Toronto Marlies Claim 2026 Calder Cup

The Toronto Marlies are American Hockey League champions for the second time in seven seasons. The Marlies defeated the visiting Chicago Wolves, 4-3, on Friday in Game Five of the 2026 Calder Cup Final to claim the best-of-seven series, four games to one. Vinny Lettieri (Minnesota) notched what turned out to be the Cup-clinching goal late in the second period, after Jacob Quillan (Quinnipiac) had given Toronto a 3-2 lead just over a minute before.

Other former NCAA players in the Marlies lineup for the final game of the 2026-27 campaign included: Matt Benning (Northeastern), Luke Haymes (Dartmouth) Marc Johnstone (Sacred Heart), Dakota Mermis (Denver), Marshall Rifai (Harvard), Henry Thrun (Harvard) and Ryan Tverberg (UConn). 

Chicago, which was seeking its fourth Calder Cup since joining the AHL in 2001, got a goal from Josiah Slavin (Colorado College), plus 19 saves in defeat from goaltender Cayden Primeau (Northeastern).

Carolina Hurricanes Win 2026 Stanley Cup

Jaccob Slavin (Colorado College) and Jackson Blake (North Dakota) both assisted on the first goal of the game early in the first period by Taylor Hall, before Blake added an insurance marker of his own in the second stanza as the Carolina Hurricanes cliched their first Stanley Cup championship in 20 years with a 3-0 blanking of the host Vegas Golden Knights tonight in Game Six of the 2026 NHL championship series. Eastern Conference champion Carolina won the best-of-seven title series, four games to two.

Brandon Bussi (Western Michigan) stopped all 22 shots he faced in winning his third game of the series for the Hurricanes, who last claimed the Stanley Cup in 2006, their first-ever NHL championship after moving from Hartford in 1997. Head coach Rod Brind'Amour (Michigan State) was the captain of that Carolina team, and becomes the seventh individual in NHL history to win the Cup as both a player and a coach with the same franchise. Bussi is the first NHL goaltender to make his first career playoff starts in the Stanley Cup Final, and won all three, leading the ‘Canes to the crown after a two games-to-one deficit in the series.

Other former NCAA players who suited up for Carolina in the clinching contest tonight included Shayne Gostisbehere (Union), Mark Jankowski (Providence), K’Andre Miller (Wisconsin), Eric Robinson (Princeton) and Sean Walker (Bowling Green). Nikolaj Ehlers added an empty-net goal in the final two minutes, after opening the series scoring back in the first minute of Game One. The Hurricanes outshot the Golden Knights, 23-22, on the night, and also won 33 of 63 faceoffs in what turned out to be the final NHL contest of the 2025-26 campaign.

Vegas Takes Early Lead in 2026 NHL Final

Shayne Gostisbehere (Union) tied the game midway through the third period, but the visiting Vegas Golden Knights got the last goal of the evening to edge the host Carolina Hurricanes, 5-4, last night in Game One of the 2026 Stanley Cup Final in North Carolina.

Carolina took a 2-0 lead just over 12 minutes into regulation on two goals by Nikolaj Ehlers, with Jacob Slavin (Colorado College) picking up an assist on the first goal, and later just missing out on a goal of his own when his shot from in close hit the crossbar. Vegas rebounded to take a 3-2 lead early in the second stanza, with Jack Eichel (Boston University) assisting on the Golden Knights' second goal, before K'Andre Miller (Wisconsin) set up the tying goal for the Hurricanes. 

The teams than traded goals again, with Gostisbehere scoring off a faceoff with just over 11 minutes expired in the third session to make it 4-4, before Tomas Hertl decided matters just over five minutes later on a clean shot from the low slot. The Hurricanes outshot the Golden Knights, 27-23, overall, while the two teams combined to go 0-for-5 on the power play.

It was just the second loss for Carolina in these playoffs, and its second straight loss in a series-opening contest, both coming at home. Game Two is Thursday night in Raleigh.

ADDENDUM: Eric Robinson (Princeton) helped set up a tying goal by Mark Jankowski (Providence) in the third period, and Gostisbehere assisted on both the go-ahead goal and the eventual game-winner in OT as the Hurricanes evened the series with a 4-3 victory in Game Two. Game Three is Saturday night in Nevada,  

 

2026 U.S. Men's Olympic Hockey Team Revealed

Former NCAA skaters make up the bulk of the 2026 U.S. Olympic men's hockey team that will compete in Italy next month, the first time that current NHL players will compete in the Olympic Winter Games since 2014 in Russia.

