It’s almost a cliche at this point to point out the parity that exists in the CCHA.
Sure, Minnesota State last season won their third MacNaughton Cup in the four seasons since the league was re-formed in 2022, but every year we’ve seen close races for the league title and for home ice in the conference tournament.
This year, though, things look even more unpredictable. With the NCAA finally allowing major junior players into the fold, the talent pool is more wide-open than it’s ever been.
“With the influx of the new players, especially with the CHL, I think that’s where the anticipation is for me, just to see how those kids blend into college hockey, the college environment, what skill level they bring,” CCHA commissioner Don Lucia said during the conference’s annual media day in September. “We have some outstanding returning players, too, and you go to every team and they all have real key returners. That’s why I think you’re going to see such a competitive league this season.
“Some of the teams that might have been picked fifth, sixth even have an opportunity based on how their teams come together, to not only be in home ice conversation but fighting for the league title as well.”
This year seven of the nine CCHA teams have at least one player who played in the CHL at some point in their careers.
“I can’t tell you who’s going to be the quickest to adjust,” Bowling Green coach Dennis Williams said. “What you’re trying to do is to get the players up to speed with the way the game is played in college hockey, which is drastically different than the CHL, so there’s going to be a little bit of time there.”
Williams, who is in his second year with the Falcons, spent seven seasons as the head coach of the WHL’s Everett Silvertips before returning to his alma mater. And Williams utilized those connections, bringing in 11 players from the CHL to add to an already-veteran Falcons roster. The recruiting class was ranked No. 1 in the country by some analysts and the Falcons were picked to finished third in the media poll with four votes.
Defending champions Minnesota State, meanwhile, didn’t add any CHL talent but faced with the prospect of losing 18 players either to graduation or the portal managed to bring in 17 players the “old fashioned” way — meaning the USHL and the transfer portal. The lack of CHL recruits didn’t hurt them in the polls, either—the media picked them to finish first and the coaches second.
“The league will probably be based on consistency, who can come night in and night out, so we have to get new players advanced to that level,” third-year Minnesota State coach Luke Strand said. “We felt the balance that our freshman class coming in after our graduation of a big number, and we could get some transfers that could probably give us a shot in the arm earlier. I’m sure at some point we will utilize the CHL but we’re not necessarily at that point now.”
Of course, not everything in this league will be about newcomers. The CCHA is still, at its heart, a league full of older, experienced players. Minnesota State goaltender Alex Tracy was a finalist for the Mike Richter Award last season, and he, MSU defenseman Evan Murr and St. Thomas forward Lucas Wahlin were all first-team All-CCHA last season. Michigan Tech’s Stiven Sardarian and Isaac Gordon were two of the league’s top scorers and both return to Houghton. Augustana goaltender Josh Kotai might have been the top goalie in the league last season if it wasn’t for Tracy.
“There’s more consistency through continuity,” said Augustana coach Garret Raboin, whose experienced team returns a whopping 20 players from a season in which the Vikings finished second. “There’s expectations, there’s a standard that they’ve set for themselves in terms of how we go about our business. All these things take time, and that’s what we’re realizing here as we start year three.”
However the teams in the CCHA have gone about building their rosters to compete this season, most of the league’s coaches are expecting unpredictability.
“It’s going to be like any other year. I said this last year, it’s going to be the tightest the CCHA has ever been, but I think this year’s going to be,” Bemidji State coach Tom Serratore said. “It’s going to be competitively deep, and I think a number of teams have a shot at winning the league. I think it’s the new normal in our league, and it’s the new normal in college hockey.”
AUGUSTANA
HEAD COACH: Garrett Raboin (third season)
LAST SEASON: 18-13-4 (9-5-2 CCHA; second; lost to Bemidji State in CCHA quarterfinals)
KEY RETURNING PLAYERS: Junior goaltender Josh Kotai (17-10-3, 1.92 GAA, .936 SV%), junior forward Hunter Bischoff (10-13-23), junior forward Brett Meerman (7-16-23), and junior defenseman Hayden Hennan (3-12-15)
KEY LOSSES: Forward Luke Mobley (13-7-2), forward Payton Matsui (8-13-21), forward Simon Falk (5-11-16)
KEY ADDITIONS: Forward Cole Burtch (Ferris State, CCHA, 17-19-26), forward Jacob Jastrzebski (USHL, Des Moines), forward Leo Bulgakov (NAHL, Aberdeen)
2025-26 OUTLOOK: Augustana is one of the big boys now: No longer the new kids on the block, they’re full league members, playing a full league schedule, with a set of expectations closer to those of programs that have been around for decades. And this season, those expectations are clear: Compete for the MacNaughton Cup. Considering their second place finish last season, the Vikings must feel good about their chances. Goaltender Josh Kotai — one of the top netminders in a league that has plenty of top-tier goalies — leads an experienced group of players who now will face the rigors of an entire CCHA schedule. Last season the Vikings played half as many games as everyone else and took second place based on points percentage. The question will be if they can maintain that pace through an entire conference slate. If they can, they will be among the top teams in the league.
