Western Michigan continued the trend in 2025, though it didn't win a game in the 2024 tournament.
2026's candidates: Providence, Denver, Bentley, UConn, Quinnipiac, Penn State, Michigan State, Cornell, Western Michigan and Minnesota State.
🤔🤔🤔
ECAC: Dartmouth
HE: UConn
AH: SHU
Big Ten: OSU
NCHC: Duluth
Albany
1. Michigan
8. Providence
9. Penn St.
16. SHU
Worcester
4. W. Michigan
7. Dartmouth
12. Wisc.
13. UConn
Loveland
3. Michigan St.
6. Denver
11. Cornell
14. Minn St.
Sioux Falls
2. North Dakota
5. Duluth
10. Quinnipiac
15. Ohio St.
ECAC: Princeton
HE: UConn
AH: SHU
Big Ten: Michigan
NCHC: Denver
Albany
1. Michigan
8. Dartmouth
10. PSU
16. SHU
Worcester
3. Michigan St.
6. Providence
11. Cornell
14. Minn St.
Loveland
4. W. Mich
5. Denver
12. Wisc.
13. UConn
Sioux Falls
2. North Dakota
7. Duluth
9. Quinnipiac
15. Princeton
All lower seeds
Albany
1. Michigan
8. Dartmouth
9. Penn State
16. SHU
Worcester
4. Western Michigan
5. Duluth
12. Minn State
13. Ohio State
Loveland
3. Michigan State
6. Denver
11. Cornell
14. Princeton
Sioux Falls
2. North Dakota
7. Providence
10. Quinnipiac
15. Merrimack
All higher seeds except Duluth
Albany
1. Michigan
8. Providence
9. Penn State
16. Bentley
Worcester
4. Western Michigan
7. Dartmouth
13. UConn
14. Wisconsin
Loveland
3. Michigan State
6. Denver
11. Cornell
14. Minn State
Sioux Falls
2. North Dakota
5. Duluth
10. Quinnipiac
15. Augustana
All higher seeds win Saturday
Albany
1. Michigan
8. Duluth
9. Penn State
16. Bentley
Worcester
3. Michigan State
6. Dartmouth
12. Wisconsin
14. Minn State
Loveland
4. Western Michigan
5. Denver
11. Cornell
13. UConn
Sioux Falls
2. North Dakota
7. Providence
10. Quinnipiac
15. Augustana
I don't see a scenario where Quinnipiac doesn't end up in Sioux Falls unless the committee sees an attendance bump in Albany or Worcester. With a h/t to @collegehockeynews.com You Are The Committee, some examples:
This season's candidates under the repeat appearance criteria: Boston College, Michigan State, Maine, Western Michigan, Minnesota, BU, Denver, UMass, Quinnipiac and Cornell.
'18: Duluth; '17: Runner-up
'17: Denver; '16: Frozen Four
'16: North Dakota; '15: Frozen Four
'15: Providence; '14: Regional Final
'14: Union; '13: Regional Final
2024: Champion: Denver; 2023: Regional semifinal
'23: Quinnipiac; 2022: Regional Final
'22: Denver; '21: Missed tournament
'21: UMass; '20: No tournament, 8th in pairwise
'20: N/A
'19: Duluth; '18: Champions
Only once in the last 11 years has a college hockey champion not played in the tournament the previous season. Every team that did play won at least one game, except last season.