Forwards

Matt Boldy, Minnesota Wild (Boston College)

Kyle Connor, Winnipeg Jets (Michigan)

Jack Eichel, Vegas Golden Knights (Boston University)

Clayton Keller, Utah Mammoth (Boston University)

Dylan Larkin, Detroit Red Wings (Michigan)

Brock Nelson, Colorado Avalanche (North Dakota)

Tage Thompson, Buffalo Sabres (UConn)

Brady Tkachuk, Ottawa Senators (Boston University)

Defensemen

Brock Faber, Minnesota Wild (Minnesota)

Noah Hanifin Vegas Golden Knights (Boston College)

Quinn Hughes, Minnesota Wild (Michigan)

Charlie McAvoy, Boston Bruins (Boston University)

Jake Sanderson, Ottawa Senators (North Dakota)

Jaccob Slavin, Carolina Hurricanes (Colorado College)

Zach Werenski, Columbus Blue Jackets (Michigan)

Goaltenders

Connor Hellebuyck, Winnipeg Jets (UMass Lowell)

Jake Oettinger, Dallas Stars (Boston University) 

Jeremy Swayman, Boston Bruins (Maine)

In addition, Canada's 2026 Olympic men's squad will boast three former NCAA skaters in forward Macklin Celebrini (Boston University) of the San Jose Sharks, and defensemen Cale Makar (UMass) and Devon Toews (Quinnipiac) of the Colorado Avalanche and Colton Parayko (Alaska Fairbanks) of the St. Louis Blues.

The 2026 Winter Olympics will take place from Feb. 5-22 in Milan and Cortina d'Ampezzo, Italy. 

2025 NCAA Coaching Carousel Continues

There are a number of new assistant coaches in new places for the upcoming 2025-26 NCAA Division I men's ice hockey campaign, with transactions having taken place since the Frozen Four in St. Louis in April:

Coach (Alma Mater) New School         Last Team

Chris Brown (Wisc. River Falls) Cornell            Alaska

Cam Clarke (Ferris State) Cornell            Norwich 

Matt Curley (Clarkson) Alaska             Des Moines (USHL)

Rick Bennett (Providence) Maine              Quinnipiac

Shane Madolora (RIT) RIT                Vermont 

Andrew Magera (Penn State) Lindenwood         Bemidji State 

Josh Mitchell (RIT) RIT                Waterloo (USHL)

Jordy Murray (Wisconsin) Colorado College   Michigan Tech

Andrew Ogilvie (Notre Dame) Notre Dame         Colorado College 

Paul Pooley (Ohio State) Colorado College   Notre Dame

L.J. Scarpace (Michigan) Michigan Tech      Detroit(NHL)

Marco Treviño     Robert Morris      Tri-City (USHL)

Coaches listed by last name, not date of hire. Moves made at same school not included.

Also, Lindenwood hired Keith Fisher, former longtime Penn State assistant coach, as its new head coach.

Former NCAA Skaters Score NHL Playoff Winners

Zach Hyman (Michigan) notched the game-winning goal in the third period as the Edmonton Oilers rebounded from a 2-0 deficit to top the Vegas Golden Knights, 4-2, last night in Nevada. The Oilers, the defending NHL Western Conference champions, have now won five consecutive postseason games, and lead the second-round best-of-seven Stanley Cup Playoff series, one game to none.

In the Eastern Conference, the visiting Carolina Hurricanes took a one-to-nothing series lead with a 2-1 overtime win last night over the Washington Capitals. Jacob Slavin (Colorado College) scored the game-winner in the extra session for the Canes, who have won their last three playoff contests.

2025 Stanley Cup First Round Rolls On

Two first-round Stanley Cup Playoff series were tied after last night's action, while two others inched closer to completion.

St. Louis rocked visiting Winnipeg, 5-1, to knot that Western Conference series at two games apiece. Colton Parayko (Alaska Fairbanks) tallied two assists for the victorious Blues, while Kyle Connor (Michigan) scored the Jets' only goal. Winnipeg netminder Connor Hellebuyck (UMass Lowell) was pulled for the second straight game/loss after making 13 saves on 18 shots. 