JACK’S PREDICTION: Third
BEMIDJI STATE
HEAD COACH: Tom Serratore (25th season)
LAST SEASON: 15-18-5 (10-12-4 CCHA; seventh; lost to Minnesota State in CCHA semifinals)
KEY RETURNING PLAYERS: Senior forward Kirklan Irey (11-13-24), senior forward Reilly Funk (7-16-23), sophomore defenseman Isa Parekh (3-15-18), and junior forward Kaspar Magnussen (7-9-18)
KEY LOSSES: Goaltender Mattias Sholl (14-17-5, 2.81 GAA, .897 SV%), forward Jackson Jutting (14-8-22), forward Eric Martin (10-13-23)
KEY ADDITIONS: Goaltender Max Hildebrand (WHL, Prince Albert), defenseman Max Vig (USHL, Cedar Rapids), defenseman Hudson Thornton (ECHL, Orlando), forward Connor McClennon (USports, Alberta)
2025-26 OUTLOOK: The rule change that finally allowed major junior players into college hockey has truly diversified the talent pool in the college game. Nowhere is this more apparent than in how Bemidji State approached its incoming recruiting class this season. The Beavers leaned heavily on CHL talent, including Max Hildebrand—the WHL goaltender of the year last season—but they were also able to utilize a previously-untapped transfer market by adding many experienced players from USports. A few of these players—namely Connor McClennon and Hudson Thornton—have played multiple games in the AHL and ECHL. The NCAA granted them eligibility, and these players should be able to step in right away and add to an already experienced Beaver lineup that includes Kirklan Irey, Isa Parekh and Reilly Funk. Expect to see BSU in the thick of the MacNaughton Cup race all season.
JACK’S PREDICTION: Fourth
BOWLING GREEN
HEAD COACH: Dennis Williams (second season)
LAST SEASON: 18-14-4 (12-10-4 CCHA; fourth; lost to St. Thomas in CCHA semifinals)
KEY RETURNING PLAYERS: Junior forward Brody Waters (16-6-22), junior forward Ben Doran (10-12-22), senior defenseman Dalton Norris (2-15-17), and junior goaltender Cole Moore (6-11-1, 2.80 GAA, .906 SV%)
KEY LOSSES: Goaltender Christian Stoever (12-3-3, 1.76 GAA, .942 SV%), forward Ryan O’Hara (11-22-33), forward Ethan Scardina (7-9-16)
KEY ADDITIONS: Goaltender Jacob Steinman (QMJHL, Halifax/Montcon), forward Dominik Rymon (WHL, Everett), defenseman Ty Higgins (QMJHL, Rouyn-Noranda), forward Noah Morneau (OHL, Windsor), forward Tyler Hosten (ECAC, RPI)
2025-26 OUTLOOK: For all the talk about the top-ranked incoming recruiting class—and it’s an impressive one—the Falcons also retained an nice group of returners. Junior forward Brody Waters was sneakily one of the top goalscorers in the league last season with 16, and headlines a solid forward group that also includes Brett Pfoh, Ben Doran and Jaden Grant. They also return goaltender Cole Moore, who was a solid contributor in a killer goaltender tandem with the now-graduated Christian Stoever. Last season the Falcons really took flight in the second half of the season, and if they can keep that consistency for a full season, expect them to compete for a MacNaughton Cup
JACK’S PREDICTION: First
FERRIS STATE
HEAD COACH: Brett Riley (first season)
LAST SEASON: 13-20-3 (12-13-1 CCHA; sixth; lost to St. Thomas in CCHA quarterfinals)
KEY RETURNING PLAYERS: Senior forward Gavin Best (10-9-19), senior forward Tyler Schleppe (9-9-18), sophomore defenseman Logan Heroux (3-11-14)
KEY LOSSES: Forward Caiden Gault (15-10-25), defenseman Travis Shoudy (6-12-18), forward Cole Burtch (7-19-26), forward Kaleb Ergang (6-15-21)
KEY ADDITIONS: Goaltender Noah Rupprecht (NCAA, LIU), goaltender Hobie Hedquist (NCHC, North Dakota), forward John Lundy (AHA, AIC), forward Josh Zary (NCAA, LIU), forward Carter Rapalje (NCAA, LIU)
2025-26 OUTLOOK: For the first time in decades, there’s a new look behind the bench in Big Rapids. First-year head coach Brett Riley takes over Bob Daniels, who retired after 33 seasons at Ferris State. Riley, who comes from Long Island, has already taken a different approach to building his first team with Ferris State. Seventeen returners are complimented with 13 newcomers, all of whom were exclusively brought in through the transfer portal—including five players Riley brought with him from Long Island. That means the Bulldogs won’t have any true freshmen on the roster this season. That experience should bode well for Ferris. Riley did a great job turning independent Long Island into a competitive program with fewer resources, so there’s hope for fans in in Big Rapids that the Bulldogs can finally re-enter the upper echelon of the CCHA and compete for home ice.
