2025–26 NCAA Division I men's ice hockey season
| 2025–26 NCAA Division I men's ice hockey season | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
.jpg) T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas, Nevada will host the 2026 Frozen Four. | |||||
| Duration | October 3, 2025– April 10, 2026 | ||||
| NCAA tournament | 2026 | ||||
| National championship | T-Mobile Arena Las Vegas, Nevada | ||||
| |||||
The 2025–26 NCAA Division I men's ice hockey season will begin on October 3, 2025, and concluded with the NCAA championship on April 10, 2026. This will be the 78th season in which an NCAA ice hockey championship is held and will be the US college hockey's 132nd year overall.
This will be only the second time in history that the NCAA championship will be held in the Pacific Time Zone. The first occurred in 1999 when the finals were held in Anaheim, California.
Program downgrade
During the previous season, American International announced that they would be downgrading their program to Division II beginning with this season.[1]
Independent tournament
In May, the five active independent Division I teams (Alaska, Alaska Anchorage, Lindenwood, Long Island and Stonehill) came to an agreement about a hosting a postseason tournament beginning with this season. The series, which was named the "United Collegiate Hockey Cup", would hold its inaugural meet from March 5–7 and be hosted by Lindenwood and the Centene Community Ice Center. The series was born in part due to a few teams (notably Alaska in 2023) losing ground in the national ranking during the conference playoffs and miss out on at-large bids to the NCAA tournament. The schools also wanted a forum to showcase their programs on a larger scale which could help improve both recruiting and fundraising.[2]
Delayed start
In July, Tennessee State, which had originally planned on playing their first varsity games this season, announced that they would be pushing back the start of the program until 2026–27.[3]
Polls
Regular season
Season tournaments
| Tournament | Dates | Teams | Champion |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ice Breaker Tournament | October 10–11 | 4 | |
| Adirondack Winter Invitational | November 28–29 | 4 | |
| Friendship Four | November 28–29 | 4 | |
| Holiday Face-Off | December 27–28 | 4 | |
| Great Lakes Invitational | December 28–29 | 4 | |
| Coachella Valley Cactus Cup | January 2–3 | 4 | |
| Desert Hockey Classic | January 2–3 | 4 | |
| Connecticut Ice | January 23–24 | 4 | |
| Beanpot | February 2, 9 | 4 |
Standings
| Conference record | Overall record | |||||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| GP | W | L | T | OW | OL | SW | PTS | GF | GA | GP | W | L | T | GF | GA | |||
| Air Force | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | ||
| Army | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | ||
| Bentley | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | ||
| Canisius | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | ||
| Holy Cross | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | ||
| Mercyhurst | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | ||
| Niagara | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | ||
| RIT | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | ||
| Robert Morris | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | ||
| Sacred Heart | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | ||
| Championship: March 21, 2026 † indicates conference regular season champion (DeGregorio Trophy) * indicates conference tournament champion (Riley Trophy) Rankings: USCHO.com Top 20 Poll | ||||||||||||||||||
| Conference record | Overall record | |||||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| GP | W | L | T | OTW | OTL | 3/SW | PTS | GF | GA | GP | W | L | T | GF | GA | |||
| Michigan | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | ||
| Michigan State | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | ||
| Minnesota | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | ||
| Notre Dame | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | ||
| Ohio State | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | ||
| Penn State | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | ||
| Wisconsin | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | ||
| Championship: March 21, 2026 † indicates conference regular season champion * indicates conference tournament champion Rankings: USCHO.com Top 20 Poll | ||||||||||||||||||
| Conference record | Overall record | |||||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| GP | W | L | T | OTW | OTL | SW | PTS | GF | GA | GP | W | L | T | GF | GA | |||
| Augustana | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | ||
| Bemidji State | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | ||
| Bowling Green | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | ||
| Ferris State | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | ||
| Lake Superior State | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | ||
| Michigan Tech | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | ||
| Minnesota State | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | ||
| Northern Michigan | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | ||
| St. Thomas | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | ||
