Northern Michigan’s Oliver Auyeung-Ashton blanking Miami to Robert Morris’ Charlie Schenkel doing his best to try to steal a game in Madison. Then there were Arizona State and Lindenwood, who went from a 5-0 shutout to a 9-6 track meet in 24 hours.

Here are the scores, standout performances, and my biggest takeaways from the first weekend of the season.

(Note: Stats are from Sportlogiq and may differ from other media outlets. Non-exhibition games only.)

Give a gift subscription

Quinnipiac 10, UNH 2. Quinnipiac dominated from start to finish in one of the most lopsided games of the weekend. Ethan Wyttenbach scored twice and added an assist for Quinnipiac. Mason Zebeski and Nick Ring scored for UNH.

Michigan 7, Bowling Green 2. Michigan controlled play comfortably, and its scoring kept pace with the chances it created. Michael Hage scored twice and added an assist for Michigan. Maxwell Martin and Jérémie Minville scored for BG.

Niagara 4, RIT 1. Niagara carried the play on home ice and limited RIT to a handful of quality looks. Jack Richard scored twice for Niagara. Camden Bajzer scored RIT’s lone goal.

Maryville 3, St. Lawrence 2. Maryville won on the road despite being clearly outchanced. Antoine Dorion scored twice and added an assist for Maryville. Cooper Pierson had a goal and an assist for St. Lawrence.

Northern Michigan 3, Miami 0. Northern Michigan won despite being outchanced, getting perfect goaltending and making the most of fewer looks. Oliver Auyeung-Ashton made 30 saves for the shutout. Matteo Drobac made 22 saves for Miami.

Denver 6, Alaska Anchorage 2. Denver produced one of the most dominant chance totals of the night, and the scoring matched it. Jake Fisher scored twice for Denver. William Gramme made 47 saves for Anchorage.

Minnesota Duluth 7, LIU 4. UMD controlled play, while LIU finished well above its looks to keep the score respectable. Ty Hanson scored twice and added an assist for UMD. Luc Bydal scored twice for LIU.

Maine 4, Holy Cross 1. Maine came out firing and converted its chances efficiently. Tanner Klimpke scored twice for Maine. Matt Kursonis scored Holy Cross’s lone goal.

Wisconsin 4, Robert Morris 2. Wisconsin controlled play comfortably. Vasily Zelenov had three assists for Wisconsin. Charlie Schenkel made 41 saves for RMU.

Colorado College 2, UMass 0. CC roughly doubled up UMass in chances and kept pressing until the goals came. Jackson Unger made 27 saves for the shutout. Ethan Eskit made 30 saves for UMass.

Boston University 2, Alaska 1 (OT). This was a tight, low event game that BU won in overtime. Tynan Lawrence had a goal and an assist for BU. Tyler Shea made 29 saves for Alaska.

Arizona State 5, Lindenwood 0. ASU controlled the play on the road and backed it with a clean shutout. Samuel Urban made 42 saves for ASU. Liam Beerman made 37 saves for Lindenwood.

Canisius 4, Ferris State 0. Canisius dictated play and kept Ferris from getting many quality looks. Jack Lisson made 26 saves for the shutout. Martin Holtet Lundberg made 19 saves for Ferris State.

Notable Performances

• Oliver Auyeung-Ashton (Northern Michigan) made 30 saves in a shutout of Miami, finishing at +3.67 GSAx.

• Antoine Dorion (Maryville) had two goals and an assist at St. Lawrence, despite a 37.8 xGF%.

• Bruno Bruveris (Maryville) made 28 saves for +2.17 GSAx.

• Jake Fisher (Denver) scored twice at Alaska Anchorage with a 77.7 xGF%.

• Daxon Rudolph (Denver) had a goal and two assists with a 51.4 xGF%.

• Johnny Hicks (Denver) made 20 saves for +1.09 GSAx.

• William Gramme (Alaska Anchorage) made 47 saves for -0.32 GSAx.

• Tye Spencer (Alaska Anchorage) scored both Seawolves goals with a 69.1 xGF%.

• Ian Engel (Northern Michigan) had a goal and an assist, blocked four shots, and posted a 60.1 xGF%.

• Luc Bydal (LIU) scored twice at Minnesota Duluth and had an 86.1 xGF%.

• Samuel Urban (Arizona State) made 42 saves in a shutout at Lindenwood for +3.82 GSAx.

• Liam Beerman (Lindenwood) made 37 saves for -0.18 GSAx.

• Jack Lisson (Canisius) made 26 saves in a shutout of Ferris State for +1.26 GSAx.

• Ethan Eskit (UMass) made 30 saves for +1.45 GSAx in a 2-0 loss at Colorado College.

• Albin Boija (Maine) made 21 saves for +1.96 GSAx in the win at Holy Cross.

• Charles-Édward Gravel (Niagara) made 22 saves and held RIT to one goal for +0.96 GSAx.

  Subscribe now

RIT 4, Niagara 2. RIT flipped the script from Friday and carried the play on home ice. Will Moore scored twice for RIT. Charles-Édward Gravel made 30 saves for Niagara.

Michigan 4, Bowling Green 3. BG played Michigan essentially even, but the Wolverines’ finishing made the difference. Jayden Perron scored twice and added two assists for Michigan. Jérémie Minville scored for the second straight night for BG.

Union 4, Army 2. Union held a modest edge in chances on the road and finished efficiently. Connor Smith scored twice for Union. Brent Keefer had a goal and an assist for Army.

Bemidji State 3, St. Cloud State 2 (OT). Chances were nearly even in a tight game that needed overtime. Max Hildebrand made 24 saves for Bemidji State. Yan Shostak made 31 saves for St. Cloud State.

Michigan Tech 3, Minnesota 2. Michigan Tech edged the Gophers on chances and earned the win on home ice. Matthew Van Blaricom scored twice and added an assist for Michigan Tech. Beckett Hendrickson and Tate Pritchard scored for Minnesota.

Minnesota Duluth 4, LIU 0. UMD smothered LIU and allowed almost nothing dangerous. Carl Axelsson made 16 saves for the shutout. Daniel Duris made 34 saves for LIU.

Holy Cross 3, Maine 2 (OT). Maine outchanced Holy Cross again, but the Crusaders made their looks count and won in overtime. Danick Leroux made 27 saves for Holy Cross. Lee Parks and Isa Parekh scored for Maine.

Wisconsin 1, Robert Morris 0. Wisconsin controlled play but needed only one goal behind a strong defensive effort. Grady Deering scored the game’s only goal for Wisconsin. Charlie Schenkel made 43 saves for RMU.

Colorado College 6, UMass 1. CC dominated the chance share again, and this time the finishing caught up. Philippe Blais-Savoie had a goal and an assist for CC. Egor Barabanov scored UMass’s only goal of the weekend.

Boston University 4, Alaska 0. BU scored all four goals in the third period to finish the sweep in Fairbanks. Mikhail Yegorov made 19 saves for the shutout. Tyler Shea made 30 saves for Alaska.

Lindenwood 9, Arizona State 6. Lindenwood converted far above what its chances deserved in a real shootout. Anselmo Rego and Brady McIsaac each scored twice for Lindenwood. Nathan Behm scored twice for ASU.

Canisius 6, Ferris State 5. Chances were close to even, but the game turned into an 11-goal track meet. Jack Lisson stopped all nine shots he faced in relief for Canisius. Brian Morse had a goal and an assist for Ferris State.

Quinnipiac 6, Merrimack 3. Quinnipiac generated even more than it did Friday and won comfortably. Tyler Borgula had a goal and an assist for Quinnipiac. Linards Feldbergs made 37 saves for Merrimack.

Notable Performances

• Carl Axelsson (Minnesota Duluth) made 16 saves in a shutout of LIU for +1.52 GSAx.

• Daniel Hauser (Wisconsin) made 16 saves in a shutout of Robert Morris for +1.64 GSAx.

• Mikhail Yegorov (Boston University) made 19 saves in a shutout at Alaska for +0.95 GSAx.

• Brady McIsaac (Lindenwood) scored twice against Arizona State with a 57.0 xGF%.

• Anselmo Rego (Lindenwood) also scored twice, with a 59.7 xGF%.

• Klayton Knapp (Lindenwood) made 40 saves for -1.89 GSAx.

• Matthew Van Blaricom (Michigan Tech) had two goals and an assist against Minnesota with an 80.6 xGF%.

• Connor Smith (Union) scored twice at Army with a 67.5 xGF%.

• Brayden Gillespie (Union) made 34 saves for +1.85 GSAx.

• Brent Keefer (Army) had a goal and an assist with a 78.6 xGF%.

• Max Hildebrand (Bemidji State) made 24 saves for +0.84 GSAx against St. Cloud State.

• Max Namestnikov (Bemidji State) had a goal and an assist with a 91.3 xGF%.

• Hudson Thornton (Bemidji State) had a goal and an assist with a 69.5 xGF%.

• Jake McLean (Bemidji State) had a goal and an assist with a 55.5 xGF%.

• Jack Lisson (Canisius) stopped all nine shots he faced in relief against Ferris State for +0.66 GSAx.

• Brian Morse (Ferris State) had a goal and an assist with a 52.0 xGF%.

• Linards Feldbergs (Merrimack) made 37 saves for -1.01 GSAx at Quinnipiac.

• Parker Lalonde (Merrimack) had a goal and an assist with a 37.1 xGF%.

• Jakub Krbecek (RIT) made 29 saves and held Niagara to two goals for +0.97 GSAx.

• Egor Barabanov (UMass) scored the Minutemen’s only goal of the weekend and posted an 89.5 xGF% on Saturday.

10 Takeaways From Opening Weekend

1. Minnesota Duluth is a national title contender
   Minnesota Duluth swept LIU 7-4 and 4-0, and the Bulldogs looked every bit like a team that will contend for a national title. Jayson Shaugabay led the way with five points, and UMD held a strong edge in play whenever he was on the ice. Ty Hanson logged more than 24 minutes a night on the back end and added four points, while Callum Arnott and Hunter Anderson each finished with four. Friday was closer than it should havebeen, as LIU scored four times and Luc Bydal had two of those goals. On Saturday, Carl Axelsson made 16 saves for the shutout, and the defense in front of him gave LIU almost nothing dangerous all night. Daniel Duris made 74 saves on 84 shots across the two games for LIU.

2. Perron and Hage power Michigan past Bowling Green
   Michigan swept Bowling Green 7-2 and 4-3, and Jayden Perron and Michael Hage were the clear difference makers with seven points apiece. Hage scored twice in Friday’s win, and Perron took over Saturday with two goals and two assists. Bowling Green changed goaltenders during Friday’s game after Michigan built its lead. Saturday was much closer, with the Falcons playing Michigan nearly even on chances and Jérémie Minville scoring for the second straight night. In a game that could have gone either way, Michigan’s top two forwards were the ones who finished. Drew Schock blocked six shots and added four points on the back end. When two players can take over a weekend like this, Michigan is going to be really tough to beat.

3. Colorado College takes care of business against UMass
   Colorado College beat UMass 2-0 and 6-1, and the Tigers controlled both games from start to finish. CC roughly doubled UMass in chances on both nights. Bret Link had a goal and an assist, Drew Montgomery scored twice, and Klavs Veinbergs added three assists. Jackson Unger allowed one goal across two full games. Friday stayed close only because Ethan Eskit made 30 saves for UMass, with CC’s second goal coming after he was pulled for the extra attacker. On Saturday, UMass used two goaltenders, and CC finally turned its edge in play into six goals. Egor Barabanov scored the only UMass goal of the weekend, and the Minutemen have to quickly put this weekend in the rearview.

4. Charlie Schenkel kept Robert Morris alive in Madison
   Charlie Schenkel faced 89 shots across two nights in Madison, and without him this series would have been lopsided. He made 41 saves in Friday’s 4-2 loss and followed with 43 saves Saturday, allowing just one goal in a 1-0 defeat. His goals saved above expected for the weekend were the highest of any goaltender who played both nights. Wisconsin outshot the Colonials 89-35, and Oliver Tulk posted the best on-ice chance share of any Badger. Vasily Zelenov had three assists Friday, and Luke Osburn added a goal and an assist from the blue line. Grady Deering finally solved Schenkel for the only goal Saturday, while Daniel Hauser needed just 16 saves for the shutout. RMU’s two goals came Friday from George Krotiris and Dominic Elliott, but this weekend belonged to the goaltender who kept the Colonials in both games.

5. Arizona State’s weekend was the strangest on the board
   No series on the slate made less sense than Arizona State and Lindenwood. The Sun Devils won Friday 5-0, with Samuel Urban making 42 saves for the shutout. Twenty-four hours later, Lindenwood won 9-6. Urban went from unbeatable to allowing seven goals on 31 shots, which is about as wild a swing as you’ll see from one goaltender in one weekend. Kyle Smolen, Nathan Behm, and Daniel Shlaine each scored twice for ASU over the weekend, and Landon Hafele had three assists. Brady McIsaac and Anselmo Rego each scored twice for the Lions on Saturday. Lindenwood switched from Liam Beerman to Klayton Knapp in net, and the goaltending was shaky enough at both ends that I’m not sure what to make of either team yet.

6. Jack Lisson saves the Canisius sweep
   Canisius swept Ferris State 4-0 and 6-5, and Jack Lisson was the biggest reason the Golden Griffins went 2-0. He made 26 saves in Friday’s shutout. Kolby Hay started Saturday and was pulled after allowing five goals on 18 shots. Lisson replaced him and stopped all nine shots he faced, and I think that relief appearance swung the game as much as anything. James Goffredo led Canisius with four points from the blue line, Walter Zacher and François-James Buteau each finished with three, and Louis-Philippe Fontaine scored twice. Ferris State scored five times Saturday after being shut out Friday, with Brian Morse adding a goal and an assist.

