Maryville Making D-I Jump in 2026-27

NCAA Division I men's hockey newest program will play a hybrid/transition schedule in 2026-27 as it begins its varsity history as an independent.

Maryville University will skate in 16 games against NCAA Division I schools this upcoming season, all on the road, including single contests at St. Lawrence, Yale, Princeton, Ferris State, Lindenwood, Quinnipiac and Holy Cross. The Saints will also play two-game sets at Lake Superior State, Bowling Green, Lindenwood and Alaska (Fairbanks). The home slate at the Maryville University Ice Hockey Center in St. Louis will include two games against NCAA Division III opponent Trine, plus two-game series against ACHA Division I club foes Midland, Liberty and UNLV.

Maryville will close out its inaugural varsity campaign with two games against the USHL's USA National Development Team in Plymouth, Mich. in late February.

Princeton's Ezman Joins Coventry (EIHL)

Jaxon Ezman (Princeton) will begin his professional career overseas, after recently signing with the Coventry Blaze of the Elite Ice Hockey League in Great Britain for the 2026-27 season.

Ezman, 23, a forward from Middleton, Wisc., spent the last four seasons at Princeton, tallying 22 goals and 28 assists for 50 points to go with 100 penalty minutes in 101 appearances. His best campaign came last year as a senior, when he collected career highs of 11-15—26 points in 34 outings as the Tigers finished fourth in ECAC Hockey, and came within an overtime goal of qualifying for the NCAA tournament for the first time since 2018.

Coventry went 25-22-0-7 in 2025-26, finishing seventh in the EIHL.

Mammoth Extends Marino

John Marino (Harvard) will continue playing for the Utah Mammoth, after he recently signed an eight-year, $54 million extension with the NHL club he has skated for the last two seasons. 

Marino, 29, a 6-foot-1, 200 lb. defenseman from North Easton, Mass., had his best NHL campaign to date in 2025-26 when he tallied four goals and 32 assists for 36 points for the Mammoth, before adding his first career league postseason goal in six Stanley Cup Playoff contests. In 443 career NHL regular-season outings over seven years with Pittsburgh, Utah and New Jersey, he has collected 23-134—157 points to go with 1-6—7 points in 35 playoff appearances.

Drafted 154th overall by the Edmonton Oilers after his second season of junior hockey with South Shore (USPHL), Marino joined Harvard in 2016 after winning a Clark Cup with Tri-City (USHL). In three collegiate seasons with the Crimson in Cambridge, he registered 7-35—42 points in 101 games, while helping Harvard to two ECAC Hockey titles and an NCAA Frozen Four berth as a freshman.

 

TSU Cancels 2026-27 Campaign

Tennessee State University will not be playing NCAA Division I men's hockey in 2026-27. The university announced that the Tigers, who were originally scheduled to begin play in 2024-25, will be sidelined for yet another season, with the university still facing significant financial challenges. Tennessee State also opted out of the 2025-26 campaign.

TSU, which had originally announced in 2023 that it was adding the sport, would have been the first HBCU to feature a hockey program. Denver goaltender Johnny Hicks, a former TSU commit, led the Pioneers to a national title this spring, earning Most Outstanding Player honors of the NCAA Frozen Four in the process.

NCAA Players Dealt as NHL Free Agency Opens

Trades of former NCAA players with National Hockey League franchises up to this, the first day of NHL free agency, since the NHL trade deadline back on March 6.