| Championship: March 20, 2026 † indicates conference regular-season champion (MacNaughton Cup) * indicates conference tournament champion (Mason Cup) Rankings: USCHO.com Top 20 Poll | ||||||||||||||||||
| Overall record | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| GP | W | L | T | GF | GA | ||
| Alaska | – | – | – | – | – | – | |
| Alaska Anchorage | – | – | – | – | – | – | |
| Lindenwood | – | – | – | – | – | – | |
| Long Island | – | – | – | – | – | – | |
| Stonehill | – | – | – | – | – | – | |
| Championship: March 7, 2026 * indicates tournament champion Rankings: USCHO.com Top 20 Poll | |||||||
| Conference record | Overall record | |||||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| GP | W | L | T | OTW | OTL | SW | PTS | GF | GA | GP | W | L | T | GF | GA | |||
| Brown | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | ||
| Clarkson | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | ||
| Colgate | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | ||
| Cornell | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | ||
| Dartmouth | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | ||
| Harvard | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | ||
| Princeton | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | ||
| Quinnipiac | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | ||
| Rensselaer | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | ||
| St. Lawrence | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | ||
| Union | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | ||
| Yale | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | ||
| Championship: March 21, 2025 † indicates conference regular season champion (Cleary Cup) * indicates conference tournament champion (Whitelaw Cup) Rankings: USCHO.com Top 20 Poll | ||||||||||||||||||
| Conference record | Overall record | ||||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| GP | W | L | T | OTW | OTL | SW | PTS | GF | GA | GP | W | L | T | GF | GA | ||
| Boston College | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | |
| Boston University | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | |
| Connecticut | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | |
| Maine | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | |
| Massachusetts | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | |
| Massachusetts Lowell | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | |
| Merrimack | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | |
| New Hampshire | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | |
| Northeastern | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | |
| Providence | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | |
| Vermont | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | |
| Championship: March 20, 2026 † indicates regular season champion * indicates conference tournament champion (Lamoriello Trophy) Rankings: USCHO Division I Men's Poll | |||||||||||||||||
| Conference record | Overall record | |||||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| GP | W | L | T | OTW | OTL | SW | PTS | GF | GA | GP | W | L | T | GF | GA | |||
| Arizona State | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | ||
| Colorado College | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | ||
| Denver | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | ||
| Miami | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | ||
| Minnesota Duluth | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | ||
| North Dakota | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | ||
| Omaha | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | ||
| St. Cloud State | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | ||
| Western Michigan | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | ||
| Championship: March 20–21, 2025 † indicates conference regular season champion (Penrose Cup) * indicates conference tournament champion (Frozen Faceoff Championship Trophy) Rankings: USCHO.com Top 20 Poll | ||||||||||||||||||
NPI Rankings
During the previous season, the NCAA announced that they would stop using the PairWise rankings for determining at-large bids to the NCAA tournament in favor of the NCAA Power Index (NPI).[4]
The new index would use many of the same criteria as the old ranking system but with a slightly different weighting system. However, the NPI would not be using records vs. common opponents or head-to-head matches in its calculations, as the PairWise had done. While the final weight were yet to be determined at the time of the announcement, the base number would be made up from 25% of a team's record and 75% of its strength of schedule (SOS).
Player stats
Scoring leaders
Goaltending leaders
Awards
See also
References
- ^ "American International to reclassify as Division II beginning with 2025-26 college hockey season". USCHO. November 12, 2024. Retrieved November 12, 2024.
- ^ "NCAA Division I Independent Hockey Teams To Compete For The United Collegiate Hockey Cup Hosted At Centene Community Ice Center". Lindenwood Lions. May 5, 2025. Retrieved August 16, 2025.
- ^ "Tennessee State postpones men's hockey program launch to 2026-27 season". NHL. July 10, 2025. Retrieved August 16, 2025.
- ^ "Goodbye Pairwise, Hello NPI". College Hockey News. May 7, 2025. Retrieved August 16, 2025.
- ^ "National 2025–26 Scoring Leaders". College Hockey inc. Retrieved April 12, 2025.
- ^ "National 2025-26 Goaltending Leaders". College Hockey inc. Retrieved April 12, 2025.