7. Holy Cross steals a split from Maine
   Holy Cross split its home series with Maine despite being outchanced in both games, and the Crusaders deserve credit for taking a game they had no business winning on paper. Maine won Friday 4-1, with Tanner Klimpke scoring twice and Albin Boija making 21 saves. Maine started Petter Wickström on Saturday, and Holy Cross took advantage with a 3-2 overtime win. Danick Leroux made 27 saves in the win after allowing four goals Friday, and his bounce back made a real difference. Will Elias played more than 25 minutes a night on the Holy Cross blue line and blocked eight shots. Isa Parekh had three points and Lukas Peterson had three assists from Maine’s back end.

8. Quinnipiac opens with a statement
   Quinnipiac beat UNH 10-2 and Merrimack 6-3, outshooting its opponents 77-46, and I don’t think any team in the country had a louder opening weekend. What stood out to me was the depth, with Ethan Wyttenbach, Tyler Borgula, Braden Blace, and Chris Pelosi each scoring twice. Borgula reached two goals while averaging less than 12 minutes a night, and Elliott Groenewold added four assists from the back end. UNH pulled Michael Simpson after 40 minutes Friday, after he allowed seven goals on 22 shots. Quinnipiac generated even more chances Saturday against Merrimack. Linards Feldbergs made 37 saves on 43 shots for Merrimack. Christian Kirsch and Rorke Applebee combined to allow five goals, and they rarely had to be great behind a team controlling play like this.

9. Oliver Auyeung-Ashton steals one from Miami
   Miami outchanced Northern Michigan in Marquette on Friday and lost 3-0, and the difference was Oliver Auyeung-Ashton. He made 30 saves for the shutout, and his goals saved above expected was the second highest single-game mark on the slate, behind only Samuel Urban’s. Kocha Delic had the most individual expected goals of any player in the game but couldn’t solve Auyeung-Ashton. Ian Engel led Northern Michigan with a goal and an assist and blocked four shots from the back end. Matteo Drobac made 22 saves on 25 shots for Miami. The RedHawks played well enough to win on Friday but did get to Auyeung-Ashton for two goals in Saturday’s rematch.

10. Denver rolls and BU sweeps in Fairbanks
    Denver and Boston University both handled road trips to Alaska. Denver beat Alaska Anchorage 6-2 on Friday and outshot the Seawolves 53-22, with William Gramme forced to make 47 saves. The Pios took Saturday’s game 4-1 behind a three-goal third period. Daxon Rudolph led Denver with three points, Jake Fisher scored twice, and Kieran Cebrian added a goal and an assist. BU had to grind out a 2-1 overtime win Friday before rolling 4-0 on Saturday. Tynan Lawrence led the Terriers with three points, and Jack Murtagh had the best on-ice chance share of any skater on the slate who played both nights. Mikhail Yegorov allowed one goal across the two games, while Tyler Shea made 59 saves for Alaska. I liked how BU responded after needing overtime Friday, emphatically scoring four times in the third period on Saturday.

    RMS Hockey is a reader-supported publication. To receive new posts and support my work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber.

The start of the 2026-27 NCAA Hockey season is upon us!

Opening weekend brings a full slate of matchups, and I have picked out three to highlight for each night to get you ready. On Friday, October 2, No. 2 Michigan starts against Bowling Green, No. 14 Minnesota visits No. 19 Michigan Tech, and defending national champion and No. 1-ranked Denver heads to Anchorage.

Saturday, October 3 features Merrimack at No. 7 Quinnipiac, an exhibition between Augustana and No. 4 North Dakota, and No. 10 UMass against Colorado College. Each preview covers recent history between the teams, the key returning players and the freshmen to watch.

The graphics below use last season’s numbers for now, and I will switch to fresh data once every team has played at least one non-exhibition game.

Give a gift subscription

No. 2 Michigan vs. Bowling Green

No. 2 Michigan opens against a Bowling Green team that has quietly become one of the more interesting programs in the CCHA. The two have not met in a regular season game since January 2018, when the Falcons picked up a 6-4 win over the Wolverines at Little Caesars Arena.

The Wolverines come off a Frozen Four run that ended in double overtime against Denver, and they bring back Montreal Canadiens’ draft pick Michael Hage, along with Will Horcoff, Jayden Perron, Garrett Schifsky and goaltender Jack Ivankovic. The freshmen are what I will be watching, with Detroit Red Wings’ first-round pick J.P. Hurlbert up front and Landon DuPont, the projected No. 1 pick in the 2027 NHL Draft, joining Cam Reid on the back end.

Bowling Green was picked second in the CCHA preseason coaches poll and leans on defenseman Breck McKinley, a second-team all-conference player, plus Brayden Crampton, last year’s all-rookie defenseman. The Falcons added another big group of CHL players, including QMJHL scoring star Thomas Verdon and preseason rookie of the year Mazden Leslie on the blue line.

No. 14 Minnesota vs. No. 19 Michigan Tech

No. 14 Minnesota opens a new era under Brett Larson with a trip to Houghton to face No. 19 Michigan Tech. The two split a series in Minneapolis to start last season, with the Gophers winning the opener and Tech answering the next night.

Minnesota’s returning core is led by Brodie Ziemer, and Austin Burnevik arrives from St. Cloud State after a 20-goal season. Freshman Wyatt Cullen, the No. 10 overall pick of the 2026 NHL Draft, headlines a seven-player class that also includes his older brother Brooks, Jackson Nevers and WHL standout Tarin Smith.

Michigan Tech is the more settled group and is expected to have one of the most explosive offenses in the CCHA behind Hobey Baker candidate Max Koskipirtti, captain Isaac Gordon and sophomore Teydon Trembecky. The Huskies added Lindenwood transfer Giovanni Morneau and defensemen Austin Moline and Lucas Brenton to bolster the blue line.

No. 1 Denver vs. Alaska Anchorage

No. 1 Denver starts its national title defense in Anchorage. The Pioneers swept the Seawolves in Anchorage to open the 2024 season, but last year Alaska Anchorage stunned them in overtime at Magness Arena before Denver won the rematch the following night.

The Seawolves are a different team now, with former St. Cloud State assistant Eric Rud in his first year as head coach after a season in which the offense almost never got going. The roster has been reshaped, though leading scorers Karter McNarland and Tye Spencer return. Samuel Boisvert is a freshman to watch after putting up 49 points in the BCHL last year.

Denver returns a fair amount of its championship roster, including Johnny Hicks, arguably the best goalie in the country, and senior forward Sam Harris. The bigger story is the back end, where first-round picks Ryan Lin and Daxon Rudolph and second-rounders Blake Fiddler and Ben MacBeath join what figures to be one of the most talented blue lines in the country.

Subscribe now

Merrimack vs. No. 7 Quinnipiac

Merrimack opens its regular season on the road against No. 7 Quinnipiac, a team many believe to be the class of the ECAC. The two met last October and Merrimack came away with a 4-1 win, in what was a shaky first half overall.

The Warriors then got hot, won their first Hockey East tournament as an eighth seed and reached the NCAA tournament behind goaltender Max Lundgren. Replacing him is the biggest question, with Ryan Keyes and freshmen Charlie Durkin and Linards Feldbergs in the mix. Up front, Merrimack returns Parker Lalonde and Justin Gill, both league all-rookie picks, along with Trevor Hoskin and Caelan Fitzpatrick, while welcoming a freshman group that includes QMJHL standout Mavrick Lachance.

Quinnipiac brings back nearly everything from a team that made a sixth straight NCAA tournament, including Hobey finalist Ethan Wyttenbach, Anton Verreault, Chris Pelosi, and Marks Vicicek, and it welcomes Holy Cross transfer Jack Stockfish. The piece that matters most is Lake Superior State transfer Rorke Applebee, who steps into the crease after both of last year’s goalies departed the program.

Augustana vs. No. 4 North Dakota

No. 4 North Dakota opens with an exhibition against Augustana, which won the last meeting between the two, 4-1, in October 2024.

North Dakota returns most of its Frozen Four group, including Cole Reschny, Will Zellers, Keaton Verhoeff, Mac Swanson and goalie Jan Spunar. Calgary Flames first-round pick Carson Carels arrives on defense to give UND three first-rounders on the blue line, and the forward group added Gavin Lindberg from Colorado College, Hudson Malinoski from Providence and Kasper Magnussen from Bemidji State.

Augustana just missed the NCAA Tournament last season. Captain Hunter Bischoff, Brett Meerman, Leo Bulgakov and Jacob Jastrzebski headline a talented forward group. With goaltender Josh Kotai gone, Miami transfer Mathis Langevin appears to be the front-runner for the job. Newcomers include Lindenwood transfer Jacob Fletcher and Belarusian freshman twins Matsvei and Siamion Marshchanok.

No. 10 UMass vs. Colorado College

No. 10 UMass and Colorado College open the season with a series at Ed Robson Arena, the first meeting between the two teams since the beginning of the 2017 season.

The Minutemen just missed the NCAA tournament last season after a Hockey East semifinal loss, and they bring back their top scorers, led by senior Jack Musa and sophomore Vaclav Nestrasil. The big change is in goal, where Michael Hrabal is gone and Calgary Flames second-round pick Tobias Trejbal is the freshman expected to take over. The rest of the freshman class is deep, with defenseman Samu Alalauri and forwards Melvin Novotny, Max Masse, Egor Barabanov and Max Curran.

Colorado College returns most of its scoring, led by senior Klavs Veinbergs and junior Owen Beckner, and the entire defense is back, including captain Max Burkholder, who played only four games last season. The most intriguing newcomers are Toronto Maple Leafs third-round pick Zach Olsen and WHL standout Ty Halaburda up front and Detroit Red Wings third-round pick Michal Pradel in goal. Arizona State transfer Carmelo Crandell brings some experience to the Tigers.

Beginning July 1, I will be previewing one conference every two weeks in advance of the 2026-27 NCAA Hockey season getting underway in October.

My previously developed predictions model serves as the basis for these roster outlooks, which identifies each team’s top 15 skaters’ projected point-per-game production, top-rated goaltender, and composite, forwards, defensemen, goalie, and depth ratings.

Previous projections:

NCHC

Big Ten

ECAC Hockey

Hockey East

CCHA

Atlantic Hockey

Give a gift subscription

Lindenwood projects for a composite score of 15.53 with a fair amount of roster turnover, returning just 44% of last year’s group while adding 26% via the transfer portal and 30% freshmen, but projects to post the highest depth rating (9.03) of any independent program in the country.

Anselmo Rego (0.61 PPG), Noah Dziver (0.60 PPG), and Will Schumacher (0.60 PPG) give the Lions a three-headed attack at the top of the forward group, and Andrew Earl (0.50 PPG), Ethan Zielke (0.40 PPG), Ryan Abraham (0.40 PPG), and Andrew LeBlanc (0.40 PPG) provide a deep supporting cast. Defenseman Michael Bevilacqua (0.55 PPG) adds meaningful offensive production from the blue line.

The incoming class features Chris Thibodeau (0.47 PPG) and Kyle Rohrer (0.46 PPG) as the projected top freshman scorers, with Caden Brown (0.36 PPG) rounding out a first-year group with multiple contributors ready to step into the lineup.

Liam Beerman projects to be the top-rated goaltender for Lindenwood. Klayton Knapp figures to see meaningful time in net as well. Freshman Cody Butikis is also in play, though likely in more of a developmental role this season.

Stonehill looks much improved and projects for a composite score of 14.63, returning 52% of last year’s group while welcoming 39% freshmen.

Anthony Galante leads the Skyhawks at a projected 0.67 PPG, with Matthew Romer (0.59 PPG) right behind him. Dimitry Kebreau (0.53 PPG), Patrick Murphy (0.50 PPG), Billy Renfrew (0.48 PPG), Joseph Grainda (0.48 PPG), and Cole Melady (0.44 PPG) give Stonehill one of the bigger returning forward groups of any independent program. Matthew Rafalski (0.37 PPG) projects to contribute offensively from the blue line.

Tanner Duncan (0.53 PPG) and Owen Drury (0.38 PPG) headline the incoming class, with Hayden Fechner (0.23 PPG) and Landon Mackie (0.22 PPG) filling out the first-year group.

Mason Vaccari projects as the top-rated goaltender after an outstanding season in the OHL last year. Linards Lipskis and Pierson Haislet fill out the goaltending room.

Alaska projects for a composite score of 14.04, returning 53% of last year’s group while adding 17% via transfer and 30% freshmen around a core with proven production across multiple positions.

Rylen Roersma leads the Nanooks at a projected 0.67 PPG, with Mykhailo Danylov (0.58 PPG) giving Alaska a capable second option. Jhett Larson (0.52 PPG) and Joel Lehtinen (0.52 PPG) join them to give the forward group four returning contributors projecting in a similar range, and Dominik Bartecko (0.43 PPG) and Dean Spak (0.42 PPG) round out a veteran core with experience throughout the lineup. Defenseman Nathan Rickey (0.50 PPG) adds significant offensive punch from the blue line.

The freshman class features Zachary Howard (0.34 PPG) and Linden Burrett (0.34 PPG) as the top incoming contributors, with Jack Plandowski (0.26 PPG), Kyle Powers (0.23 PPG), and Simon Binkley (0.23 PPG) providing additional depth.

Transfer Tyler Shea projects as the top-rated goaltender, with Zak Brice and Calvin Vachon vying for playing time as well.