Player, Position (School)     New Team     Old Team

Dalton Bancroft, F (Cornell)     Nashville Boston

Brett Berard, F (Providence)     Montreal     NY Rangers

Bobby Brink, F (Denver)     Minnesota Philadelphia

W. Bongiovanni, F (Quinnipiac)       Washington  Ottawa

Magnus Chrona, G (Denver)     Colorado     Nashville

Ross Colton, F (Vermont)         Nashville Colorado

Angus Crookshank, F (New Hampshire) Florida New Jersey

Andre Gasseau, F (Boston College)    San Jose    Boston

Jack Drury, F (Harvard)     Nashville Colorado

Justin Faulk, D (Minnesota-Duluth) Detroit St. Louis

Jordan Greenway, F (Boston U.) Chicago Buffalo

A.J. Greer, F (Boston U.)     Anaheim Florida

Garnet Hathaway, F (Brown)     Florida Philadelphia

Michael Kesselring, D (Northeastern) San Jose    Buffalo

Devon Levi, G (Northeastern)     Edmonton     Buffalo

Bobby McMann, F (Colgate)     Seattle Toronto

Ian Mitchell, D (Denver)         Tampa Bay Detroit

Isak Posch, G (St. Cloud State) Nashville Colorado

Massimo Rizzo, F (Denver)     NY Rangers Nashville

Evan Rodrigues, F (Boston U.)        New Jersey  Florida

Jack St. Ivany D (Boston College)    Winnipeg    Pittsburgh

Mackie Samoskevich (Michigan)        Seattle     Florida

Hunter Shepard, G (Minn-Duluth)      Montreal    Ottawa

Ben Steeves, F (Minnesota-Duluth)    New Jersey Florida

Brandon Svoboda, F (Boston U.)       Ottawa San Jose

Aidan Thompson, F (Denver)           NY Rangers Chicago

Alex Tuch, F (Boston College)        Washington Buffalo

Joseph Woll, G (Boston College)      Philadelphia Toronto

Players listed alphabetically by last name. Does not include incoming NCAA players.

McKenna Goes First in 2026 NHL Draft

As expected, left wing Gavin McKenna (Penn State) was the first overall pick by the Toronto Maple Leafs at this year's NHL Draft in Buffalo tonight.

Several other current NCAA players were selected in the first round on Friday night at KeyBank Arena. Keaton Verhoeff (North Dakota), a defenseman, was chosen ninth overall by the San Jose Sharks, while center Tyan Lawrence (Boston University) went 11th to the St. Louis Blues, and left wing Oscar Hemming (Boston College) went 14th to the Columbus Blue Jackets. The Buffalo Sabres tabbed center Ilia Morozov (Miami) 20th overall.

As for incoming and future collegiate skaters, the Vancouver Canucks chose center Caleb Malhotra (Boston University) third overall, while defenseman Daxon Rudolph (Denver) was taken one spot later by host Buffalo. Carson Carels (North Dakota), another defenseman, went sixth to the Calgary Flames, while Chase Reid (Michigan State) went seventh to the Seattle Kraken. Left wing Wyatt Cullen (Minnesota) was tabbed 10th by the Nashville Predators, followed by right wing Nikita Klepov (Michigan State) at 15th to the Anaheim Ducks and left wing Ethan Belchetz (Michigan State) at 17th to the Utah Mammoth.

San Jose chose defenseman Ryan Lin (Denver) 21st overall, while right wing Liam Ruck (North Dakota) went to the Pittsburgh Penguins with the very next selection and left wing JP Hurlbert (Michigan) went 23rd to the Detroit Red Wings. The Philadelphia Flyers chose defenseman Maksim Sokolovskii (Maine) 27th overall, with center Jack Hextall (Michigan State) going three selections later to Calgary and defenseman Thomas Bleyl (Michigan State) right after to the Nashville Predators. The final pick of the first round was right wing Jaxon Cover (Penn State), who went 32nd overall to the Ottawa Senators.

The 2026 draft concludes Saturday with Rounds 2-7 (11 a.m. ET, NHL Network). The full list of college-related selections can be found here. 

NCAA Skaters Named to NHL All-Star Teams

Several former NCAA skaters were recently named to the 2025-26 NHL All-Star Teams:

First All‑Star Team

D – Cale Makar, Colorado Avalanche (Massachusetts)

D – Zach Werenski, Columbus Blue Jackets (Michigan)

Werenski also claimed the Norris Trophy as the top defenseman in the NHL last season. 

Second All‑Star Team

LW – Cole Caufield, Montreal Canadiens (Wisconsin) 

Caufield also claimed the Lady Byng Memorial Trophy for sportsmanship and gentlemanly play.

All-Rookie Team

G - Jakub Dobes, Montreal Canadiens (Ohio State)

F - Jimmy Snuggerud, St. Louis Blues (Minnesota)

Dobes led the Canadiens to the 2026 Eastern Conference final, while Snuggerud tied for second on his team with 51 points.