Michigan State sophomore forward Tommi Männistö (10) skates across the Spartan logo at center ice at Munn Ice Arena on Jan. 25, 2025. The Spartans completed a regular season sweep of the Golden Gophers following a 4-3 shootout victory.
As conference tournaments unfold, teams are being eliminated, fighting for a spot, or awaiting their official seeding. With the NCAA Frozen Four approaching, college hockey has never been more competitive.
Every conference has at least one team capable of winning it all. Last year, No. 5-seeded Denver stunned No. 1 Boston College in the national championship game, shutting out the talent-packed Eagles 2-0 to claim their second title in three seasons.
But now, it’s anyone's trophy, including the Michigan State Spartans, who sit at No. 2 in the Pairwise polls, within striking distance of clinching a trip to Toledo, Ohio for the regional round of the tournament. But others are still within reach.
The Big Ten
The Big Ten. Home of the No. 2 Michigan State University hockey and the hottest team in the nation, No. 12 Penn State.
MSU finished the regular season 24-6-4, tying its program-best mark from 2000-01. The Spartans boast multiple Hobey Baker nominees, an AAU Sullivan finalist, a Mike Richter Award finalist, and four Big Ten postseason award finalists. They've remained a top-ranked team all season, fluctuating between No. 4 and No. 1. With sophomore goalie Trey Augustine — the youngest starter in college hockey — and a deep, balanced roster, MSU is poised for a serious tournament run.
No. 3 Minnesota remains a threat. After splitting its final regular-season series against Penn State, the Gophers secured a share of the Big Ten title and the No. 2 overall seed. Aiming for a deep tournament run, Minnesota was instead eliminated early by Notre Dame in the conference semifinals.
No. 5 Penn State has been one of the season’s biggest surprises. The Nittany Lions swept Michigan, pushing the Wolverines to the brink of missing the NCAA Tournament. Penn State has been red-hot since January and continues to prove itself in the postseason. No. 10 Ohio State remains in contention, tied in the rankings with UMass, while Michigan must now wait for its Selection Sunday fate.
Hockey East
Hockey East, arguably the strongest conference in college hockey, has multiple teams in contention.
No. 1 Boston College (26-6-2) has been a powerhouse, producing NHL talent like Will Smith, Ryan Leonard and Cutter Gauthier. The Eagles have won back-to-back conference titles and are on track for their second straight No. 1 seed, where they would face the No. 16 auto-bid team in the NCAA Tournament.
Maine (21-7-6) is also a contender, holding the No. 4 spot in the Pairwise rankings and in position to earn a No. 1 seed in its region. The Black Bears finished second in Hockey East, behind Boston College.
Hockey East has four other teams sitting within the top 16 in the rankings, which seem to be near locks for the tournament. Those four are No. 6 Boston University, No. 7 Connecticut, No. 8 Providence and No. 10 Massachusetts. The conference rules a near half of teams to make the tournament.
Atlantic Hockey
Atlantic Hockey has no teams inside the Pairwise top 16, but its conference champion will earn an automatic bid.
Within the semifinal category sit Bentley University, Army West Point, Sacred Heart and Holy Cross. Any one of the four remaining teams have a chance to clinch an automatic bid onto the national stage with a conference tournament title.
Central Collegiate Hockey Association
Last year, Michigan Tech earned a tournament bid but fell in the first round to Boston College. This season, the Huskies are out, and Minnesota State has taken their place.
Minnesota State sits at No. 15 in the Pairwise, alongside Arizona State, both teams are borderline makes, continuing to hunt for a spot or earn that title and a bid. But alongside Minnesota, three other teams still remain in contention, those being St. Thomas, Bemidji State and Bowling Green as each fight for a trophy and a trip to St. Louis.
ECAC Hockey
Support student media! Please consider donating to The State News and help fund the future of journalism.
The ECAC’s lone top-16 team in the Pairwise is No. 13 Quinnipiac, the reigning 2023 national champions who stunned Minnesota with an overtime goal just 10 seconds into sudden death.
If Quinnipiac falls in the ECAC Tournament, the auto-bid is wide open. Cornell, a strong contender in the USCHO rankings but sitting at No. 21 in Pairwise, could make a late push. Like many teams in the conference, the Big Red have the potential to disrupt the bracket.
National Collegiate Hockey Conference
The NCHC enters the tournament as a wild card, featuring multiple teams capable of deep runs.
Western Michigan has consistently ranked in the Pairwise top five and across national polls, solidifying itself as a championship contender. Fresh off its first ever Penrose Cup, WMU is in prime position for a deep tournament run. However, the Broncos aren’t the only NCHC team with title aspirations.
Denver, the defending national champion, remains a contender with standout defenseman Zeev Buium anchoring its blue line. The Pioneers sit at No. 9 in the Pairwise and could make another deep run.
Arizona State, an emerging program, sits at No. 16, while North Dakota remains a perennial threat. Both teams likely need to win the NCHC Tournament to secure an NCAA bid.
The 2025 Frozen Four Selection Show is set for Sunday, March 23, where teams will learn their path to St. Louis and a shot at the national championship.