In Edmonton, the defending Western Conference champion Oilers tied up their series at two with a 4-3 overtime win over visiting Los Angeles. Alex Laferriere (Harvard) notched an assist for the Kings, who had won the first two games at home in California.

Washington moved out to a three games to one lead in besting host Montreal, 5-2, in the Eastern Conference as Trevor van Riemsdyk (New Hampshire) set up two goals in the third period, including the game-winner. Lane Hutson (Boston University) had two assist for the host Canadiens, who got 21 saves in net from Jakub Dobes (Ohio State).

Carolina will look to close out New Jersey after winning, 5-2, in Newark to take a three games to one advantage in their Eastern Conference matchup. Jacob Slavin (Colorado College) scored the Hurricanes' second goal, unassisted, while Jackson Blake (North Dakota) registered a pair of assists.

The NHL playoffs continue tonight with Tampa Bay looking to tie up Florida, and Dallas and Colorado seeking to break a two-all tie.

ADDENDUM: Jake Guentzel (Omaha) scored for Tampa Bay, but Florida tallied three third-period goals to win, 4-2, and take a two to one lead in that series. Dallas, meanwhile, pasted Colorado, 6-2, as Jake Oettinger (Boston University) picked up the win with 26 saves.  

2024 Richter Award Trio Announced

The three finalists for the Mike Richter Award as the top goaltender in NCAA Division I men's ice hockey this year were announced last week:

Jacob Fowler, Fr., Boston College (29-5-1, 2.19, .925)

Kaidan Mbereko, So., Colorado College (21-15-1, 2.41, .905)

Kyle McClellan, Sr., Wisconsin (24-11-1, 1.92, .931)

(Stats indicate record, goals-against average, and save percentage for 2023-24, through March 27)

Fowler and McClelland will lead their respective schools into the 2024 NCAA regionals this weekend, while Mbereko's season ended with CC's 2-1 loss to Omaha in the NCHC tournament on March 17. The Tigers ultimately missed the NCAAs by just .0004 points in the Pairwise Rankings, which mimic the NCAA tournament selection process.

This year's winner will be announced during the NCAA Frozen Four in St. Paul next month. Current Buffalo Sabres netminder Devon Levi (Northeastern) was the recipient of the award the last two seasons, the first two-time winner since it was first handed out in 2014.

Hughes, Woll, Beniers Star in NHL Playoffs

Several former NCAA players shined on Sunday in the second round of the NHL's Stanley Cup Playoffs.

Luke Hughes (Michigan) made his professional postseason debut with two assists as the New Jersey Devils upended the visiting Carolina Hurricanes, 8-4, to climb back into that best-of-seven Eastern Conference series. John Marino (Harvard) also had two assists for the Devils, who now trail the series, two games to one. Miles Wood (Boston College) scored a goal for the second straight game for New Jersey.

Joseph Woll (Boston College) stopped 18 of 21 shots in relief as the Toronto Maple Leafs fell, 3-2, in overtime to the host Florida Panthers. Florida now leads that Eastern Conference series, three games to none. Woll came on in relief of injured starter Ilya Samsonov in the first period.

Matty Beniers (Michigan) notched a goal and an assist, and was also a plus-3, as the Seattle Kraken routed the visiting Dallas Stars, 7-2. Ryan Donato and Jaden Schwartz (Colorado College) each posted an assist for the Kraken, who took a two games to one lead in that Western Conference series.

ADDENDUM: Jack Eichel (Boston University) scored one goal and set up another, and Zach Whitecloud (Bemidji State) also scored as the visiting Vegas Golden Knights dismantled the Edmonton Oilers, 5-1, on Monday night to take a two games to one lead in their Western Conference semifinal series. Warren Foegele (New Hampshire) tallied Edmonton's lone goal.

Former NCAA Players Keep Going Places

 Former NCAA hockey players keep going places as the 2021-22 season approaches.

Zach Parise (North Dakota), who was released by Minnesota this summer after nine seasons with the Wild, has signed with the New York Islanders, his father's old NHL club.