Long Island projects for a composite score of 13.52, returning 56% of last year’s group while adding 22% freshmen and 22% via the transfer portal around a productive returning forward core.

Dylan Kinch leads the Sharks at a projected 0.76 PPG. Sixten Jennersjo (0.71 PPG) and J.R. Perdion (0.69 PPG) give Long Island a legitimate top three, and Isaac Lambert (0.53 PPG), North Dakota transfer Dalton Andrew (0.39 PPG), and Anthony Lucarelli (0.37 PPG) provide experienced depth throughout the lineup. Defenseman Trenton Powell (0.41 PPG) and Nate Benoit (0.41 PPG) add offensive production from the blue line.

The freshman class features Luc Bydal (0.53 PPG) as the top incoming scorer, with Samuel Rousseau (0.42 PPG) and Alexis Bourque (0.28 PPG) rounding out the first-year group.

Daniel Duris projects as the top-rated goaltender for LIU. Lukas Renaud and freshman Dane Callaway round out the goaltending room.

Subscribe now

Let’s welcome Maryville to Division I hockey! The Saints will play a transitional hybrid schedule, projecting for a composite score of 10.39 while returning just 22% of last year’s group and bringing in a large freshman class.

Defenseman Jack Thomas leads the Saints at a projected 0.64 PPG, with Max Wagener (0.57 PPG) and Ethan Woolcott (0.47 PPG) projecting as the top forward options. Sam Edwards (0.36 PPG) and Sidney McNeill (0.34 PPG) contribute additional production from the blue line, with Anthony Hall (0.27 PPG) and Adam Cavallin (0.27 PPG) adding forward depth.

With 61% of the roster made up of freshmen, the incoming class will form Maryville’s identity. Nathan Williams (0.48 PPG), Blake Pilgrim-Edwards (0.23 PPG), Tanner Bruender (0.21 PPG), Antoine Dorion (0.21 PPG) will headline a first-year group that will be expected to contribute.

Louis-Felix Charrois projects as the top-rated goaltender for a Maryville program leaning heavily on youth and development as the foundation before playing a full D1 schedule in 2027-28.

Alaska Anchorage projects for a composite score of 9.20, returning 48% of last year’s group while welcoming a matching 48% freshman class.

Karter McNarland leads the Seawolves at a projected 0.70 PPG and returns as the clear offensive centerpiece of the roster. Tye Spencer (0.46 PPG), Aiden Westin (0.37 PPG), Oren Shtrom (0.36 PPG), Jacob Terpstra (0.35 PPG), and Dylan Contreras (0.35 PPG) provide a veteran core with useful depth throughout the lineup, and Aaron Reierson (0.29 PPG) rounds out the experienced forward group.

The freshman class is large and will need to contribute quickly. Matthew Martin (0.49 PPG) and Jalen Bianchet (0.48 PPG) headline the group as the top projected incoming scorers, with Ethan Neutens (0.30 PPG), Samuel Boisvert (0.20 PPG), Connor Brown (0.20 PPG), and defenseman Drew Nelson (0.18 PPG) adding further depth.

Bryant Marks projects as the top-rated goaltender for UAA but will likely contend for time with Northern Michigan transfer William Gramme. Freshman Joey Rocha could also see a few appearances in net.

Beginning July 1, I will be previewing one conference every two weeks in advance of the 2026-27 NCAA Hockey season getting underway in October.

My previously developed predictions model serves as the basis for these roster outlooks, which identifies each team’s top 15 skaters’ projected point-per-game production, top-rated goaltender, and composite, forwards, defensemen, goalie, and depth ratings.

Previous projections:

NCHC

Big Ten

ECAC Hockey

Hockey East

CCHA

Give a gift subscription

Army enters 2026-27 as one of the more intriguing rosters in Atlantic Hockey, with a projected composite score of 16.83 while returning 61% of last year’s group and welcoming a 39% freshman class.

Junior forward Nils Forselius projects to lead the Black Knights at 0.85 PPG, with Jack Ivey (0.80 PPG) and Benjamin Ivey (0.75 PPG) giving Army a deep and productive top three. Barron Woodring (0.65 PPG) and Nikolas Hong (0.56 PPG) provide experienced returning depth behind them, and Adam Marshall (0.46 PPG) and Billy Batten (0.41 PPG) round out a forward group with proven contributors at every level.

The freshman class is headlined by NAHL standout Sean Gibbons (0.49 PPG), with Cade De St. Hubert (0.37 PPG), Kellen Murphy (0.36 PPG), and Rhys Wallin (0.32 PPG) adding further depth up front. Thomas Quast (0.29 PPG) rounds out a first-year group capable of contributing immediately.

Between the pipes, J.J. Cataldo returns as the top-rated goaltender, giving Army a proven starter behind one of the deeper rosters in the conference. Jacob Biron also returns to the mix, giving Army a really strong goaltending room.

Sacred Heart projects for a composite score of 16.37 with significant roster turnover — returning just 39% of last year’s group while welcoming 39% freshmen and 22% via transfer — and carries the highest goalie rating (7.18) in Atlantic Hockey.

Devin Phillips is the engine up front at a projected 0.85 PPG. Nick Bernardo (0.58 PPG), Mirko Buttazzoni (0.58 PPG), and Gavin Bryant (0.56 PPG) form a reliable core behind him, with Diego Buttazzoni (0.49 PPG) and Vitaly Levyy (0.37 PPG) rounding out the veteran group.

Christian Chouha (0.42 PPG) and Talon Brigley (0.35 PPG) headline the freshman additions, with Landon Hanson (0.32 PPG), Ashton Dahms (0.30 PPG), and Ethan Semeniuk (0.28 PPG) providing solid depth across the lineup.

Ajeetpal Gundarah projects to once again be the top-rated goaltender and with the conference’s best goalie rating to boot. Nils Wallstrom and Jack Spicer are also in play for time in net.

Bentley projects for a composite score of 16.24 while returning 70% of last year’s group, centering the roster around one of the most dominant individual scoring projections in Atlantic Hockey.

Michael Mesic leads the Falcons at a projected 1.25 PPG. Kellan Hjartarson (0.80 PPG) is a legitimate second option, and Owen Goodbrand (0.45 PPG), Oskar Kind Bakkevig (0.44 PPG), and Ryan Mansfield (0.44 PPG) give Bentley experienced depth behind the top two. Jack Dalton (0.46 PPG) contributes offensively from the blue line.

Marton Nemes (0.34 PPG) is the top projected freshman scorer, with Saxton Tess (0.28 PPG) and James Duerr (0.25 PPG) adding depth in supporting roles.

Nick Bevilacqua projects as the top-rated goaltender for Bentley. Lukas Swedin also figures to be in the mix for playing time. Same goes for freshman netminder Easton Rye.

RIT projects for a composite score of 14.38, returning 53% of last year’s group while adding 17% via transfer and 30% freshmen.

Evan Konyen (0.72 PPG) and Zach Wigle (0.70 PPG) are the top projected scorers, with Christian Catalano (0.63 PPG) and Will Moore (0.50 PPG) giving the Tigers a reliable top four. Caleb Elfering (0.43 PPG) and transfer addition Matthew Wilde (0.36 PPG) provide veteran depth, and defenseman Tristan Allen (0.43 PPG) contributes from the blue line.

Ryan Shaw (0.55 PPG) headlines the freshman class, with Nathan Delladonna (0.33 PPG), Julian Demiglio (0.29 PPG), defenseman Braedyn Rogers (0.25 PPG), and Lucas Romeo (0.24 PPG) rounding out the first-year group.

Jakub Krbecek projects as the top-rated goaltender. Zach Bowen and Collin Mackenzie also figure to see time.

Canisius projects for a composite score of 13.83, returning 57% of last year’s group and adding 30% via the transfer portal around a top scorer who ranks among the best in the conference.

Walter Zacher leads the team at a projected 0.97 PPG. Louis-Philippe Fontaine (0.74 PPG) makes it a dangerous one-two combination, and Rhys Chiddenton (0.60 PPG), Carter Anderson (0.49 PPG), and Hunter Price (0.46 PPG) provide depth behind them. Francois-James Buteau (0.49 PPG) adds offensive upside from the blue line.

With just 13% freshmen, the incoming class is small. Zach Homer (0.43 PPG) projects as the top freshman contributor, with Benjamin Brunelle (0.26 PPG) adding depth.

Jack Lisson projects as the top-rated goaltender. Kolby Hay and Ethan Robertson are also in play here.

Subscribe now

Niagara projects for a composite score of 13.61, returning 52% of last year’s group while welcoming a 39% freshman class, and posting the highest depth rating (6.87) in the conference.

Maxim Muranov projects to lead the Purple Eagles at 0.68 PPG. Spencer Young (0.59 PPG), Jacob Maillet (0.56 PPG), Marshall Finnie (0.56 PPG), and Noah Hackett (0.50 PPG) give Niagara five forwards projecting in a similar range. Dallon Melin (0.40 PPG) adds further veteran depth, with Nathan Oickle (0.37 PPG) contributing from the blue line.

The freshman class features Adam Gionta (0.41 PPG), Mitch Young (0.38 PPG), Dante Josefsson-Westling (0.35 PPG), and Alix Durocher (0.35 PPG) up front, with defenseman Josh Van Mulligen (0.35 PPG) adding good depth to the blue line.

Tomas Anderson projects as the top-rated goaltender for a Niagara team whose depth will make them a tough matchup.

Robert Morris projects for a composite score of 13.38, returning 69% of last year’s roster around a forward group with solid depth from top to bottom.

Jackson Reineke leads the way at a projected 0.79 PPG. Bruce McDonald (0.48 PPG), Michael Felsing (0.48 PPG), Julian Beaumont (0.47 PPG), and Trent Wilson (0.46 PPG) give the Colonials four returning forwards projecting in a similar range, making for an evenly distributed lineup. Dominic Elliott (0.45 PPG) and McKay Hayes (0.42 PPG) add further returning depth.

Calvin Crombie (0.40 PPG), Ben Pickell (0.39 PPG), and Brennan Faulkner (0.39 PPG) headline a freshman class that projects to contribute immediately.

Charlie Schenkel projects as the top-rated goaltender. Croix Kochendorfer and Lucas Massie also figure to see time in net.

Air Force projects for a composite score of 13.36, returning 65% of last year’s group and a 35% freshmen group.

Sam Stitz leads at a projected 0.92 PPG, with Nick Sajevic (0.79 PPG) not far behind him. Brendan Gibbons (0.45 PPG) and Oliver Genest (0.37 PPG) provide returning depth up front, and defensemen Nolan Cunningham (0.53 PPG) and Will Staring (0.46 PPG) give Air Force significant offensive production from the blue line.

The freshman class features Gavin Reed (0.30 PPG), Zander Lipsett (0.25 PPG), Christian Kim (0.24 PPG), Duke Gentzler (0.21 PPG), and Brady Arneson (0.20 PPG), a depth-oriented group that will develop behind the experienced core.

Senior goaltender Dominik Wasik projects as the top-rated goaltender. Fellow senior Carter Clafton could split time with Wasik.

Holy Cross projects for a composite score of 13.24, returning 56% of last year’s group and adding a 35% freshman class behind a veteran-driven forward group.

Matt Kursonis is the top projected scorer at 0.74 PPG, with Noah Eyre (0.57 PPG) giving the Crusaders a reliable one-two combination. Ty Gagno (0.43 PPG), Connor Welsh (0.41 PPG), and Owen Kim (0.33 PPG) round out the returning forward core, and William Elias (0.46 PPG) adds offensive value from the blue line.

Bode Sampair (0.44 PPG) headlines the freshman class as the top projected first-year scorer, with Cooper Conway (0.34 PPG), Daniel D’Alessandro (0.28 PPG), Preston Lounsbury (0.24 PPG), and Ryan Flaherty (0.23 PPG) filling out the group.

Connor Towle returns as the top-rated goaltender, although he may play in more of a development role behind Danick Leroux, who was solid across 22 appearances for Holy Cross last year. Senior Connor MacKenzie could see an increased role as well.

Beginning July 1, I will be previewing one conference every two weeks in advance of the 2026-27 NCAA Hockey season getting underway in October.

My previously developed predictions model serves as the basis for these roster outlooks, which identifies each team’s top 15 skaters’ projected point-per-game production, top-rated goaltender, and composite, forwards, defensemen, goalie, and depth ratings.

Previous projections:

NCHC

Big Ten

ECAC Hockey

Hockey East

Give a gift subscription

Michigan Tech enters 2026-27 as one of the favorites to win the CCHA, posting a composite score of 18.78 while returning 74% of last year’s roster centered around a forward tandem that ranks among the best in the country.

Lindenwood transfer Giovanni Morneau leads the Huskies at a projected 1.14 PPG. Max Koskipirtti (0.87 PPG) makes it a formidable one-two punch, and Isaac Gordon (0.72 PPG) and Teydon Trembecky (0.70 PPG) give Michigan Tech a true top four. Elias Jansson (0.57 PPG) and Noah Reinhart (0.54 PPG) provide experienced depth further down the lineup.

The freshman class is small but talented. Forward Tristan Delisle (0.52 PPG) projects as the top freshman scorer, with USports standouts Conner Roulette (0.46 PPG) and Lucas Brenton (0.26 PPG) providing good depth as well.

Between the pipes, Owen Bartoszkiewicz returns as the top-rated goaltender, giving Michigan Tech a proven starter behind one of the deepest returning rosters in the CCHA. Freshman Joey Costanzo figures to be worked into the mix as well.

Bowling Green enters 2026-27 with a projected composite score of 17.90, returning 63% of last year’s group and featuring one of the more balanced rosters in the conference.

