2014’s top 20: The year’s most-read stories on USCHO.com

Union coach Rick Bennett holds the national championship trophy after the Dutchmen’s win over Minnesota on April 12 (photo: Jim Rosvold).

As we prepare to welcome 2015, let’s take a look back at college hockey’s biggest stories of 2014.

You can debate whether Union’s win over Minnesota for the Division I men’s national championship was the top story, or whether Arizona State’s announcement that it’s elevating its program to varsity status had a bigger impact.

For our purposes here, we’re looking at the 20 most-read stories on USCHO.com during 2014. Here’s that list:

1. Bracketology: Here’s our final prediction for the NCAA tournament brackets (March 22)

2. Here’s the TV schedule for the NCAA Division I men’s tournament (March 23)

3. An early look at the 2014 Frozen Four after Boston College, Minnesota, North Dakota, Union claim spots (March 30)

4. ECAC Hockey studying video of brawl after Rensselaer-Union game (Jan. 26)

5. Ten to watch: Meet some of college hockey’s impact forwards for 2014-15 (Sept. 30)

6. Minnesota lands No. 1 seed in 2014 NCAA tournament (March 23)

7. Bracketology: One week out, and the No. 3 seeds pose some challenges (March 12)

8. Ten to watch: Meet some of college hockey’s impact defensemen for 2014-15 (Oct. 1)

9. Departures don’t equal weakness for ECAC Hockey in 2014-15 (Oct. 6)

10. Overtime, visors among topics for rules committee in Naples meetings (April 28)

11. Recruiting: Highly touted Matthews has five colleges and major juniors as options, but he’s in no hurry (Oct. 29)

12. Coaches see importance of early nonconference games as Big Ten enters year two (Oct. 8)

13. Another season, another change for talent-laden Hockey East (Oct. 9)

14. Balance could make NCHC as unpredictable in 2014-15 as in its opening act (Oct. 7)

15. NCAA Division III men’s tournament field of 11 announced (March 9)

16. The sound of victory: The tunes that get cranked up in winning locker rooms (March 4)

17. Bracketology: Just days out, and moving around the third band could solve some attendance issues (March 19)

18. Bracketology: Three weeks out, and we can build a better West Regional (Feb. 26)

19. Ten to watch: Meet some of college hockey’s impact goaltenders for 2014-15 (Oct. 2)

20. Bracketology: Two weeks out, and one swap creates a regional of familiar foes (March 5)