NCAA Men's Hockey Tournament Field Revealed

Bracket projections ahead of the official Selection Show

Mar. 22, 2026 at 12:00pm

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With the regular season complete, the field for the 2026 NCAA Men's Hockey Tournament has been projected ahead of the official Selection Show on ESPN this Sunday. The bracket features several intriguing regional matchups, including a potential rematch between Denver and Western Michigan that some have argued should be avoided.

Why it matters

The NCAA Tournament bracket reveal is a highly anticipated annual event for college hockey fans, as it determines the path to the Frozen Four championship. This year's field features several top programs vying for a national title, with the new NPI ranking system being used to seed the teams for the first time.

The details

The projected bracket has Michigan as the overall #1 seed, facing Bentley in the Albany Regional. Other top seeds include North Dakota (Sioux Falls), Michigan State (Worcester), and Western Michigan (Loveland). There are a few notable regional assignments, such as three Eastern teams (Providence, Quinnipiac, Penn State) potentially being sent to the Sioux Falls Regional. The author also argues that the committee should consider swapping the locations of some 3-seed teams like Dartmouth, Wisconsin, and Cornell to optimize travel and attendance.

  • The official NCAA Tournament Selection Show will air on ESPN this Sunday, March 22nd, at 3pm ET.

The players

Michigan

The likely #1 overall seed in the tournament after a dominant regular season.

North Dakota

A perennial college hockey power expected to earn a high seed in the Sioux Falls Regional.

Michigan State

The projected #3 seed in the Worcester Regional after a strong campaign.

Western Michigan

The #4 seed in the Loveland Regional, potentially facing rival Denver in a rematch some have argued should be avoided.

Adam Wodon

The author of the original article providing this bracket projection and analysis.

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What they’re saying

“I've argued many times that it shouldn't be lined up for another Denver/Western Michigan game. As I've said before, absolutely no reason not to swap Michigan State and WMU to avoid it. But it's very unlikely the Committee will listen to that.”

— Adam Wodon, Author

What’s next

The official NCAA Tournament bracket will be revealed during the Selection Show on ESPN this Sunday, March 22nd at 3pm ET. The committee may make different decisions than the projected bracket, potentially shifting some regional assignments to optimize travel and attendance.

The takeaway

This year's NCAA Men's Hockey Tournament field features several top contenders vying for the national championship, with the new NPI ranking system being used to seed the teams for the first time. While the projected bracket includes some intriguing regional matchups, the final decisions by the selection committee may differ as they balance factors like travel, attendance, and avoiding immediate rematches between conference rivals.