Ben Doran leads the Falcons at projected 0.85 PPG. Noah Morneau (0.69 PPG), Tyler Hotson (0.68 PPG), and Dominik Rymon (0.67 PPG) round out a returning forward group with proven production through the top six. Defenseman Breck McKinley (0.71 PPG) and Ty Higgins (0.54 PPG) add significant offensive production from the blue line.

The incoming class features QMJHL standout Thomas Verdon (0.75 PPG), Teague Patton (0.46 PPG) and Matthew Soto (0.41 PPG) as the projected top freshman scorers, with defenseman Mazden Leslie (0.38 PPG) adding great depth on the back end.

Between the pipes, returning netminder Jacob Steinman projects as the top-rated goaltender. Freshman Cooper Michaluk and USports standout Tyler Palmer also figure to see time.

Augustana returns 74% of last year’s roster, boasting the highest depth rating (6.85) in the CCHA, while projecting an overall composite score of 17.12.

Lindenwood transfer Jacob Fletcher leads the Vikings at a projected 0.86 PPG. Brett Meerman (0.69 PPG) and Leonid Bulgakov (0.64 PPG) give Augustana a reliable top three, and Hunter Bischoff (0.60 PPG), Owen Bohn (0.58 PPG), Jacob Jastrzebski (0.57 PPG), and Cole Burtch (0.49 PPG) round out a returning forward group with experience across all four lines. Defenseman Owen Baumgartner (0.62 PPG) adds good offensive production from the blue line as well.

The incoming class features Siamion Marshchanok (0.58 PPG) as the top freshman scorer, with twin brother Matsvei Marshchanok (0.51 PPG) adding further depth up front.

Between the pipes, Miami transfer Mathis Langevin projects as the top-rated goaltender. Christian Manz could see a bigger role this season. Freshman Angelo Zol comes into the program as well after a big year in the BCHL.

Subscribe now

Lake Superior State returns just 40% of last year’s group while welcoming 43% freshmen and 17% via transfer, projecting for an overall composite score of 15.93.

Lindenwood transfer Charles Savoie leads the Lakers at a projected 1.20 PPG. Defenseman Nolan Seed (0.77 PPG) and Calem Mangone (0.72 PPG) provide a reliable core behind him, and Hunter Ramos (0.51 PPG), Casper Nassen (0.48 PPG), and Matheson Mason (0.44 PPG) add returning depth throughout the lineup.

The incoming class is one of the largest in the conference at 43%, headlined by forward Cooper Foster (0.44 PPG) and Ethan Moore (0.38 PPG), with Kazumo Sasaki (0.33 PPG) and defenseman Teo Besnier (0.32 PPG) rounding out a first-year group with multiple contributors ready to step up.

Anders Miller projects to be the top-rated goaltender after a strong year in the WHL. Andrew Oke and Charlie Tritt will also be in the mix for what figures to be a largely improved Lake Superior State squad.

Bemidji State enters 2026-27 with a projected composite score of 14.25, returning just 44% of last year’s group while welcoming 39% freshmen.

Oliver Peer leads the Beavers at a projected 1.12 PPG. Air Force transfer Will Dawson (0.69 PPG) gives Bemidji State a capable second option, and Ferris State transfer Carter Rapalje (0.55 PPG) and Max Namestnikov (0.44 PPG) provide experience at multiple levels. Defenseman Hudson Thornton (0.44 PPG) contributes offensively from the blue line.

The freshman class is one of the largest in the conference, headlined by Brady Birnie (0.43 PPG), Ethan Miedema (0.40 PPG), Jiri Klima (0.40 PPG), and Brayden Dube (0.39 PPG), with defenseman Luca D’Amato (0.35 PPG) and Eddie Revenig (0.34 PPG) adding further depth.

Returning netminder Raythan Robbins projects as the top-rated goaltender. He figures to split time with Max Hildebrand, who made 24 appearances in net last year. Trent Wiemken are also in play here for a larger role.

Minnesota State enters 2026-27 with a projected composite score of 13.78, returning 63% of last year’s roster and building around a proven top-two that gives the Mavericks their most reliable offensive contributors at the top of the lineup.

Up front, Ean Somoza (0.74 PPG) and Luigi Benincasa (0.72 PPG) give Minnesota State a dependable one-two punch, and Liam Watkins (0.53 PPG), Mason LeBel (0.47 PPG), and Alex Zetterberg (0.47 PPG) provide a returning core with proven depth behind them. Finlay Williams (0.38 PPG) and Reid Morich (0.34 PPG) add veteran experience further down the lineup.

The incoming class features Mason Kraft (0.32 PPG) and Sam Kappell (0.32 PPG) as the top freshman scorers. Jack Christ (0.29 PPG) and Cash Carter (0.28) are other names to watch as well.

Alaska transfer Lassi Lehti projects as the top-rated goaltender and figures to carry the load with Alex Tracy moving on. Raiden LeGall and Matthew Syverson could also see time in net.

Northern Michigan enters 2026-27 with a composite score of 12.48 and the highest goalie rating (7.47) in the CCHA, while returning just 44% of last year’s group.

Branden Piku leads the Wildcats at a projected 0.53 PPG, with Peter Cisar (0.41 PPG), Grayden Slipec (0.33 PPG), and Mathew Ward (0.32 PPG) rounding out the returning core up front. The veteran group will be leaning heavily on those pieces as a large freshman class develops.

The incoming class features Owen Pitters (0.42 PPG) and Aapo Katavisto (0.39 PPG) as the top freshman scorers, with Coster Dunn (0.37 PPG), Reilley Kotai (0.36 PPG), and Niklas Gudmundson (0.29 PPG) adding solid depth up front.

Between the pipes, returning goaltender Oliver Auyeung-Ashton projects as the top-rated goaltender after an outstanding freshman campaign a season ago. Max Weilandt could see a larger role after coming in as a mid-season addition last year. Jackson Fuller is also in play here.

Ferris State enters 2026-27 projects to post a composite score of 11.86 while returning just 22% of last year’s group and rebuilding almost entirely through a 43% freshman class and 35% via the transfer portal.

Nathan Leek headlines the incoming class at 0.69 PPG and projects to step in as the team’s top scorer. Akseli Pulkkanen (0.49 PPG) is another freshman who arrives ready to contribute immediately, and transfer forwards Owen Mehlenbacher (0.34 PPG) and Ryan Kusler (0.33 PPG) bring valuable experience to the group. Defensemen Christopher Lie (0.42 PPG) and Urban Podrekar (0.40 PPG) add solid offensive production from the blue line.

The freshman class will define Ferris State’s identity, with Hudson Darby (0.33 PPG), Nicholas Johnson (0.30 PPG), Reggie Newman (0.30 PPG), and Gavin Garland (0.28 PPG) in depth roles.

Freshman goaltender Alan Lendak projects as the top-rated goaltender for a program that will rely on strong goaltending and freshman development to find its footing in 2026-27.

Beginning July 1, I will be previewing one conference every two weeks in advance of the 2026-27 NCAA Hockey season getting underway in October.

My previously developed predictions model serves as the basis for these roster outlooks, which identifies each team’s top 15 skaters’ projected point-per-game production, top-rated goaltender, and composite, forwards, defensemen, goalie, and depth ratings.

Previous projections:

NCHC

Big Ten

ECAC Hockey

Give a gift subscription

Merrimack looks like a loaded team in Hockey East, posting a projected composite score of 19.71 while returning 70% of last year’s roster centered around one of the deepest and most productive forward groups in the conference and welcoming in a very talented 30% freshman class.

Trevor Hoskin (1.01 PPG) and Parker Lalonde (1.01 PPG) give the Warriors a devastating one-two punch at the top of the lineup, and Justin Gill (0.96 PPG) makes it a true point-per-game top three. Caelan Fitzpatrick (0.75 PPG) and Nick Pierre (0.64 PPG) provide proven depth behind them, and Caden Cranston (0.57 PPG) and Nolan Flamand (0.50 PPG) round out a returning forward group with experience throughout the lineup.

The incoming class features forwards Mavrick Lachance (0.38 PPG) and Connor Dale (0.38 PPG) as the projected top freshman scorers, with Alex Mercier (0.35 PPG) adding good depth.

Despite Max Lundgren moving on, incoming freshman Linards Feldbergs projects to be one of the best goaltenders in the country, giving Merrimack a capable backstop as the Warriors look to claim back-to-back Hockey East titles.

UMass enters 2026-27 with a projected composite score of 19.38, returning 56% of last year’s roster and building around a lethal top-two heading into the season.

Jack Musa (1.03 PPG) and Vaclav Nestrasil (1.01 PPG) give UMass one of the more dangerous one-two combinations in Hockey East, and Jack Galanek (0.61 PPG) and Daniel Jencko (0.46 PPG) provide a reliable returning core behind them. Defenseman Francesco Dell’Elce (0.63 PPG) and Larry Keenan (0.53 PPG) add significant offensive production from the blue line.

The incoming class is incredibly talented. Headlined by Maxim Masse (0.81 PPG) with Jasper Kuhta (0.58 PPG), Max Curran (0.58 PPG), and Egor Barabanov (0.50 PPG), UMass has a freshman group loaded with big-time contributors.

Between the pipes, incoming freshman Tobias Trejbal projects as the top-rated goaltender. Senior Jackson Irving and freshman Ethan Eskit are also in play for time here.

Providence enters 2026-27 with a composite score of 19.11, returning 70% of last year’s roster and featuring one of the more balanced forward groups in Hockey East from top to bottom.

John Mustard (0.90 PPG) and Logan Sawyer (0.84 PPG) give the Friars a proven one-two punch, and Tanner Adams (0.66 PPG) and Will Elger (0.63 PPG) add great depth through the top four. Julius Sumpf (0.56 PPG), Jonathan Fauchon (0.53 PPG), Graham Gamache (0.47 PPG), and Aleksi Kivioja (0.45 PPG) round out one of the more experienced rosters in the conference.

The freshman class features Thomas Vandenberg (0.51 PPG) as the projected top incoming scorer, with Ryder Cali (0.39 PPG) and Carter Klippenstein (0.32 PPG) adding additional depth up front. Blake Zielinksi (0.32 PPG) is another freshman to watch closely.

Between the pipes, Jack Parsons projects as the top-rated goaltender. North Dakota transfer Gibson Homer comes in as a veteran netminder.

Boston College enters 2026-27 with a composite score of 18.31 and one of the largest freshman classes in Hockey East at 41%, giving the Eagles a mix of experienced returners and young talent across the roster.

Up front, Dean Letourneau leads the Eagles at a projected 1.07 PPG and returns as one of the premier forwards in the conference. Ryan Conmy (0.84 PPG) gives Boston College a capable second option, and Teddy Stiga (0.75 PPG) and Jake Sondreal (0.61 PPG) make up a sound returning core behind them. Will Vote (0.57 PPG) and Oscar Hemming (0.42 PPG) add veteran depth further down the lineup, and defenseman Luka Radivojevic (0.54 PPG) contributes offensively from the blue line.

The freshman class is headlined by Teddy Mutryn (0.71 PPG) and Matias Vanhanen (0.63 PPG), two of the stronger freshman projections in Hockey East, with Alex Pelletier (0.43 PPG) and defensemen Carson Woodall (0.52 PPG) and Quinn Beauchesne (0.36 PPG) rounding out a good first-year group.

Incoming freshman Leo Henriquez projects as the top-rated goaltender for the Eagles, though he is likely to split time with returning goaltender Louka Cloutier. Jan Korec is also in play here for time in net.

Northeastern enters 2026-27 with a composite score of 17.40, returning 57% of last year’s group and featuring the highest goalie rating (7.60) in Hockey East.

Jacob Mathieu leads the Huskies at 0.91 PPG and returns as one of the better individual scorers in the conference. Joe Connor (0.77 PPG), Amine Hajibi (0.75 PPG), and Maine transfer Miguel Marques (0.73 PPG) give Northeastern a deep, experienced top four, and Giacomo Martino (0.62 PPG) and Tyler Fukakusa (0.56 PPG) add further depth behind them.

The freshman class features forward Dawson Sharkey (0.38 PPG) as the projected top incoming scorer, with defensemen Jordan Tourigny (0.34 PPG), Noah Laberge (0.33 PPG), and Marcus Kearsey (0.32 PPG) adding depth on the back end.

Lawton Zacher returns as the top-rated goaltender in the conference and gives Northeastern a genuine backbone in net to carry the team through a competitive Hockey East schedule.

Boston University enters 2026-27 with a projected composite score of 16.59, returning 68% of last year’s roster and building around a sophomore who arrives as one of the more anticipated returning forwards in Tynan Lawrence (1.05 PPG).

In addition to Lawrence, Jack Harvey (0.68 PPG) gives Boston University a capable second option, and Ryder Ritchie (0.63 PPG), Conrad Fondrk (0.59 PPG), and Kamil Bednarik (0.55 PPG) round out a returning forward group with good depth through the lineup. Ben Merrill (0.47 PPG), Jonathan Morello (0.44 PPG), and Brandon Svoboda (0.43 PPG) give the Terriers additional veteran experience across the bottom six.

The incoming class features Niklas Aaram-Olsen (0.59 PPG) and Caleb Malhotra (0.52 PPG) as the top freshman forwards. Historical SHL translations are limited, but Aaram-Olsen profiles as a big-time shooter who could push well past his projection. Additionally, defenseman Xavier Villeneuve (0.38 PPG) adds offensive upside on the back end.

After a down 2025-26 campaign, Mikhail Yegorov projects as the top-rated goaltender for a Boston University squad that will need their sophomore class to take major developmental steps forward this year.