Jordy Murray (Wisconsin) has joined Notre Dame as its new volunteer assistant coach, while Mike Jamieson (Northeastern) has returned to his alma mater as its men's hockey director of operations, and R.J. Enga (Colorado College) is joining St. Cloud State as its new men's hockey director of operations and video coordinator.

Former NCAA and NHL standouts Paul Holmgren (Minnesota) and Peter McNab (Denver) will both be inducted into the U.S. Hockey Hall of Fame later this year.

Lastly, current/former NHL head coaches John Hynes (Boston University), David Quinn (Boston University), Todd Reirden (Bowling Green) and recently-retired NHL goaltender Ryan Miller (Michigan State) will serve as assistant coaches to Pittsburgh Penguins head coach Mike Sullivan (Boston University) for the 2022 U.S. men’s hockey team that will compete at the 2022 Olympic Winter Games in China in February.

In other college-related hockey news, the NCAA has added an extra day between games to the men's regional round of the national tournament starting in 2022, while Colorado College officially opened its new on-campus Ed Robson Arena this weekend with the Tigers also taking the ice there for the first time.

Mayotte Takes Over at Colorado College

 

Colorado College has a new head coach in former NCAA goaltender and assistant coach Kris Mayotte.

A press conference was held Monday in Colorado Springs to introduce Mayotte as the 15th head coach in the long history of the Tigers, after he spent the last two years as an assistant coach at the University of Michigan.

Mayotte, 38, began his coaching career as an assistant at St. Lawrence University from 2012 to 2014. He then joined Providence College for the next five seasons, the last one as an associate coach, and was part of the Friars' 2015 NCAA title team before he headed to Michigan in 2019.

Following two years in junior hockey with Cleveland (NAHL) and Sioux City (USHL), after backstopping Central Catholic High School in his native Pittsburgh, Mayotte played four years for Union College (2002-2006). He compiled a record of 46-52-13 over 116 appearances with a 2.69 goals-against average and a .907 save percentage for the Dutchmen, and ranks second all-time in Union hockey's NCAA Division I annals in wins (46), shutouts (10) and saves (2,977). As a senior in 2005-06, he went 16-15-5 with a career-best 2.33 GAA and .918 save percentage, along with a personal-high five shutouts. 

After his graduation from Union, Mayotte played professionally in the AHL, CHL and ECHL for five seasons before retiring following the 2009-10 campaign. He takes over a Colorado College club that finished 4-17-2 in the NCHC last season, and which last made the NCAA tournament in 2011.

Lucia Named First Commissioner of New CCHA

Don Lucia will be the first commissioner of the revamped Central Collegiate Hockey Association, which is scheduled to begin play in 2021-22, according to multiple sources.

Lucia, 61, a Grand Rapids, Minn. native and a former defenseman at Notre Dame who was drafted by the Philadelphia Flyers in 1978, served as an assistant coach at Alaska Fairbanks and then Alaska Anchorage from 1981 to 1987. He then took the reins at UAF for six seasons and paced the Nanooks to three 23-win campaigns as an independent.

Lucia then moved on to Colorado College for six more seasons, where he was named both the Spencer Penrose Trophy winner and the Western Collegiate Hockey Association Coach of the Year in 1993-94, and also guided the Tigers to the 1996 NCAA championship contest after again winning WCHA Coach of the Year accolades. He took the top job at the University of Minnesota in 1999 and stayed for 19 seasons. He also led the Golden Gophers to six consecutive Big Ten regular season championships after the program left the WCHA.

As an NCAA head coach from 1987 to 2018, Lucia compiled an overall record of 736-403-102 (.634). He led Minnesota to back-to-back national titles in 2002 and 2003, the first NCAA Division I hockey school to do so since Boston University in 1971 and 1972, and altogether guided his teams to a total of 18 NCAA tournament berths, 11 conference regular-season titles, and four conference playoff championships. He also recorded 23 seasons of at least 20 wins apiece.

The "new" CCHA will consist of Bemidji State, Bowling Green, Ferris State, Lake Superior State, Michigan Tech, Minnesota State and Northern Michigan, all current members of the WCHA along with UAF, UAA and Alabama-Huntsville. The original CCHA dissolved in 2013 after 42 years of play.

CC Completes Sweep of Princeton in OT

It was Tigers besting Tigers last weekend in central New Jersey, as Colorado College completed an NCAA non-conference sweep of Princeton with a 2-1 overtime victory at Hobey Baker Rink on Saturday night.