JACK’S PREDICTION: seventh
LAKE SUPERIOR STATE
HEAD COACH: Damon Whitten (12th season)
LAST SEASON: 12-22-2 (10-15-1 CCHA; eighth; lost to Minnesota State in CCHA quarterfinals)
KEY RETURNING PLAYERS: Senior forward Connor Millburn (9-14-23), senior forward Sasha Teleguine (14-5-19), junior forward Luke Levandowski (5-9-14), junior forward John Herrington (4-14-18)
KEY LOSSES: Forward Timo Bakos (10-12-22), forward Dawson Tritt (7-10-17), defenseman Nate Schweitzer (3-15-18)
KEY ADDITIONS: Forward Ryan Beck (NCHC, Colorado College), forward Calem Mangone (OHL, Saginaw), goaltender Andrew Oke (OHL, Saginaw), defenseman Max Ranström (NAHL, Corpus Christi),
2025-26 OUTLOOK: Lake Superior State has seemingly been on the cusp of something for a few years now, but have had trouble turning the corner with a season above .500. Two seasons ago, the Lakers finished seventh but were a game away from playing in the Mason Cup final. Last season was something of a step back, as they finished eighth and were swept by Minnesota State in the first round of the playoffs. This year’s team lost a couple top scorers to graduation but Connor Millburn returns for his senior season hoping to make a splash after dealing with some injuries last year. Plus, over the offseason the LSSU hockey program was the benefactor of a million-dollar anonymous donation in hopes that the Lakers have more money to compete in the NIL market, there are reasons for optimism.
JACK’S PREDICTION: Eighth
MICHIGAN TECH
HEAD COACH: Bill Muckalt (first season)
LAST SEASON: 16-17-3 (12-11-3 CCHA; fifth; lost to Bowling Green in CCHA quarterfinals)
KEY RETURNING PLAYERS: Senior forward Stiven Sardarian (11-24-35), junior forward Isaac Gordon (7-19-26), junior forward Max Koskipirtti (7-20-27), sophomore forward Elias Jansson (12-11-23)
KEY LOSSES: Forward Logan Morrell (11-10-21), defenseman Matthew Campbell (6-6-12), defenseman Chase Pietila (7-15-22), forward Jack Works (5-10-15)
KEY ADDITIONS: Forward Teydon Trembecky (WHL, Victoria), goaltender Owen Bartoszkiewicz (NCAA, Lindenwood), forward Rylan Gould (WHL, Swift Current), forward Noah Reinhart (QMJHL, Val-d’Or), Carson Latimer (USports, U of British Columbia)
2025-26 OUTLOOK: Bill Muckalt didn’t waste much time hitting the recruiting trail in his return to Houghton. Muckalt, who was an assistant at Tech under Mel Pearson in the 2010s, hit a home run in recruiting both current players and newcomers to Houghton. Shortly after Muckalt’s hiring was announced, Isaac Gordon decided to withdraw his previous transfer portal commitment from North Dakota. Leading scorer Stiven Sardarian, who had a few offers to go to the AHL, also decided to return to school. As a result, the Huskies return six double-digit scorers from last season. Additionally, Muckalt and the Tech coaching staff did a great job in convincing some top players from the CHL to come to Houghton. Of Tech’s 18 newcomers, eight are from the CHL and four of those are underagers who have junior eligibility left. There’s a lot of upside here, but the big question for Michigan Tech is how well these players will adapt to the college game and gel with the returners under a new coach’s system.