Subscribe now

Maine enters 2026-27 with a projected composite score of 16.58, featuring significant roster turnover — returning just 52% of last year’s group while adding 22% via the transfer portal — but boasting the second-highest depth rating (7.25) in Hockey East.

Up front, Ross Campbell (0.68 PPG), Max Scott (0.65 PPG), Owen Fowler (0.63 PPG), and Tanner Klimpke (0.62 PPG) give the Black Bears four forwards projecting in a similar range, and Sully Scholle (0.55 PPG), Sam Alfano (0.50 PPG), Jaden Lipinski (0.44 PPG), and Thomas Pichette (0.33 PPG) provide an experienced core behind them.

The freshman class features forward Rowan Calvert (0.34 PPG) as the top incoming scorer. On the back end, Ludvig Lafton (0.31 PPG) is a player to watch as well.

Between the pipes, Canisius transfer Petter Wickstrom Stumer projects as the top-rated goaltender, but could play more of a secondary role to returning senior netminder Albin Boija.

UConn enters 2026-27 with a composite score of 16.34, returning 59% of last year’s group while welcoming a 36% freshman class that brings projectable scoring to the lineup.

Joey Muldowney leads the Huskies at 0.89 PPG and returns as one of the more dangerous forwards in Hockey East. Jeremy Loranger (0.76 PPG) gives UConn a capable second option, and Alex Blais (0.55 PPG), Kaden Shahan (0.53 PPG), Mike Murtagh (0.52 PPG), Ethan Gardula (0.48 PPG), and Ethan Whitcomb (0.47 PPG) give the Huskies significant depth throughout the forward group. Defenseman Trey Scott (0.52 PPG) adds offensive value from the blue line as well.

The freshman class features Lirim Amidovski (0.42 PPG) as the projected top incoming forward, with Cole Davis (0.38 PPG), Jesse Heslop (0.35 PPG), and Brittan Alstead (0.32 PPG) adding forward depth, while defenseman William McIsaac (0.35 PPG) rounds out a first-year group with multiple contributors ready to step in.

Between the pipes, freshman Veeti Louhivaara projects as the top-rated goaltender. Sophomore Kam Hendrickson is also in play here.

New Hampshire enters 2026-27 with a composite score of 15.44, returning 57% of last year’s group and boasting the third-highest depth rating (6.82) in the conference.

Up front, St. Lawrence transfer Rasmus Svartstrom (0.67 PPG) and returning forward Nick Ring (0.66 PPG) give the Wildcats a dual-threat at the top of the lineup. Ryan Johnson (0.51 PPG), Martins Lavins (0.49 PPG), Jacob Newcombe (0.45 PPG), Mason Zebeski (0.44 PPG), and Cam MacDonald (0.43 PPG) form one of the deepest returning forward groups in Hockey East. Defenseman Parker Von Richter (0.43 PPG) brings offensive instincts from the blue line as well.

The freshman class features defenseman Parker Von Richter (0.43 PPG) as the projected top incoming scorer, with Emile Guite (0.39 PPG) among the more impactful freshman players to keep close tabs on.

Sacred Heart transfer Teagan Kendrick projects as the top-rated goaltender, while Providence transfer Michael Simpson projects well, giving UNH a formidable one-two punch in net.

Vermont enters 2026-27 with a projected composite score of 13.99, returning 57% of last year’s roster and building around a proven top scorer in Colin Kessler (0.90 PPG), who gives the Catamounts a reliable offensive centerpiece.

In addition to Kessler, Cameron Garvey (0.50 PPG), Cedrick Guindon (0.49 PPG), and Jonah Aegerter (0.44 PPG) form a returning core with good depth behind him. Jack Malinski (0.41 PPG) and Sebastian Tornqvist (0.41 PPG) offer great value from the blue line as well.

The incoming class features Felix Lacerte (0.69 PPG) as the projected top freshman scorer, with Sam McCue (0.40 PPG) adding additional forward depth. Mathieu Plante (0.24 PPG) is a player to watch along the blue line.

Between the pipes, Quinnipiac transfer Dylan Silverstein projects as the top-rated goaltender, while sophomores Aiden Wright and Jacob Oster are in play for time as well.

UMass-Lowell enters 2026-27 with a composite score of 12.55, returning 69% of last year’s roster in one of the more experienced groups in Hockey East.

Chris Delaney leads the River Hawks at a projected 0.65 PPG, with Jak Vaarwerk (0.58 PPG) and Dalyn Wakely (0.55 PPG) rounding out a reliable top three. Libor Nemec (0.45 PPG), Tobias Pitka (0.45 PPG), and Kuzma Voronin (0.41 PPG) provide additional returning depth, and Misha Volotovskii (0.37 PPG) rounds out a veteran forward group with experience.

Freshmen forwards Kolin Sisson (0.32 PPG) and Joseph McGraw (0.31 PPG) headline the incoming group and project to contribute in supporting roles.

Between the pipes, Bowling Green transfer Cole Moore projects as the top-rated goaltender. Austin Elliott and Niko Goich could see time in net as well.

Beginning July 1, I will be previewing one conference every two weeks in advance of the 2026-27 NCAA Hockey season getting underway in October.

My previously developed predictions model serves as the basis for these roster outlooks, which identifies each team’s top 15 skaters’ projected point-per-game production, top-rated goaltender, and composite, forwards, defensemen, goalie, and depth ratings.

Previous projections:

NCHC

Big Ten

Give a gift subscription

Quinnipiac enters 2026-27 as the clear favorite to win the ECAC, posting a composite score of 25.41 while returning 65% of last year’s roster built around one of the most dominant individual performers in the country in Ethan Wyttenbach (1.57 PPG).

In addition to Wyttenbach, Chris Pelosi (1.00 PPG) and Antonin Verreault (1.00 PPG) give Quinnipiac a true point-per-game trio at the top of the lineup, and Markus Vidicek (0.93 PPG), Mason Marcellus (0.92 PPG), Holy Cross transfer Jack Stockfish (0.78 PPG), and Aaron Schwartz (0.77 PPG) form as deep a forward group as anyone in the conference.

The incoming class features forward Alex Kostov (0.67 PPG) as the top freshman scorer, with Dylan Edwards (0.52 PPG) and Gabriel Frasca (0.47 PPG) adding further depth down the lineup.

Between the pipes, Lake Superior State transfer Rorke Applebee projects as the top-rated goaltender for a Quinnipiac program built from top to bottom that can compete for a national championship.

Dartmouth enters 2026-27 with one of the most explosive forward groups in the ECAC, posting a composite score of 19.49 while returning 79% of last year’s roster.

Up front, Hayden Stavroff leads the Big Green at a projected 1.37 PPG and returns as one of the premier scorers in the country. Hank Cleaves (1.15 PPG) makes it a lethal one-two punch, and Nikita Nikora (0.75 PPG) adds a capable third option. Defenseman C.J. Foley (0.72 PPG) and Colin Grable (0.56 PPG) contribute terrific offensive production from the blue line, and Jason Stefanek (0.48 PPG), Nathan Morin (0.45 PPG), and Jack Silverberg (0.44 PPG) provide experienced depth throughout the forward group.

With only 17% freshmen, the incoming class is slim but talented. Forward Jesse Allecia (0.38 PPG) headlines the group and projects to contribute early. Drew Stewart (0.34 PPG) is another name to watch here.

Between the pipes, Emmett Croteau returns as the starter and top-rate goaltender, giving Dartmouth a reliable backstop behind a roster built to make some noise in March and April.

Cornell enters 2026-27 with one of the deeper forward groups in the ECAC, posting an overall composite score of 19.25 while returning 66% of last year’s roster and adding a 30% freshman class with immediate contributors.

Up front, Ryan Walsh (0.98 PPG) and Charlie Major (0.97 PPG) give the Big Red a formidable one-two punch, and Caton Ryan (0.90 PPG) makes it a true top-line threat with all three projecting as legitimate point-per-game options. Defenseman Xavier Veilleux (0.82 PPG) adds good offensive production from the blue line, and Ivan Zadvernyuk (0.72 PPG), Aiden Long (0.60 PPG), and Jacob Kraft (0.59 PPG) form a forward group with great experience.

The incoming class is headlined by forward Bradley Gardiner (0.58 PPG) — one of the stronger freshman projections in the conference — with Giovanni DiGiulian (0.46 PPG) adding depth up front.

Between the pipes, transfer Mathis Rousseau projects as the top-rated goaltender, giving Cornell a proven starter as the Big Red look to contend for an ECAC title.

Clarkson enters 2026-27 with a composite score of 17.15, returning 61% of last year’s roster and boasting one of the highest depth ratings (7.80) in the ECAC.

Up front, Adrian Misaljevic leads the Golden Knights at 0.70 PPG, with Owen Van Steensel (0.66 PPG) and Remi Gelinas (0.63 PPG) giving Clarkson a reliable top three. Justin Cote (0.56 PPG), Jared Mangan (0.55 PPG), Talon Sigurdson (0.52 PPG), and Luka Sukovic (0.52 PPG) form one of the deeper returning forward rosters in the conference, and defenseman Tate Taylor (0.59 PPG) adds significant offensive production from the blue line.

The incoming class features forward Alex Pharand (0.40 PPG) as the top incoming scorer, with Sebastien Gervais (0.37 PPG) and Hayden Reid (0.36 PPG) adding forward depth.

Between the pipes, Shane Soderwall returns as the top-rated goaltender, anchoring a Clarkson team looking to contend in the ECAC.

Under first-year head coach Rob Rassey, Harvard enters 2026-27 with a composite score of 16.09, returning 78% of last year’s roster and featuring one of the more experienced groups in the ECAC heading into the season.

Up front, Mick Thompson leads the Crimson at a projected 0.88 PPG. Heikki Ruohonen (0.66 PPG) gives Harvard a reliable second option, and Richard Gallant (0.53 PPG), Ryan Fine (0.50 PPG), and Justin Solovey (0.43 PPG) round out a returning core with proven contributors throughout the lineup. Defenseman Matthew Morden (0.55 PPG) adds meaningful offensive production from the blue line.

The incoming class features forward Joseph Salandra (0.40 PPG) as the top freshman scorer, with defenseman Alex Huang (0.39 PPG) and Justin Graf (0.35 PPG) adding depth across the roster.

Between the pipes, Detroit Red Wings draft pick Rudy Guimond projects very well as a freshman. Ben Charette and Evan Zhang are also in play here.

Subscribe now

Union enters 2026-27 with a composite score of 14.45, returning 61% of last year’s group and building around a versatile offensive core that features proven production at both forward and the blue line.

Up front, Alaska transfer Tommy Cronin leads the team at a projected 0.88 PPG. Lucas Buzziol (0.71 PPG) gives Union a capable second option, with Alex Laurenza (0.61 PPG) and Riley Brueck (0.46 PPG) providing experienced depth behind them. Defenseman Tyler Dunbar (0.82 PPG), Etienne Lessard (0.62 PPG), and Will Felicio (0.44 PPG) bring good offensive production from the blue line, a group that ranks among the more offensively productive in the conference.

The incoming class features Nathan Free (0.35 PPG) as the top freshman scorer, with Troy Pelton (0.33 PPG) adding forward depth.

Between the pipes, Brayden Gillespie projects as the top-rated goaltender for Union. Cameron Korpi figures to see a good amount of time in net as well.

Colgate enters 2026-27 with a composite score of 13.80, returning 61% of last year’s roster and building around a proven top-end scorer in Max Nagel (1.08 PPG), who gives the Raiders a legitimate offensive centerpiece.

In addition to Nagel, Ryan Sullivan (0.72 PPG) gives the Raiders a capable second option, and Jack Brandt (0.53 PPG) rounds out a returning forward core with proven contributors at the top of the lineup. Defenseman Isaiah Norlin (0.67 PPG) adds significant offensive production from the blue line.

The incoming class features defenseman Nathan Larioza (0.42 PPG) and forward Braiden Clark (0.39 PPG) as the top freshman contributors, with Porter Byrd-Leitner (0.28 PPG) and Tobias Ohman (0.27 PPG) adding further depth up front.

Between the pipes, incoming freshman Matthew Minchak projects as the top-rated goaltender following a strong season in the OHL. Reid Dyck, who played in 29 games as a freshman last year, will likely also see time.

St. Lawrence enters 2026-27 with a composite score of 13.11, returning 74% of last year’s roster and building around a top-end scorer in Tyler Cristall (0.87 PPG) who gives the Saints a legitimate offensive focal point in the ECAC.

In addition to Cristall, Cayden Casey (0.72 PPG) gives the Saints a capable second option, and Filip Juricek (0.59 PPG), Cooper Pierson (0.57 PPG), and Sam LeDrew (0.57 PPG) round out a returning forward group. Isaac Tremblay (0.50 PPG) also provides additional veteran presence further down the lineup.

The incoming class is headlined by forward Luke Posthumus (0.51 PPG), with Ihnat Pazii (0.35 PPG) and Owen Tylec (0.25 PPG) adding further depth up front.

Between the pipes, Cam Smith projects as the top-rated goaltender for St. Lawrence.

RPI enters 2026-27 with a composite score of 12.68 and significant roster turnover, returning just 48% of last year’s group while welcoming 39% freshmen, one of the youngest rosters in the conference.

Up front, Filip Sitar leads the Engineers at 0.49 PPG, with Matthew Buckley (0.38 PPG) and Jagger Tapper (0.38 PPG) providing experienced depth behind him. Rainers Rullers (0.42 PPG) adds to the returning core, and defenseman Thomas Klassek (0.46 PPG) contributes offensively from the blue line.

