As another men’s college hockey season gets underway, all of us at USCHO are excited to once again be part of the ride.
There is something special about this time of year. After months of offseason changes, recruiting news, NHL Drafts, coaching moves and speculation about what the season ahead might bring, the games finally begin. New teams emerge, expectations change quickly, and before we know it, we’ll be talking about conference championships, the NCAA tournament and a trip to Washington, D.C., for the Frozen Four.
And throughout it all, USCHO will be there.
For more than three decades, our mission has been to provide college hockey fans with the best and most comprehensive coverage of the sport we can produce. That remains our commitment today.
On the men’s Division I side, our weekly editorial coverage will once again include the Monday 10, our Tuesday Morning Quarterback feature and regular conference and national stories from around the country. We’ll follow the games, but we also want to tell the stories behind them — the teams, coaches, players and issues that shape college hockey throughout the season.
The USCHO.com Division I Men’s Poll will also return each week. For years, the USCHO poll has been one of the most widely referenced rankings in college hockey, appearing in broadcasts, arenas, team communications and conversations among fans throughout the sport. We appreciate the coaches, media members and others who participate each week and help make the poll such a recognizable part of the college hockey season.
At the same time, the way people consume sports coverage continues to change, and USCHO continues to change with it.
Over the past year, we have put considerable energy into expanding our video and podcast coverage, and you’ll see even more of that this season.
Our weekly USCHO Weekend Review will look back at the biggest games, performances and storylines from around Division I men’s hockey. Upon Further Review gives us an opportunity during the week to go deeper on a major topic or developing story. And as the NCAA tournament picture begins to take shape, Bracketology Xtra will complement our written bracketology coverage with additional discussion and analysis of the road to the NCAA tournament.
This season we’re also introducing something new: Behind the Bench.
The idea is simple. We want to get away from the traditional postgame sound bite and spend more time talking with the people who shape college hockey. Behind the Bench will take us on location to campuses and programs around the country for conversations with coaches and others in the game. We want to talk about more than wins and losses — how programs are built, how coaches think, how college hockey is changing and what happens away from the rink that fans rarely get the opportunity to see.
It is part of a broader effort to make USCHO not simply a place you read about college hockey, but a place where you can watch, listen to and experience the sport throughout the season.
As we move forward, we also want to recognize two people who have been an important part of USCHO for many years and who will not be with us this season.
Paula Weston has been part of USCHO for decades, first covering the CCHA and later the Big Ten while also becoming a familiar voice to readers of Tuesday Morning Quarterback. Paula’s knowledge of the game, her relationships throughout college hockey and her distinctive voice have contributed enormously to USCHO over the years. We are incredibly grateful for everything she has brought to our coverage.
Tim Costello has similarly been a fixture in our Division III men’s coverage for many years, chronicling teams and players across the country and bringing tremendous passion to that part of the sport. We thank Tim for his dedication and all of the work he has done for USCHO and Division III hockey.
Beginning this season, USCHO will no longer provide regular editorial coverage of Division III hockey. We know there are readers who have followed that coverage for many years, and this was not a decision we made lightly. USCHO will, however, continue to provide Division III scores, schedules, results and statistical information on the site.
We are also excited to welcome a new voice to our coverage.
Eric Vegoe, who many college hockey fans know from his work as a writer and podcaster with Gopher Puck Live, is joining USCHO and will oversee our coverage of the Big Ten. Eric has spent years following and analyzing college hockey and brings both tremendous knowledge of the conference and a strong connection with its fans. We’re thrilled to have him aboard.
College hockey itself continues to evolve rapidly. The sport is growing, the players arriving on campuses are more talented than ever, and changes throughout college athletics are creating new opportunities and new challenges seemingly every season.
That makes covering the sport more interesting than ever.
There will be plenty to talk about between opening weekend and April. There will be teams that surprise us, teams that disappoint us, memorable games, breakout players, controversies, arguments about rankings and, eventually, plenty of debate about who belongs in the NCAA tournament.
In other words, it should be another great college hockey season.
And when it all ends in Washington, D.C., at the Frozen Four, we hope you’ll feel like USCHO helped you follow the entire journey from the first puck drop to the final horn.
Most importantly, thank you.
Whether you have been visiting USCHO for decades or discovered us recently through one of our podcasts, videos, stories or social channels, we appreciate that you choose to spend part of your college hockey season with us.
We’re excited about where USCHO is heading, and even more excited that the 2026-27 season is finally here.
Enjoy the season.
Jim Connelly
Executive Editor
USCHO.com