JACK’S PREDICTION: Fifth
MINNESOTA STATE
HEAD COACH: Luke Strand (third season)
LAST SEASON: 27-9-3 (18-5-3 CCHA; first; beat St. Thomas in CCHA championship, lost to Western Michigan in NCAA Fargo Regional semifinals)
KEY RETURNING PLAYERS: Senior goaltender Alex Tracy (26-9-3, 1.42 GAA, .946 SV%), junior defenseman Evan Murr (7-20-27), junior forward Luigi Benincasa (6-18-24)
KEY LOSSES: Forward Rhett Pitlik (13-27-40), forward Adam Eisele (13-13-26), forward Josh Groll (14-18-32), forward Brian Carrabes (10-10-20), forward Kaden Bohlsen (12-5-17)
KEY ADDITIONS: Forward Reid Morich (USHL, Waterloo), defenseman Rylan Bonkowski (USHL, Tri-City), forward Felikss Gavars (ECAC, St. Lawrence), forward Tristan Lemyre (NCHC, Western Michigan)
2025-26 OUTLOOK: The good news is that All-American Mike Richter Award finalist and CCHA player of the year Alex Tracy returns for the Mavericks. With him in the net, they will be tough to beat. The bad news, however, is that MSU lost 18 players — eight to the transfer portal and 10 to graduation. All five of MSU’s double-digit goal-scorers are gone, and only Evan Murr, Luigi Benincasa and Ralfs Bergmanis reached double digits in overall points. With 17 newcomers, the Mavericks will have to figure out who is going to be relied upon to score goals.
JACK’S PREDICTION: Sixth
NORTHERN MICHIGAN
HEAD COACH: Dave Shyiak (second season)
LAST SEASON: 5-27-2 (4-20-2 CCHA; ninth; did not make conference tournament)
KEY RETURNING PLAYERS: Sophomore forward Grayden Slipec (10-9-19), sophomore forward Jakub Altrichter (3-16-19), junior defenseman Tynan Ewart (1-10-11), sophomore forward Aidyn Hutchinson (4-6-10)
KEY LOSSES: Goaltender Ryan Ouellette (5-25-2, 2.95 GAA, .917 SV%), forward Jesse Tucker (4-5-9), forward Tanner Latsch (5-2-7), forward Ryan Duguay (6-2-8)
KEY ADDITIONS: Forward Caiden Gault (CCHA, Ferris State), forward Mathew Ward (WHL, Medicine Hat), goaltender Jackson Fuller (NAHL, New Mexico), forward Tobias Pitka (BCHL, Victoria)
2025-26 OUTLOOK: The 2024-25 Wildcats sure took their lumps. This was to be expected, as Dave Shyiak was hired late in the offseason and had to scramble to fill out a roster. All things considered, NMU performed admirably, with goaltender Ryan Ouellette helping them stay in more games than perhaps they should have been. Ouellette is gone, but considering barely any players on last year’s roster had any significant collegiate hockey experience, they should be able to be competitive in games even without a goaltender bailing them out. With some impressive returners like Grayden Slipec and Jakub Altricher and solid experienced newcomers that came through the portal (like Ferris State leading scorer Caiden Gault), the Wildcats might not make the playoffs, but they will be fighting for those final few playoff sports for much longer than they did last season.
JACK’S PREDICTION: Ninth
ST. THOMAS
HEAD COACH: Rico Blasi (fifth season)
LAST SEASON: 19-14-5 (13-9-4 CCHA; third; lost to Minnesota State in CCHA championship game)
KEY RETURNING PLAYERS: Senior forward Lucas Wahlin (17-24-41), senior forward Ryan O’Neill (6-15-21), senior forward Jake Braccini (9-10-19), junior defenseman Chase Cheslock (1-13-14), senior goaltender Aaron Trotter (12-5-3, 2.63 GAA, .909 SV%)
KEY LOSSES: Goaltender Jake Sibell (7-9-2, 2.46 GAA, .923 SV%), forward Liam Malmquist (20-25-45), forward Cooper Gay (9-11-30), defenseman Chase Foley (3-19-22), forward Matthew Gleason (11-11-22)
KEY ADDITIONS: Goaltender Carson Musser (NCHC, Colorado College), defenseman Colton Jamieson (USHL, Madison), forward Lucas Van Vliet (USHL, Dubuque), forward Josh Giuliani (USHL, Dubuque), forward Nathan Pilling (WHL, Seattle)
2025-26 OUTLOOK: St. Thomas’ final season in the CCHA has the most expectations of any they have had to date. The Tommies, who will join the NCHC next season, are also eligible for the NCAA tournament this year. With one of their two outstanding goaltenders from the CCHA’s best goalie rotation back in the net (Aaron Trotter) and one of the best goal scorers in the nation returning to St. Paul (Lucas Wahlin), the Tommies are going to be a threat to win lots of hardware before they depart.
JACK’S PREDICTION: Second
