These are dark days indeed for Hockey East. Sort of.
It’s all relative, of course, perhaps with a little hyperbole thrown in. Hockey East obviously remains one of the premier conferences in Division I men’s college hockey, but the specter of qualifying only two at-large teams for the 2026 NCAA tournament looms large entering this season.
Hockey East’s three total entries in the 2026 tournament — Merrimack, Connecticut and Providence — all went out in the first round by an aggregate score of 10-3.
Hockey East commissioner Steve Metcalf, now in his seventh season, said the league’s absence beyond the opening round of last year’s tournament is concerning, but not a reason to hit the panic button.
“We’re all cognizant of how the year ended for us,” Metcalf said. “It wasn’t the kind of postseason success that we’ve typically had, winning some games in the tournament and getting to the Frozen Four. But those get flushed out of your system at the end of last year. (It’s) a whole new year — new teams, new players, and some of the rosters are considerably different than they were last year.”
The league’s meager production of NCAA qualifiers in 2026 was its lowest since 2023, when only two teams made it (though Boston University made the first of three consecutive trips to the Frozen Four, losing to Minnesota in the national semifinals). In 2025, Hockey East sent a whopping six teams to the big dance, and four went the previous season. In the 2010s, the league sent at least three teams to the NCAA tournament each year except 2013, when two qualified.
The ignominy of three early exits from the 2026 NCAA tournament, however, did little to dampen the euphoria experienced by Merrimack during its postseason run. The Warriors crashed the NCAA party by becoming the lowest seed (eighth) in Hockey East history to win the postseason tournament, beating UConn 2-1 in the championship game at TD Garden. It was Merrimack’s first Hockey East tournament championship since joining the league in 1989. UConn was also seeking its first Hockey East tournament title.
“We knew we were going to have a first-time winner,” Metcalf said. “Every team wants to experience that — holding up the trophy at the Garden. Merrimack was able to do that. Obviously, a magical run for them down the stretch.”
The Warriors were picked to finish fourth in this year’s Hockey East preseason media poll and were ranked No. 20 in the preseason USCHO men’s D-I poll.
Providence and Massachusetts are the preseason favorites, with the Friars No. 1 in the preseason coaches poll and the Minutemen the favorites among the league’s media. Providence was a close second in the media poll, while UMass took second in the coaches poll.
Sophomore goalie Jack Parsons is expected to have another strong year in net for the Friars after posting a 2.05 goals-against average and a .922 save percentage with two shutouts. Junior forward John Mustard appeared in all 36 games last season and led the team in points (29), goals (17) and shots on goal (137).
For UMass, junior defenseman Francesco Dell’Elce looks to build off a season in which he logged 14 points on three goals and 11 assists across 24 Hockey East games. Senior forward Jack Musa amassed 36 points on 16 goals and 20 assists over 34 games to lead the team in scoring.
One feather in the league’s cap is the large number of former players gracing NHL rosters this year. Hockey East had 91 alumni on NHL opening-night rosters, by far the most of any conference. Hockey East alumni represent more than one-third of the record 249 college alumni on NHL rosters to open the season, and the league’s total is nearly double that of any other college hockey conference.
Recent Hockey East additions to NHL rosters include James Hagens (Boston College), Cole Hutson (Boston University) and Roger McQueen (Providence). No other conference has sent more than 13 alumni to the NHL over the last three seasons.
Former BU player Macklin Celebrini signed a five-year, $94 million extension with the San Jose Sharks over the summer. He had five points through two games after ranking fourth in the NHL with 115 last season, but missed the Sharks’ Monday night game at Dallas due to a pregame injury. Celebrini joined the Sharks in 2024, finished fourth in voting for the 2025-26 Hart Memorial Trophy and has been projected as an early favorite to win the award this season.
“Quite frankly, we’re very proud of that,” Metcalf said. “It shows that we’re continually developing NHL-ers. Every kid aspires to play in the league, and that’s what our coaches are trying to do, develop these kids. To me, it says we’re doing a great job. (You) get excited for them when they make a roster or they get a new contract. (We’re) proud to say they came from Hockey East.”
HOCKEY EAST
2025-26 regular season champion: Providence (18-5-1, 23-11-2 overall)
2025-26 tournament champion: Merrimack (No. 8 seed, defeated No. 3 Connecticut 2-1)
2025-26 NCAA tournament teams: Merrimack (AQ, lost 3-0 to North Dakota in first round); Providence (at-large, lost 5-2 to Quinnipiac in first round); Connecticut (at-large, lost 2-1 to Michigan State in first round)
Preseason poll No. 1s: Coaches: Providence (8 first-place votes); Media: Massachusetts (5 first-place votes)
Players to watch: Jack Parsons (Providence, So., G); Luka Radivojevic (Boston College, So., D); John Mustard (Providence, Jr., F); Ryan Conmy (Boston College, Sr., F); Francesco Dell’Elce (Massachusetts, Jr., D); Dean Letourneau (Boston College, Jr., F); Parker Lalonde (Merrimack, So., F); Joey Muldowney (Connecticut, Sr., F); Jack Musa (Massachusetts, Sr., F); Larry Keenan (Jr., Massachusetts, Jr., D); Martins Lavinš (New Hampshire, Sr., F)
USCHO 2026-27 PREDICTIONS:
Regular season champion: Connecticut
Playoff champion: Providence
Tournament teams: Massachusetts, Providence, Connecticut, Boston College
Dark horses: Merrimack, Maine