The incoming class is the largest in the conference at 35% and features defenseman Grayson Burzynski (0.39 PPG) as the top freshman scorer and James Guo (0.35 PPG) adding depth on the back end. Jordan Gavin (0.34 PPG) is another name to watch.

Between the pipes, Nathan Krawchuk, who appeared in 24 games last season, projects as the top-rated goaltender.

Yale enters 2026-27 under new leadership, with Jeff Hamilton taking over bench boss duties. The Bulldogs’ roster is projected to post a composite score of 11.98 while returning 78% of last year’s group and welcoming a 22% freshman class.

Up front, Ronan O’Donnell leads Yale at 0.84 PPG and returns as one of the steadier offensive producers in the ECAC. Donovan Frias (0.69 PPG) gives Yale a capable second option, and Micah Berger (0.60 PPG) rounds out a reliable top three. David Andreychuk (0.44 PPG), Iisai Pesonen (0.44 PPG), Zachary Wagnon (0.37 PPG), and James Shannon (0.36 PPG) make up a solid returning group with experience across all four lines.

The incoming class is headlined by forward Alex Assadourian (0.35 PPG), with Kyle O’Leary (0.19 PPG) and Drew Waterfield (0.19 PPG) providing depth behind him.

Between the pipes, Noah Pak projects as the top-rate netminder for Yale. Jack Stark and Jeth Fogg are also in play here.

Princeton enters 2026-27 with a composite score of 11.26, returning 74% of last year’s roster and building around a top-end forward whose production stands well above the rest of the group.

Up front, Kai Daniells leads the Tigers at 1.09 PPG and returns as one of the more dominant individual scorers in the ECAC. Jake Manfre (0.78 PPG) gives Princeton a capable second option, but the drop-off after the top two is significant — Julian Facchinelli (0.33 PPG) and Josh Karnish (0.29 PPG) making up a returning core that will lean heavily on Daniells and Manfre to generate offense.

The incoming class features forward Shaan Kingwell (0.34 PPG) as the top freshman contributor, with forward Jake Gudelj (0.25 PPG) adding depth down the lineup.

Between the pipes, Arthur Smith returns as the top-rated goaltender. Conor Callaghan, who played in 12 games last season, could see increased time.

Brown enters 2026-27 with a composite score of 9.45, returning 57% of last year’s group while adding 17% via the transfer portal and welcoming in a 26% freshman class.

Up front, Benjamin Poitras leads the Bears at 0.56 PPG, with Andrew King (0.52 PPG) and Brian Nicholas (0.47 PPG) giving Brown a reliable top three. Griffin Erdman (0.44 PPG), Charlie Gollob (0.41 PPG), and Michael Salandra (0.40 PPG) round out a returning forward group that provides genuine depth despite the program’s modest composite score.

The incoming class features Matteo Danis (0.34 PPG) as the top freshman scorer, with defenseman Marco Senerchia (0.22 PPG) adding depth on the back end.

Between the pipes, incoming freshman Devin Shakar projects as the top-rated goaltender for the Bears.

Beginning July 1, I will be previewing one conference every two weeks in advance of the 2026-27 NCAA Hockey season getting underway in October.

My previously developed predictions model serves as the basis for these roster outlooks, which identifies each team’s top 15 skaters’ projected point-per-game production, top-rated goaltender, and composite, forwards, defensemen, goalie, and depth ratings.

Previous projections:

NCHC

Subscribe now

Michigan enters 2026-27 as the clear favorite to win the Big Ten, posting the highest composite score in the conference (and the country) at 25.60 while returning 70% of last year’s roster and bringing in a 30% freshman class that could be the most talented in the country.

Junior forward Michael Hage leads the Wolverines at a projected 1.39 PPG, one of the most dominant individual projections in college hockey. Jayden Perron (1.15 PPG) and Will Horcoff (0.97 PPG) give Michigan a devastating top three, and the depth doesn’t stop there. Adam Valentini (0.76 PPG), Nick Moldenhauer (0.76 PPG), Malcolm Spence (0.68 PPG), and Garrett Schifsky (0.65 PPG) form one of the deepest forward groups in the country. Defenseman Henry Mews (1.02 PPG), who was limited to just ten games as a freshman, could be a genuine point-per-game threat from the blue line.

The incoming class is headlined by forwards Jack Nesbitt (0.64 PPG) and J.P. Hurlbert (0.62 PPG), with defenseman Cam Reid (0.55 PPG) and freshman blueliner Landon Dupont (0.51 PPG) adding immediate impact on the back end.

Between the pipes, sophomore Jack Ivankovic returns as one of the more reliable starters in the Big Ten, giving Michigan a proven backstop behind a roster that looks poised to make a deep NCAA Tournament run.

After coming up short in the title game last season, Wisconsin enters 2026-27 with a composite score of 18.84, returning 64% of last year’s roster and featuring one of the most complete forward groups in the Big Ten.

Gavin Morrissey leads the Badgers at an even 1.00 PPG, giving Wisconsin a legitimate point-per-game producer at the top of the lineup. Penn State transfer J.J. Wiebusch (0.94 PPG) makes it a formidable one-two punch, and Vasily Zelenov (0.77 PPG) adds a capable third option. Sophomore defenseman Luke Osburn (0.69 PPG) contributes elite offensive production from the blue line, and Oliver Tulk (0.60 PPG), Ryan Botterill (0.60 PPG), and Finn Brink (0.49 PPG) round out a returning forward group with proven depth throughout the lineup.

The freshman class features forward and NAHL standout Talan Blanck (0.50 PPG) as the top incoming scorer, although historical NAHL data has been limited, which is important to note for Blanck’s projected numbers. Chase Jette (0.36 PPG) and Zach Wooten (0.33 PPG) add complementary pieces and could very well outperform their projections.

Between the pipes, transfer netminder Alexis Cournoyer projects as the top-rated goaltender for the Badgers. Returning goaltender Daniel Hauser figures to have a say as well.

Michigan State will feature one of the more exciting young rosters in the Big Ten, posting a composite score of 18.56 while returning 61% of last year’s group and welcoming a 30% freshman class loaded with high-end talent.

Up front, transfer forward Cullen Potter leads the Spartans at a projected 1.14 PPG. Meanwhile, sophomores Ryker Lee (0.94 PPG) and Anthony Romani (0.82 PPG) make Michigan State’s top three one of the more productive trios in the Big Ten, and Tommi Mannisto (0.57 PPG) and Gavin O’Connell (0.46 PPG) provide veteran depth behind them.

The freshman class is exceptional. Defenseman Tommy Bleyl (0.67 PPG) headlines the group as one of the more offensively dynamic freshman blueliners in the country, while forward Ethan Belchetz (0.61 PPG), defenseman Chase Reid (0.59 PPG), and forward Jack Hextall (0.31 PPG) give the Spartans a first-year group capable of contributing immediately.

Between the pipes, transfer goaltender Quentin Sigurdson posted terrific underlying metrics in a limited role with Northeastern last season. Freshman goaltender Joshua Ravensbergen is also in play here for significant time and projects to be an above average goaltender.

Penn State enters 2026-27 with a composite score of 18.52, returning 52% of last year’s group while adding a 38% freshman class that injects immediate scoring upside at both forward and the blue line.

Transfer forward Justin Poirier leads the Nittany Lions at 1.09 PPG. Reese Laubach (0.77 PPG) and Dane Dowiak (0.65 PPG) give Penn State a reliable returning core behind him, while defenseman Jackson Smith (0.86 PPG) will look to build off an impressive freshman campaign. Luke Misa (0.56 PPG) provides additional depth up front.

The freshman class is headlined by forward Justin Larose (0.67 PPG), Marco Mignosa (0.58 PPG), Kale Dach (0.47 PPG), Kaden Pitre (0.46 PPG), and Shea Busch (0.46 PPG) giving the Nittany Lions a strong group of first-year players.

Sophomore netminder Josh Fleming returns as the top-rated goaltender. Freshman netminder Ryder Fetterolf could also see a good amount of time in net.

Give a gift subscription

After a down year in 2025-26, Minnesota is firmly back in the mix, posting a composite score of 17.78 while returning 53% of last year’s roster and adding 17% via the transfer portal to supplement a strong returning core.

Senior forward Brodie Ziemer (1.07 PPG) and St. Cloud State transfer Austin Burnevik (1.03 PPG) give the Gophers one of the better one-two punches in the conference, and sophomore L.J. Mooney (0.97 PPG) makes it a true top-line threat that ranks among the best trios in the Big Ten. Javon Moore (0.68 PPG), Beckett Hendrickson (0.53 PPG), and Tanner Ludtke (0.48 PPG) provide veteran depth across the forward group, while Minnesota State transfer defenseman Evan Murr (0.67 PPG) adds significant offensive punch from the blue line.

The incoming class features forward Jacob Kvasnicka (0.56 PPG) as the top freshman scorer, with OHL standout Christian Humphreys (0.53 PPG) adding further upside up front and defenseman Tarin Smith (0.44 PPG) providing good offense from the back end. Wyatt Cullen (0.47 PPG) feels like one to exceed his median projections.

Transfer goaltender Melvin Strahl projects as the top-rated goaltender for the Gophers, although it’s important to note that his projections are based on a three-game sample size with Michigan State last year. Senior Luca DiPasquo is also in play here, as is freshman netminder Alex Sabev.

Ohio State enters 2026-27 as a fringe top 25 program, with a composite score of 15.99, returning 61% of last year’s roster and building around a proven top-end forward.

Up front, Jake Karabela leads Ohio State at 1.00 PPG and returns as one of the more dangerous forwards in the Big Ten. Felix Caron (0.86 PPG) gives the Buckeyes a capable second option, and Max Montes (0.70 PPG) rounds out a reliable top three. Ryan Gordon (0.55 PPG) and Minnesota transfer Erik Pahlsson (0.43 PPG) provide good depth behind them.

The freshman class features forward Ben Wilmott (0.61 PPG) as the top incoming scorer, with defenseman Jakub Fibigr (0.41 PPG), and forwards Evan Jardine (0.37 PPG) and Ryan Rucinski (0.30 PPG) adding quality first-year depth across the lineup.

Between the pipes, freshman Jakub Milota projects as the top-rated goaltender, though that projection is based on his 2024-25 numbers in the QMJHL, given he was limited to just three games there last year. Returning goaltender Kris Eberly and Bentley transfer Jack Erickson are also in play here.

Notre Dame enters 2026-27 with a composite score of 12.82, returning 70% of last year’s roster and will rely on a veteran-heavy core to carry the load, with just 13% of the roster comprised of freshmen.

Up front, Evan Werner leads the Fighting Irish at 0.89 PPG. Danny Nelson (0.83 PPG) gives Notre Dame a reliable second option, and defenseman Paul Fischer (0.70 PPG) provides significant offensive production from the blue line. Cole Brown (0.56 PPG), transfer Michael Quinn (0.53 PPG), and Pano Fimis (0.51 PPG) round out an experienced forward group.

With only 13% freshmen, the incoming class is small but very talented. Forward Beckham Edwards (0.42 PPG) headlines the group, with Danny Klaers (0.25 PPG) adding depth on the blue line. Sammy Nelson (0.22 PPG) will look to outperform his projection as one of the top 2027 NHL Draft-eligible prospects.

Between the pipes, junior Nick Kempf returns as the top-rated goaltender. Air Force transfer Toby Hopp could help take the load off Kempf. As will incoming freshman Patrick Quinlan, who posted modest numbers in the OHL last year.

Beginning July 1, I will be previewing one conference every two weeks in advance of the 2026-27 NCAA Hockey season getting underway in October.

My previously developed predictions model serves as the basis for these roster outlooks, which identifies each team’s top 15 skaters’ projected point-per-game production, top-rated goaltender, and composite, forwards, defensemen, goalie, and depth ratings.

Up first, the NCHC.

Subscribe now

Denver enters 2026-27 as one of the most balanced rosters in the NCHC, posting a composite score of 22.55, while returning 65% of last year’s championship roster.

Up front, senior Sam Harris projects as Denver’s top offensive weapon at a projected 0.92 points per game. James Reeder (0.82 PPG) and Clarke Caswell (0.81 PPG) give Denver a true top-three punch, with all three projecting as legitimate point-per-game threats. Kristian Epperson (0.63 PPG) and Kyle Chyzowski (0.62 PPG) round out a deep, experienced returning forward group.

Forward Jack Pridham headlines Denver’s incoming class with a projected 0.56 PPG, while defensemen Daxon Rudolph (0.50 PPG) and Ryan Lin (0.44 PPG) bring offensive intrigue to the blue line. Forward Ryan Miller (0.47 PPG) is another freshman to keep tabs on.

Between the pipes, sophomore Johnny Hicks projects as the top goaltender in the country, not too difficult to imagine following last year’s historic run, albeit it’s probably fair to expect his numbers to come down a bit over the course of a full season.

North Dakota projects to have one of the most dynamic rosters in the NCHC, posting a composite score of 21.38, while returning just 48% of last year’s group, with 35% freshmen and 17% transfers injecting new energy into the program.

Up front, sophomore Cole Reschny is the headliner, projecting at 1.03 PPG to lead the Fighting Hawks. Will Zellers (0.98 PPG) gives North Dakota a lethal one-two punch at the top of the lineup, and Mac Swanson (0.80 PPG) adds a reliable third option. Transfers Kasper Magnussen (0.71 PPG) and Gavin Lindberg (0.64 PPG) and returning sophomore Jack Kernan (0.65 PPG) give Dane Jackson plenty of depth to work with, making UND’s forward unit one of the deepest in the conference.

