All articles tagged with #college hockey
A warm, familiar-turned-trope-filled romance on Prime Video, Off Campus pairs a music major and a hockey captain in a fake-dating setup that mostly lands in charming moments and endearing chemistry, but the eight-episode season wobbles with tonal shifts between light fluff and heavier backstory and shifts focus to other couples mid‑season, leaving the central romance feel a bit underdeveloped by the finale.
Harvard’s longtime head coach Ted Donato, a Harvard alumnus from the class of 1991, is stepping away from the men’s hockey program after a lengthy tenure guiding the Crimson.
The NCAA is considering a policy that would grant all Division I student-athletes five years of athletic eligibility, with the clock starting the academic year after high school graduation or at age 19 and eliminating redshirts and hardship waivers. If approved (potentially in May and effective immediately), the rule could upend college hockey by altering roster construction and development pathways, while leaving many details—such as grandfathering current athletes, handling nontraditional paths, and treatment of international (e.g., Quebec/CEGEP) players—unanswered. Minnesota Duluth and other programs face questions about how incoming and returning players will be affected under this new framework, and hockey officials warn of unintended consequences in the sport’s ecosystem.
San Jose signs 22-year-old defenseman Eric Pohlkamp to a two-year entry-level contract after a breakout 2025-26 season at the University of Denver, where he led NCAA defensemen in points and goals, helped Denver win the national championship, and earned multiple honors; he previously starred in the USHL and represented Team USA at the World Juniors before being drafted by the Sharks in 2023.
Denver defeated Wisconsin 2-1 in Las Vegas to capture its third NCAA men’s hockey championship in five years (11th overall), overcoming early Wisconsin pressure as freshman goalie Johnny Hicks stopped 29 of 30 shots. Wisconsin struck first on Vasily Zelenov’s wrister, but Denver answered when Rieger Lorenz tied it late in the third and Boston Buckberger’s shot deflected in off Kyle Chyzowski to give the Pioneers the lead; DU’s defense and timely finishing sealed the win despite injuries to Samu Salminen and Jake Fisher and Wisconsin’s relentless forecheck.
Michigan’s Frozen Four run ended with a 4-3 overtime defeat to Denver in Las Vegas. Head coach Brandon Naurato and players TJ Hughes and Josh Eernisse praised the seniors’ impact, the program’s culture and identity, and the team’s effort even in a painful finish.
Denver survives a 92-minute double-overtime thriller against Michigan, 4-3, with Kent Anderson scoring the OT winner and freshman goalie Johnny Hicks turning away 49 shots to send the Pioneers to the national championship against Wisconsin in Las Vegas.
The Boston Bruins signed top prospect James Hagens to a three-year entry-level contract with a prorated cap hit of about $975,000, arranging an amateur tryout to Let him report to Providence for an acclimation period before potentially joining the NHL playoff lineup; following a standout season at Boston College and a strong World Juniors, Hagens is viewed as a key future piece for Boston as they navigate the final games of the regular season.
Minnesota hired Brett Larson as its new men's hockey coach, betting on his early-St. Cloud State success and believing the Gophers’ resources, donor support, and fan base can help him reset a program that faded in recent years. While Larson’s tenure at St. Cloud State showed strong starts followed by a downturn amid NIL and transfer portal shifts, endorsements from alums like Brock Faber and leadership from AD Mark Coyle suggest a strategic move to return Minnesota to national prominence in a changing college hockey landscape.
Minnesota named Brett Larson its next head coach on a five-year contract; Larson leaves St. Cloud State after eight seasons, bringing a strong track record of NCAA tournament appearances, conference titles, and extensive USA Hockey coaching experience.
University of Minnesota named Brett Larson as the new head men's hockey coach on a five-year deal after eight seasons at St. Cloud State, where he guided the Huskies to four NCAA appearances and the program’s first national championship game in 2021; Larson brings extensive college coaching and USA Hockey experience to lead the Gophers.
Minnesota named St. Cloud State’s Brett Larson as its new men’s hockey head coach, replacing Bob Motzko. Reactions on social media have been largely negative, with critics questioning his resume and recent Huskies performance. Larson will need to win over a demanding fan base by quickly building his roster and staff—rumors point to Cory Laylin and Matt Cullen as potential assistants—as the Gophers chase national prominence.
Minnesota’s hunt for a new men’s hockey coach after Bob Motzko’s firing is ongoing, with Pat Ferschweiler of Western Michigan reportedly not yet contacted despite being a Minnesota native; reports say AD Mark Coyle has interviewed candidates Brett Larson and Grant Potulny, while Garrett Raboin remains at Augustana and a second, mystery candidate could also be in the mix.
The NCAA revealed the 16-team field for the 2026 Division I men's hockey tournament, listing four regional sites (Worcester, Albany, Sioux Falls, Loveland), four No. 1 seeds (Michigan, North Dakota, Michigan State, Western Michigan), and the full bracket with regional matchups.
No. 2 North Dakota was upset in the Frozen Faceoff semifinals and will now focus on securing an NCAA Tournament bid.