After a 7-2 victory by the visiting Tigers on Friday afternoon, scoring was much tougher to come by in the rematch. North Dakota transfer Chris Wilkie finished off a 2-on-1 rush with a successful one-timer 2:12 into the third period to break a scoreless tie, which stood up when a potential tying Princeton goal was waved off with about seven minutes remaining in regulation.

Christian O'Neill then scored in front on a power play with 31 seconds left for the host Tigers to tie things up, with goaltender Jeremie Forget having been pulled for an extra attacker. Following an icing against Princeton less than 20 seconds into the overtime, Wilkie wristed home the only shot of the extra session off the face-off for the win.

Northeastern transfer Ryan Ruck stopped 40 shots for CC on Saturday, while Forget had 25 saves for Princeton, which will now host American International College on Tuesday night. CC will a play a home-and-home series with in-state and NCHC rival Denver this weekend.

St. Louis Blues Win First Stanley Cup

For the first time ever, the St. Louis Blues are the Stanley Cup champions.

The Blues defeated the host Boston Bruins, 4-1, on Wednesday in Game Seven of the 2019 Stanley Cup Final, for the first NHL championship in the Blues' 51-year history. It marked the fourth straight year the Cup was awarded to a team that was playing on the road, and it was also the Blues' 10th road win of this postseason.

After the Blues scored twice late in the first period and once again midway through the third, Zach Sanford (Boston College) scored his first goal of the playoffs to put St. Louis up, 4-0. Matt Grzelcyk (Boston University), in his return to the Bruins lineup after suffering an injury in Game Two of the series, closed out the scoring later on with Boston's lone goal of the evening.

Jordan Binnington made 32 saves for the Blues, who went from the worst team in the NHL at the start of the calendar year to league champions. St. Louis forward Ryan O'Reilly finished the postseason with a league-high 23 points and earned the Conn Smythe Trophy as the Most Valuable Player in the Stanley Cup Playoffs.

Other former NCAA players on the Blues roster included Tyler Bozak (Denver), Jaden Schwartz (Colorado College), Colton Parayko (Alaska Fairbanks), Mackenzie MacEachern (Michigan State), Chris Butler (Denver), and Jordan Schmaltz (North Dakota).

Blues Tie Stanley Cup Final with OT Victory

Jaden Schwartz (Colorado College) assisted on the tying goal late in the first period, and the St. Louis Blues went on to knot the 2019 Stanley Cup Final with a 3-2 overtime victory over the host Boston Bruins in Game Two on Thursday evening. It was the first win ever in the NHL's championship series for the Blues in 14 tries, dating back to their inaugural appearance in 1968.

Charlie Coyle (Boston University) opened the scoring on Thursday with a power-play goal for the Bruins, while Sean Kuraly (Miami) set up Boston's second goal that put the home team ahead briefly, 2-1. Game Three will be played Saturday night in St. Louis (8 p.m. ET, NBC, CBC).

Schwartz Shoots Blues Past Sharks on Sunday

Jaden Schwartz (Colorado College) scored three goals and the St. Louis Blues moved within one game of the Stanley Cup Final with a 5-0 win at San Jose on Sunday. The Blues now lead the best-of-seven Western Conference Final series, three games to two, and can close out the Sharks in St. Louis on Tuesday.

Schwartz scored one goal in the first period to put the Blues up, 1-0, after 20 minutes, and then added the final two goals of the game in the third period for his second hat trick of the 2019 Stanley Cup Playoffs. He is the first player to tally two hat tricks in the same NHL postseason since 2008, and has now scored 12 goals in all this playoff year. St. Louis, which had the worst record in the league at the start of the calendar year, is now one win away from its first Stanley Cup Final since 1970.

Schwartz skated at Colorado College from 2010 to 2012, where he tallied 32 goals and 56 assists for 88 points in 60 career NCAA contests. As a freshman in 2011-12, he led the Tigers in scoring with career highs of 17 goals and 30 assists for 47 points in 30 outings in helping them to their most recent NCAA Tournament berth to date. He also led CC in scoring as a sophomore with 15-26—41 points, again in 30 appearances, before signing with St. Louis, which drafted him 14th overall in 2010.