Freshman defenseman Carson Carels headlines the incoming class at a projected 0.49 PPG, while forward Cooper Simpson (0.39 PPG) and defenseman Ethan Mackenzie (0.38 PPG) bring additional upside to the table.

Between the pipes, Jan Spunar returns after posting strong numbers last season and figures to once again be a wall in net for North Dakota. Freshman Caleb Heil will likely also see time in net.

Western Michigan figures to ice one of the most complete rosters in the NCHC, posting a composite score of 19.43 while returning 66% of last year’s group, a deep and experienced core that gives head coach Pat Ferschweiler plenty to build around.

Returning forward William Whitelaw leads the Broncos at a projected 0.92 PPG. Zaccharya Wisdom (0.78 PPG) gives Western Michigan a capable second option, and defenseman Joona Vaisanen (0.74 PPG) — after missing most of last year with an injury — will look to once again provide elite offensive production from the blue line. Ty Henricks (0.65 PPG), Bobby Cowan (0.62 PPG), Cole Spicer (0.55 PPG), and Zach Nehring (0.55 PPG) round out a returning forward group with terrific depth.

The incoming class is headlined by Minnesota Wild draft pick Adam Benak (0.58 PPG), with Tommy Lafreniere (0.46 PPG), Nic Skykora (0.39), and defenseman Edison Engle (0.30 PPG) adding complementary pieces to an already experienced roster.

Between the pipes, Quentin Miller stays within the conference as a transfer addition and provides Western Michigan a proven starter behind a roster built to compete deep into the year.

Minnesota Duluth features perhaps the most lethal forward group in the NCHC, posting a composite roster score of 18.74 while returning 74% of last year’s group.

Hobey Baker-winner Max Plante leads the way at a projected 1.32 PPG, followed closely by Zam Plante (1.19 PPG) and Jayson Shaugabay (1.12 PPG), forming arguably the best top line in college hockey. Defenseman Ty Hanson (0.86 PPG) adds elite punch from the blue line, and transfers Barrett Hall (0.80 PPG) and Peyton Platter (0.53 PPG) give Duluth a deep, experienced supporting cast up front.

The incoming class is headlined by former NTDP forward Victor Plante (0.43 PPG), with defenseman Keith McInnis (0.31 PPG) and forward Kade Kohanski (0.30 PPG) adding depth to the mix.

Between the pipes, Carl Axelsson projects hold his own and carve out a meaningful role after posting strong numbers in the USHL this past season.

Colorado College will look to make some noise in the NCHC, posting a composite score of 17.41 while returning a remarkable 83% of last year’s group.

Up front, Owen Beckner leads the Tigers at a projected 0.82 PPG. Klavs Veinbergs (0.59 PPG), Connor Hvidson (0.58 PPG), Bret Link (0.56 PPG), and Wilson Bjorck (0.55 PPG) give Colorado College one of the deeper returning forward groups in the league. Defenseman Mats Lindgren (0.59 PPG) and Max Burkholder (0.53 PPG), who missed most of last season due to injury, add significant offensive production from the blue line.

With only 13% freshmen, the incoming class is slim but includes WHL standout Zac Olsen (0.39 PPG), who brings immediate scoring upside, and Ty Halaburda (0.36 PPG).

Between the pipes, Jackson Unger projects as the top-rated goaltender for the Tigers and will look to take over full-time duties after Kaiden Mbereko turned pro. Beckham Dempsey could also see time in net.

Give a gift subscription

Miami will look to take the next step after an 18-win season firmly put the RedHawks back on the map. Anthony Noreen’s group projects as a well-rounded unit, posting a composite score of 15.64 while returning 61% of last year’s group and welcoming a 30% freshman class.

Matteo Giampa leads the RedHawks with a projected 0.85 PPG, giving Miami a legitimate offensive focal point. David Deputy (0.73 PPG) and Kocha Delic (0.72 PPG) form a strong second and third option, and Ilia Morozov (0.64 PPG) brings additional punch as one of the team’s younger contributors. Ryan Smith (0.55 PPG) and Doug Grimes (0.50 PPG) round out a returning forward group with solid experience.

Forward Ryan Seelinger (0.38 PPG) headlines Miami’s incoming class, with Layne Loomer (0.36 PPG) and Charles Blanchard (0.32 PPG) adding forward depth, while defenseman Timofei Runtso (0.29 PPG) and forward Matous Kucharcik (0.28 PPG) give the RedHawks a first-year group with multiple contributors ready to step up.

Between the pipes, Matteo Drobac returns to the Miami net and projects as an above-average netminder after recording solid numbers a season ago. Russian netminder Yegor Yegorov could also carve out a role as a freshman.

St. Thomas makes the jump to the NCHC and features a roster with a composite score of 15.15, returning just 39% of last year’s group while adding 26% via the transfer portal.

Lucas Van Vliet is the engine for the Tommies, projecting at 1.03 PPG. Nathan Pilling (0.72 PPG) gives St. Thomas a capable second option, and defenseman Chase Cheslock (0.66 PPG) adds offensive production from the blue line. Nick Williams (0.51 PPG) and Dylan Godbout (0.50 PPG) round out a returning group with proven contributors at every level.

The freshman class brings immediate contributors in David Rozsival (0.34 PPG) and Aiden Grossklaus (0.33 PPG) up front, with Jackson Potulny (0.30 PPG) and Kade Stengrim (0.29 PPG) adding further depth. Former North Dakota commit Andrew O’Neill (0.25 PPG) is a name to watch as a potential freshman breakout candidate.

Between the pipes, freshman Ajay White projects as the top goaltender after posting elite numbers in the USHL this past season, with Carsen Musser returning to provide experience and depth in the goaltending room.

After an underwhelming 2025-26 season, Arizona State features one of the most heavily rebuilt rosters in the NCHC, posting a composite score of 15.07 with only 26% returning and 39% of the roster coming via transfer.

Transfers Ben Muthersbaugh (0.91 PPG) and Olivier Houde (0.76 PPG) and returning sophomore Jack Beck (0.90 PPG) give the Sun Devils a dangerous top-line punch. Kyle Smolen (0.60 PPG) and Logan Morrell (0.45 PPG) provide a steady returning base behind them, and defenseman Matthew Mayich (0.40 PPG) contributes offensively from the back end.

Freshman forward Nathan Behm (0.56 PPG) headlines an exceptional incoming class that also includes Lukas Sawchyn (0.54 PPG) and defenseman Jonas Woo (0.63 PPG), with the latter projecting as one of the better freshman blueliners in the country.

Between the pipes, Samuel Urban will look to bounce back after a tough freshman campaign. Transfer Sam Hillebrandt figures to see time in net as well.

Nebraska-Omaha enters 2026-27 with a composite score of 14.31, returning 57% of last year’s roster and boasting an impressive 7.09 depth rating.

Up front, Maxime Pellerin and Luke Woodworth share top point projections at 0.65 PPG each, giving the Mavericks a reliable dual-threat at the top of the lineup. Brett Hyland (0.58 PPG) and Trevor Wong (0.58 PPG) make Omaha’s top four one of the more evenly distributed forward groups in the NCHC. Marcus Nguyen (0.44 PPG) and Sean Tschigerl (0.38 PPG) add depth further down the lineup.

Freshman forward Gavin Hodnett (0.49 PPG) headlines a fun incoming class that projects to contribute immediately, with Aiden Oiring (0.44 PPG), Carter Sotheran (0.44 PPG), and Vincent Desjardins (0.42 PPG) giving the Mavericks a deep first-year group.

Between the pipes, freshman William Lacelle projects as a high-quality starter after posting outstanding numbers in the QMJHL this past season.

The 2026-27 season will mark Nick Oliver’s first as head coach at St. Cloud State, as the Huskies project a composite score of 13.11 while returning just 31% of last year’s roster and welcoming 43% freshmen and 26% via the transfer portal.

Up front, Jake Southgate leads the Huskies at 0.65 PPG, with William Ahlrik (0.60 PPG) and Gavyn Thoreson (0.58 PPG) giving St. Cloud a reliable top three. Nolan Roed (0.50 PPG) and Noah Urness (0.49 PPG) add depth and experience that will be valuable as the younger pieces develop.

The freshman class features Brock Souch (0.47 PPG) and EJ Paddington (0.47 PPG) as the top incoming forwards, while Adam Vigfusson (0.37 PPG), Will Sharpe (0.36 PPG), and defenseman Darels Uljanskis (0.37 PPG) round out a group with genuine upside. Carson Pilgrim (0.23 PPG) is a name to watch as a potential breakout candidate.

Between the pipes, Patriks Berzins projects as the top-rated goaltender for the Huskies, while sophomore Yan Shostak and freshman Mason McElroy via the NAHL also figure to be in the mix for playing time.

How many points will a player produce next season? How will a freshmen goaltender perform? How does a projected roster stack up?

With college hockey gaining increasing popularity, I wanted to introduce something new. Something useful that can help us answer these questions. Rarely is there a systematic, reproducible answer that covers every player on every roster at this level—freshmen, veterans, transfers, and goalies alike.

That is what I have spent the last several months building.

Before projecting anything, there is a more important question to answer first: does any of this actually work?

Before pointing the model at 2026-27 rosters, the entire framework was built and validated using 2024-25 end-of-season data to project 2025-26 production. Those results were then checked against what players actually did. Every skater. Every goalie.

That audit validated the translation logic, the age curves, and the model framework before a single future projection was generated.

Subscribe now

The Junior Translation

A 70-point junior season sounds impressive, but 70 points in the USHL is not the same as 70 points in the OHL, which is not the same as 70 points in the NCAA. Context matters.

Before any junior player enters the model, his production is run through a league-specific translation formula. As I’ve noted in previous studies, scoring rates translate differently depending on the source league.

Since those initial studies, I have received numerous inquiries regarding NAHL data. Unfortunately, my data source, InStat, lacks recent data for the league. To bridge this, I used 2022-23 NAHL data, observed how those rates translated to the NCAA for 2023-24, and incorporated those findings into my model.

Of note, until I have more of a sample size to work with, ECHL players have been omitted from the model.

For returning NCAA players, the translation step is skipped entirely. Their college production history becomes the direct input, adjusted forward based on role and development arc. The effects of the transfer portal were also factored into these projections.

The Age Development Curve

An 18-year-old freshman and a 21-year-old junior are fundamentally different prospects; treating them identically would be a modeling error. After studying four seasons of NCAA data on how production evolves with age, a clear pattern emerged: forwards peak early, defensemen peak late.

The 18-to-19 transition is when most skilled forwards make their biggest offensive jump. By 20 or 21, that spike has usually already occurred; future gains come from expanded roles, not raw development. Defensemen work on a longer runway. Offensive upside at the blue line often does not fully emerge until a player is logging top-four minutes and regular power-play time as an upperclassman.

Both the player’s age at the start of the season and its squared value are included as model features, allowing the framework to capture the nonlinear shape of that development curve rather than assuming a straight-line progression.

The transfer portal adds another layer. A young forward moving to a stronger program or leaving for more playing time can see an immediate scoring jump, while a young defenseman changing systems often struggles before settling in. By the time a player crosses age 21, those effects largely disappear, as the data revealed that experienced transfers generally carry their production with them directly into a new situation.

What the Box Score Misses

Points alone do not paint the full picture.

To measure actual efficiency, the model considers additional average-per-game data, ensuring a fourth-liner producing in limited minutes receives a fair comparison against a top-line forward playing 22 minutes a night.

The model incorporates six underlying rate metrics that capture what the box score cannot: expected goals, slot passes, puck touches, scoring chances, takeaways, and zone entries. Rounding out the twelve features are raw PPG from the prior season, age, age squared, transfer status, CORSI percentage, and puck battles won percentage.

Together, these inputs form the model’s baseline vision.

How the Skater Model Works

Once features are cleaned, translated, and rate-scaled, they are processed through a hierarchical Bayesian regression model that accounts for the environment in which each player competes.

The core idea is that a point scored in the Big Ten and a point scored in the AHA do not carry the same weight. Therefore, conference strength is baked into the model as a structural component.

For incoming freshmen with no NCAA track record, the model applies a conservative approach to the adjustment required to compete at this level. First-year players are volatile by nature, and a model that overpromises on freshmen is a model that cannot be trusted.

Furthermore, the Bayesian approach produces something a traditional model cannot: uncertainty. Every skater is assigned not just a projected PPG, but a realistic range of outcomes, reflecting the model’s confidence in that specific projection.

What About Goalies?

Projecting goaltenders means throwing the points framework out entirely. Goalies don’t score. So what do you measure?

The answer is GSAx, or Goals Saved Above Expected). Rather than counting goals allowed, we measure how many goals a goalie allowed compared to the quality of shots he faced.

The goalie model uses a two-stage approach. First, a Random Forest is trained on 2025-26 NCAA goaltender data, using age, save percentage, and league translation factors, to produce a “prior” projection for each goalie in the 2026-27 pool. Then, a Bayesian update combines that prior with the goalie’s observed performance, weighted by ice time. The result balances the model’s expectation with the goalie’s actual show of form.

This estimate is then scaled into a 0–10 rating centered at 5.0, where anything above 5.0 implies a strong goaltender and anything below indicates an underperformer. Conference strength multipliers are applied here as well.

For junior goalies entering the college game, I applied a similar translation logic to observe how junior goaltending rates convert to the NCAA level.

(If you’d like to see a separate write-up on the goaltending rate translations, I’d be happy to share that. If you’re more interested in the TL;DR version: USHL, OHL: Good, WHL: Stable, QMJHL/BCHL: Adjustments Needed)

What the Audit Actually Found

This is where the model earns its credibility.

