Trio of all-conference teams announced by ECAC Hockey for 2023-24 campaign

ECAC Hockey has announced its three all-conference teams for the 2023-24 season. First Team All-ECAC Collin Graf,* F, Quinnipiac, Jr. Luke Haymes,* F, Dartmouth, So. Gabriel Seger, F, Cornell, Sr. John Prokop,* D, Union, So. Jayden Lee, D, Quinnipiac, Gr. Ian Shane,* G, Cornell, Jr. * denotes unanimous selection Second Team All-ECAC Jacob Quillan, F, … Read more

2023-24 ECAC Hockey Season Preview: Coming off national championship, Quinnipiac returning firepower to contend once again

Last year was a perfect capstone for the ECAC Hockey’s previous era. The league, once taunted, for its inability to win a national championship since 1989, dominated the national headlines and tied the Big Ten for most teams sent to the NCAA tournament. Four teams in total qualified, of which two won their first-round matchups, … Read more

Former Alaska, Alabama Huntsville assistant coach Zirnis hired in same role for Rensselaer men’s hockey team

Rensselaer has added Karlis Zirnis as an assistant coach for the men’s hockey team. “We are excited to welcome Karlis to our coaching staff,” said RPI head coach Dave Smith. “He has excellent experience coming from the skill development perspective, as well as stops at Alaska and Alabama Huntsville. His ties with the Latvian National … Read more

As new ECAC Hockey commissioner, passionate Christiansen wants ‘student-athletes to have that connection to all of our schools’

This past season reinforced the two different ways of looking at ECAC Hockey. In a positive sense, its top team won the national championship as part of a four-bid postseason in the NCAA tournament, and ECAC matched a more heralded conference when it equaled the Big Ten with a quarter of the national tournament’s teams. … Read more

Following Hagwell’s retirement, USHL deputy commissioner Christiansen named new ECAC Hockey commissioner

Following an expansive national search, ECAC Hockey announced Tuesday the hiring of Doug Christiansen as the league’s new commissioner. The announcement comes with the retirement of longtime ECAC Hockey commissioner Steve Hagwell at the end of the month. Christiansen is a seasoned hockey professional, serving in a range of roles over the past two decades, … Read more

Harvard’s Farrell bags ECAC Hockey player of year laurels, Quinnipiac’s Pecknold again top coach, Bobcats’ Perets best goaltender

ECAC Hockey announced Thursday recipients of the league’s major individual award men’s winners for the 2022-23 season ahead of crowning the ECAC Hockey tournament champion this weekend in Lake Placid, N.Y. Harvard forward Sean Farrell as the 2023 ECAC Hockey player of the year. For the third consecutive season, Rand Pecknold has been named the … Read more

This Week in ECAC Hockey: Last week of regular season here, teams looking to put their ‘best foot forward to make noise come playoff time’

As ECAC Hockey began the final descent into its postseason tournament last weekend, the element of surprise didn’t totally exist like other conferences. Quinnipiac cruised past Yale and Brown with its second and third consecutive five-goal games, and with Saturday’s 5-2 win over the Bears, the Bobcats clinched the Cleary Cup as the regular-season champions … Read more

This Week in ECAC Hockey: Retiring commissioner Hagwell reflects on changes to college hockey landscape, helping ECAC move forward

ECAC Hockey was a very different league in the mid-2000s. It was, for starters, an actual part of the ECAC, the sports federation that was founded in the early 1930s. It was initially like its parent organization, but college hockey’s realignment in the 1980s saw a division of teams break away to form Hockey East. … Read more

This Week in ECAC Hockey: Dealing with inexperience, fan support a major boost helping Rensselaer climb conference standings

The conversations surrounding the ECAC postseason have always been divided into three distinct parts. The first four teams, the ones that receive first-round byes, usually lead that discussion, but the next two groupings – the ones that play off in the first round – are just as important for the way they offer matchups and … Read more

Longtime ECAC Hockey commissioner Hagwell to retire at end of 2022-23 season

Longtime ECAC Hockey commissioner Steve Hagwell has announced his retirement, effective at the conclusion of the 2022-23 fiscal year. Hagwell is the longest-serving commissioner of ECAC Hockey, having seen the storied league through its evolution to a single-sport conference and into one of the most competitive leagues in the sport. “Having had the honor, privilege … Read more

Rensselaer’s Herrman graduates early, forgoes remaining eligibility to sign pro deal overseas with EIHL’s Devils

The EIHL’s Cardiff Devils have signed Rensselaer senior forward Rory Herrman for the rest of the 2022-23 season. Herrman, a native of Poway, Calif., played in 33 games last season and 16 so far this season before graduating early and making himself available to sign a professional contract. By signing a professional contract, Herrman is … Read more

This Week in ECAC Hockey: Lengthy review, discussion period leads conference to revamp postseason format for 2023 games

My most memorable college hockey game occurred when Brown hosted Princeton during the 2019 ECAC Hockey tournament’s first round. It was the second game of a best-of-three series, but it was the third consecutive game between the two teams after they played the last game of the season and managed to land in a playoff … Read more

ECAC Hockey adjusts format for men’s, women’s postseason tournaments with men starting change in 2023, women in 2024

ECAC Hockey has announced changes to the postseason tournament format for its men’s and women’s conferences. Effective March 2023, the men’s tournament will feature a single-game first-round format the weekend of March 4-6 with seed Nos. 5-8 hosting seed Nos. 9-12. The four winners of the first-round games will advance to the league quarterfinals March … Read more

This Week in ECAC Hockey: Rensselaer ‘Godfather’ Hallbauer enjoying uber-veteran status in last season of NCAA hockey

Kyle Hallbauer knows all of the jokes. He’s old enough to remember when the members of One Direction weren’t heading in different directions. He was around when the Titanic sank, but at least THAT was the movie and not real life. His nickname in the locker room is “Grandpa” and the “Godfather.” This past weekend, … Read more

ECAC Hockey 2022-23 Season Preview: Parity abounds with teams rebuilding, refocusing efforts after pandemic years

The past two years offered some of the most shape-shifting and chaotic times in college hockey. Conferences realigned, teams expanded and contracted, and new leagues formed. Future changes were thrust into a white-hot spotlight, and the bedrock emotional culture of the sport ranged from anxiety and fear to excitement and anticipation. Through it all, ECAC … Read more

Quinnipiac garners eight first-place votes, finishes first in ’22-23 men’s ECAC Hockey preseason coaches poll

Defending Cleary Cup champion Quinnipiac has finished atop the preseason coaches poll with eight of 12 first-place votes. Harvard, who won the 2022 Whitelaw Cup with an overtime victory over Quinnipiac, received four first-place votes and finishes in second place. In addition, a preseason all-ECAC Hockey team was announced. ECAC HOCKEY PRESEASON COACHES’ POLL (First-place … Read more