CC's Schwartz Shoots St. Louis Past Winnipeg in Playoffs

Jaden Schwartz (Colorado College) almost single-handedly boosted the St. Louis Blues to the second round of the 2019 Stanley Cup Playoffs. His hat trick on Saturday provided all of St. Louis's offense in a 3-2 win over the Winnipeg Jets that sealed the series for the Blues in six games. He scored one goal in each period to boost the Blues to a 3-0 lead en route to the victory, their first in a Stanley Cup playoff series since 2017.

Schwartz, 26, from Wilcox, Sask. finished seventh on the St. Louis scoring scroll this season with 11 goals and 25 assists for 36 points. Drafted 14th overall by the Blues in 2010, the 5-foot-10 forward has tallied 124-183—307 points in 489 career NHL regular-season outings to date, all with St. Louis.

Schwartz played at Colorado College from 2010 to 2012, where he collected 32-56—88 points in 60 games with the Tigers. He also helped CC to its most recent NCAA Tournament berth in 2011, where the Tigers beat Boston College but fell to Michigan in the West Regional in St. Louis.

The Blues will next take on the winner of the Dallas-Nashville series, with Dallas currently ahead in that Western Conference best-of-seven match-up, three games to two.

Former NCAA Players Among NHL Leaders

Former NCAA skaters dotted the top five of most categories of NHL statistical charts prior to today's games, according to NHL.com.

Arizona's Alex Goligoski (Minnesota) was tied for the league lead with 34 games played so far this season, while Anders Lee (Notre Dame) of the New York Islanders ranked third overall with 19 goals to date. Winnipeg's Blake Wheeler (Minnesota) was knotted for fourth overall with 30 assists, Calgary's Johnny Gaudreau (Boston College) checked in at third with 39 points, and St. Louis' now-injured Jaden Schwartz (Colorado College) was tied for second league-wise with a plus-23 plus-minus rating.

Concerning power-play goals, Washington's T.J. Oshie (North Dakota) was tied for fourth overall with seven tallies, while New Jersey's Brian Gibbons (Boston College) was second with three shorthanded scores and Montreal's Max Pacioretty (Michigan) was fifth on the circuit with 128 shots on goal. Minnesota's Ryan Suter (Wisconsin) led all NHL skaters with an average time on ice of 27:22, with Erik Johnson (Minnesota) clocking in fifth overall at 26:05.

As for goaltending, San Jose's Aaron Dell (North Dakota) led the league in both goals-against average (1.75) and save percentage (.939).

Jeff Sauer 1943-2017

The college hockey world lost a giant last week when former Colorado College and Wisconsin head coach Jeff Sauer passed away at age 73.

Sauer, a Minnesota native who played at CC and led Wisconsin to the 1983 and 1990 NCAA titles, went 655-532-57 from 1971 to 2002 behind the bench with the Tigers and Badgers, according to USCHO.com. He was later a championship mentor with the USA Hockey National Men's Sled Hockey team, with six straight international championships in just under six years, according to usahockey.com.

I had the honor of meeting Coach Sauer on several occasions when I worked at Michigan State in the mid-1990s. May he rest in peace.

Parayko, Blues Oust Blackhawks

Colton Parayko (Alaska Fairbanks) scored his second career postseason goal, and Brian Elliott (Wisconsin) made 31 saves as the St. Louis Blues defeated the defending Stanley Cup champion Chicago Blackhawks, 3-2, in a deciding first-round Game Seven on Monday night in Missouri.

Jaden Schwartz (Colorado College) and Paul Stastny (Denver) had assists for the Blues, who managed to win the series after surrendering a three games-to-one lead. Stastny's assist came on the winning goal by Troy Brouwer with 11:29 remaining in regulation.

The Blackhawks rebounded from an early 2-0 deficit to knot the contest in the second period, as Jonathan Towes (North Dakota) and Duncan Keith (Michigan State) drew assists on the tying goal by Andrew Shaw. Chicago had claimed the Cup in three of the past six seasons (2010, 2013, 2015).

The Blues, who had been eliminated in the first round of the Stanley Cup Playoffs in each of the past three years, will now face the Dallas Stars, the top seed in the NHL's Western Conference. The Stars eliminated the Minnesota Wild, four games to two, with a 5-4 victory in Game Six in St. Paul on Sunday.