For skaters, the results were strong. Across more than 1,400 players, the model explained 79% of scoring variance league-wide. Put plainly: nearly four-fifths of the difference in how players scored across an entire season was captured by factors the model accounted for before the puck dropped. The linear correlation between projected tiers and actual production sat at 90%.

On a per-player basis, nearly two-thirds of skaters were projected within 0.10 PPG of their actual output. Nearly 80% landed within 0.15 PPG, and over 90% were within 0.20. The average error across the entire league was 0.097 PPG—about 3.3 points per season.

For goaltenders, the story is different. Across 102 qualifying goaltenders in 2025-26, the model drew a clear line between the best and worst in the country, revealing a gap of more than a full goal per 60 minutes between the top and bottom quartiles. Among full-season starters, the elite tier clustered tightly at the top, while struggling starters separated themselves just as cleanly at the bottom.

Denver’s Johnny Hicks was the standout, saving roughly half a goal more per game than expected, the best mark in the qualifying pool. The correlation between the model’s expectation and what goalies actually allowed confirms the signal is real, even if factors like team defense and sample size account for the remaining gap.

Putting It All Together: Composite Team Ratings

Individual player projections are useful, but team ratings reveal how programs stack up entering the year.

The composite team rating is the sum of three components: Forward Rating, Defense Rating, and Goalie Rating. The forward and defense ratings aggregate projected PPG from each position group, using Bayesian distributions to produce a mean team rating and a full uncertainty range (the lower bound at the 5th percentile and the upper bound at the 95th).

The goalie component uses the top-rated qualifying goalie per program. Goalie uncertainty—expressed as a confidence interval from the Bayesian posterior—is incorporated into the team’s total range: a goalie with a tight distribution compresses the team’s uncertainty, while a wide distribution expands it. A team with an elite goalie and a narrow confidence interval gets credit for both the rating and the reliability.

The end result is a figure that looks like this (note the roster is subject to change and only used for the purpose of this illustration):

If you are trying to interpret this graphic, please note that it does not suggest Michigan is the 25th-ranked team. In fact, when compiling preliminary rosters—including outgoing seniors, incoming transfers (which do not apply to Michigan for this particular scenario), and incoming freshmen—the Wolverines are frequently rated as a Top-3 team in the country.

Instead, the graphic indicates that higher ratings for Forwards, Defensemen, and Goalies—and therefore the Composite Team Rating—correlate to better performance.

Regarding player projections, I have listed the Top 15 scorers, their projected age at the start of the 2026–27 season, their mean predicted Points Per Game (PPG), and their PPG range based on the confidence interval (CI).

For example, Michael Hage, who is entering his junior season at Michigan, has a PPG range of 1.25–1.53, resulting in a mean projected PPG of 1.39, which would build slightly off his 1.33 PPG season as a sophomore. Conversely, for an incoming freshman like J.P. Hurlbert, who has a PPG range of 0.62-0.94, the junior translation factors are applied plus the Bayesian performance.

What Comes Next

This model is not a crystal ball. It does not account for undisclosed injuries, line shuffles, or the random bounces that shape an individual season. What it does is give every skater and every goalie in college hockey a defensible starting point.

With 2026-27 rosters taking shape, projections will begin to roll out this summer, both here and on Twitter/X. Team and conference breakdowns will follow, covering the full picture from incoming freshmen to proven returners, portal transfers, and the goalies behind them.

More to come. Thanks for reading.

— Ryan

With the transfer portal now closed, we can start to piece together some of the real difference-makers set to skate with new teams next season. To identify the 10 best additions of this cycle, I leaned on my recently developed Skater and Goaltender Impact Ratings alongside advanced statistical data provided by InStat, providing a comprehensive look at how each player performed at their previous program and what they might contribute at their new one.

Subscribe now

Evan Murr (D) | Minnesota State → Minnesota | Impact Rating: 1.68

Murr was one of the most explosive offensive defensemen in the transfer portal, arriving at Minnesota with a 1.68 Impact Rating that ranks among the very best of any player in this entire class. His 1.10 Offensive Impact is the defining feature of his profile, an elite mark that places him in rarefied company among college hockey blueliners and signals a player who fundamentally transforms his team’s offensive structure when he steps on the ice.

He averaged 22:43 of ice time per game at Minnesota State over 40 games, one of the highest marks of any skater in the dataset. Murr’s 0.28 goals and 0.50 assists per game produced a 0.77 points-per-game pace from the blue line, and his 136.7 puck touches per game was among the highest in the country for a defenseman, illustrating how central he was to everything Minnesota State did from the back end.

His 0.63 Production score and 0.15 Misc rating round out a portfolio that goes well beyond just raw offensive numbers. The one area to manage is his -0.28 Defensive Impact, which suggests he is best utilized in an offensive-zone-heavy deployment rather than as a shutdown pairing defenseman.

Murr’s arrival to a Minnesota program led by first-year head coach Brett Larson comes at a great time, as he will provide an immediate upgrade to the Gophers’ power play and their entire offensive identity from the back end.

Justin Poirier (F) | Maine → Penn State | Impact Rating: 1.67

Poirier was perhaps the best goal scorer available in this transfer class, and gives Penn State a solid replacement after Aiden Fink turned pro. His 1.67 Impact Rating is anchored by a remarkable 0.98 Production score — one of the highest in the entire dataset — indicating that he consistently converts offensive opportunity into real results at an elite rate.

What makes his profile particularly impressive is that he accomplished this over just 27 games, posting 0.68 goals and 0.39 assists per game at Maine. He is a shot-generation machine, averaging 7.3 shot attempts per game, and his 3.64 shots on goal per game reflects a player who hunts high-quality looks. His 0.14 Defensive Impact keeps him in positive territory on both sides of the puck, meaning he’s not a liability away from the offensive zone.

He averaged over 16 minutes of ice time per game and could see a bump in TOI with the Nittany Lions. On paper, Poirier has every analytical indicator of a player who will put up top-tier numbers in 2026-27.

Tommy Cronin (F) | Alaska → Union | Impact Rating: 1.42

Cronin is arguably the most underrated name in this entire portal class, a forward whose 1.42 Impact Rating was quietly built outside of the bright lights of college hockey. At Alaska, he posted 0.35 goals and 0.55 assists per game over 18 games, generating real offense against legitimately difficult competition on a nightly basis.

His 0.36 Defensive Impact is outstanding, placing him among the most complete two-way forwards in the portal, while his 0.72 Production rating rounds out a profile that screams high-floor contributor with room to grow in a larger role. Union gets a player who was doing his damage with a minimal supporting cast in Fairbanks, and the upgrade in teammates and conference caliber should only unlock more from him.

He averaged just 13:56 of ice time per game in a limited role that undersells his true capability. It’s probably fair to expect Cronin to be one of the ECAC’s more productive forwards in 2026-27 as a direct result of this move.

Ben Muthersbaugh (F) | Union → Arizona State | Impact Rating: 1.33

Muthersbaugh leaves Union as one of the more polished forwards in the transfer market, bringing a 1.33 Impact Rating from a balanced offensive profile. He averaged 0.53 goals and 0.47 assists per game at Union, contributing a 1.00 points-per-game pace that indicates a reliable, consistent scorer rather than a boom-or-bust offensive player.

Muthersbaugh’s 0.86 Production score suggests a player whose puck work translates into actual goal-scoring contributions for his team. He led Union in shots attempted per game at 7.3 and his 4.19 shots on goal per game ranked among the highest of any forward in the portal class. His 0.24 Offensive Impact and steady 0.03 Defensive Impact paint the picture of a forward who is a net positive in every situation he’s deployed in.

Arizona State is a program looking to bounce back from a tough 2025-26, and Muthersbaugh gives them exactly the type of player to help them achieve that. He is a high-usage, low-risk addition who should immediately slot into a top-six role and produce at a point-per-game pace.

Austin Burnevik (F) | St. Cloud State → Minnesota | Impact Rating: 1.32

Burnevik’s move from St. Cloud State to Minnesota is one of the more interesting in-state transfers of the cycle, and his analytical profile suggests the Gophers are getting a quietly elite offensive contributor. His 1.32 Impact Rating was established despite playing on a St. Cloud State team that finished in the middle of the pack of the NCHC.

He averaged 0.53 goals and 0.47 assists per game over 36 games, racking up 7.2 shots attempted per game that indicates a player who is constantly generating offense. His 0.87 Production score is one of the stronger marks in this class, and his 0.14 Misc score adds additional context to a well-rounded analytical portfolio. The one flag in his profile is a -0.10 Defensive Impact, suggesting he is most effective when deployed in offensive-zone-heavy situations rather than as a matchup forward.

Burnevik joins his St. Cloud head coach Brett Larson at Minnesota, and he is a proven NCHC-level producer who should thrive in a system that figures to give him every opportunity to be a major producer in the Big Ten.

Subscribe now

Quentin Sigurdson (G) | Northeastern → Michigan State | Impact Rating: 1.24

Sigurdson arrives at Michigan State as one of the most analytically validated goaltenders in this transfer cycle, posting a 1.24 Impact Rating that places him firmly in the elite tier of all NCAA netminders. He spent his time at Northeastern largely working behind Lawton Zacher, one of the best goalies in the country, which means his strong numbers came in a backup-to-spot-start capacity.

His advanced metrics show exceptional rebound control and an ability to suppress high-danger scoring chances, consistently outperforming his expected goals conceded. The Spartans needed a legitimate answer in net following the departure of Trey Augustine, and Sigurdson provides exactly that. He’s a ready-made starter with elite underlying metrics.

His save percentage on high-danger, unblocked slot attempts is among the top tier of all goaltenders tracked in the dataset. Sigurdson is technically precise and composed, and at 6-foot-2, he provides a big frame in net for a Michigan State team looking to keep their foot to the pedal.

Kasper Magnussen (F) | Bemidji State → North Dakota | Impact Rating: 1.20

Magnussen brings North Dakota a proven, well-rounded forward whose 1.20 Impact Rating is one of the more complete profiles in this portal class. He averaged 0.30 goals and 0.57 assists per game at Bemidji State over 36 games, good for a 0.86 points-per-game pace.

His 0.75 Production score confirms the offensive output is backed by legitimate underlying efficiency, and his 0.09 Defensive Impact keeps him squarely in positive territory as a two-way player. His 2.24 hits per game at Bemidji State speaks to a physical element that will translate well to the NCHC and identity of North Dakota.

Magnussen is a natural fit for the Fighting Hawks’ middle-six, where his versatility and work rate will allow the coaching staff to deploy him in a variety of situations. His profile shows consistent production, defensive awareness, and physical play, all signs that he will be able to hold his own in one of the toughest conferences in college hockey.

David Klee (F) | North Dakota → Notre Dame | Impact Rating: 1.15

Klee departs North Dakota with a 1.15 Impact Rating and heads to Notre Dame as a player whose value is rooted in two-way reliability and defensive competence. His 0.55 Defensive Impact is exceptional for a forward, ranking among the top defensive-specific scores for skaters in this entire portal class, and speaks to a player who was a trusted piece of the Fighting Hawks' defensive structure.

He averaged just 10:14 of ice time last season on a North Dakota team that was loaded at forward, which means his efficiency numbers were generated in a condensed role. His 0.15 goals and 0.15 assists per game are modest on the surface, but his 0.32 Production score reflects a player who contributes beyond the scoresheet through other areas of his game.

Klee is likely to see an increased workload at Notre Dame, and the underlying metrics suggest he has the two-way game to handle it. The Irish get a forward with a winning pedigree and legitimate offensive upside. I would not be at all surprised to see him emerge as one of the Big Ten's most productive forwards in 2026-27.

Cullen Potter (F) | Arizona State → Michigan State | Impact Rating: 1.10

Potter is a high-usage offensive forward whose move to Michigan State gives the Spartans a legitimate scoring threat with one of the more intriguing analytical profiles in the portal. His 1.10 Impact Rating at Arizona State was highlighted by a strong 0.93 Production score, aided by 12 goals and 26 points in an injury-shortened sophomore season.

His 5.3 shot attempts per game indicates consistent puck pursuit and an aggressive offensive mindset, while his 20:08 average ice time per game at Arizona State was among the highest of any forward in the dataset. Potter is a natural power play weapon whose quick release and ability to find space in the offensive zone make him difficult to contain for defenders.

Stepping into a Michigan State program looking to repeat as Big Ten regular season champions, at minimum, the environment appears to be favorable for him to take a significant step forward in his production. With projected time at 5v5 and on the power play, Potter has every indicator of being a top-six producer in the Big Ten.

Gavin Lindberg (F) | Colorado College → North Dakota | Impact Rating: 0.96

Lindberg arrives at North Dakota as one of the more polished two-way forwards in this portal class, bringing a 0.96 Impact Rating developed from high-volume production at Colorado College. He averaged 0.22 goals and 0.43 assists per game over 36 games while logging 18:43 of ice time per game, and those numbers underscore his identity as more of a facilitator than a finisher.

His 0.58 Production score confirms the underlying efficiency behind those numbers, and his 0.15 Offensive Impact reflects a player who moves the puck cleanly and generates quality looks rather than just volume. His 3.08 hits per game was one of the higher marks among forwards in the dataset, adding a physical dimension that complements North Dakota’s style of play.

North Dakota adds a versatile, experienced forward whose profile gives every indication he can handle the jump to the Fighting Hawks and be a leader both in terms of presence and on-ice production.

Honorable Mentions: Jimmy Clark (Minnesota → Michigan State), Olivier Houde (Lindenwood → Arizona State), Jake Southgate (Lindenwood → St. Cloud State), Jack Stockfish (Holy Cross → Quinnipiac), Hudson Malinoski (Providence → North Dakota)