College Hockey Bracketology: What to Expect This Year

It’s that time of year again! The college hockey season is in Full Swing and the race for the National Championship is heating up. We’re here to help you make sense of it all with our annual college hockey bracketology.

The NCAA field for college hockey this year

Every year, college hockey fans wait with baited breath to see which teams will make the prestigious NCAA Tournament This year is no different, and there are a few key things to look out for when the brackets are released.

First and foremost, there are always a few surprise teams that earn a spot in the tournament. These are typically teams that have had a strong season but may not have been expected to make a deep run in the tournament. In recent years we’ve seen teams like Union College and Ferris State make Cinderella runs to the Frozen Four.

Secondly, there are always a few “bubble” teams that are on the brink of making or missing the tournament. These teams usually have strong records but may have some key losses that put them on the bubble. In recent years we’ve seen teams like Notre Dame and North Dakota just miss out on the tournament.

Finally, there are always a few powerhouse teams that are expected to make a deep run in the tournament. These teams usually have strong records and are loaded with NHL talent. In recent years we’ve seen teams like Denver and Boston College make it to the Frozen Four.

So what can we expect this year? Only time will tell, but one thing is for sure: it should be an exciting year of college hockey!

How the bracketology process works

The bracketology process for the NCAA Division I men’s Ice Hockey tournament is more simple than that of other sports because there are only 60 teams competing for the 32 spots in the field.

The NCAA selection committee will release its final rankings on Sunday, March 17, at which time the field of 32 teams will be announced. The committee uses a number of factors to determine the final rankings, including but not limited to: win-loss record, Strength of Schedule head-to-head competition, and how a team fared against common opponents.

The first step in filling out the bracket is to seed the teams. The four seeded teams will be placed in separate regionals and will be given a first-round bye. These teams will be ranked No. 1 through No. 4 overall in the final rankings.

The next 28 teams in the rankings will be placed into one of four regionals and will play each other in the first round. The eight winners of those games will advance to the regional semifinals to face one of the four seeded teams.

From there, it is a single-elimination tournament until a champion is crowned on April 13 at Dick’s Sporting Goods Park in Denver, Colorado.

Why college hockey is important

College hockey is important because it is a feeder system for the NHL. Many NHL players have come through the college ranks, and it is generally considered to be a higher level of competition than Junior hockey college hockey also has a strong tradition in many parts of the country, and fans take great pride in their team’s success.

What to expect from the top teams this year

Perennial powerhouse Boston College is looking to make a return to the top of the college Hockey World this year. The Eagles enter the season as the unanimous number one team in the country and are looking to reclaim the National Championship title they last won in 2012.

Led by Head Coach Jerry York, Boston College has been one of the most successful programs in recent years, making nine NCAA tournament appearances and winning four conference championships since 2005. This year’s team is loaded with talent, led by junior defenseman Noah Hanifin, who is widely considered to be one of the best players in the country.

The Eagles will have their work cut out for them this season, as there are a number of other strong teams vying for a spot in the NCAA tournament Minnesota-Duluth, North Dakota Denver, and Notre Dame are all ranked in the top 10 nationally and will be challenging Boston College for supremacy this year.

Whoever emerges from this tough field will have earned their spot in the tournament and will be a force to reckoned with come March.

How the tournament format works

There are four major college hockey tournaments: the NCAA Division I men’s tournament, the NCAA Division I women’s tournament, the NCAA Division III men’s tournament, and the NCAA Division III women’s tournament. Each one has a different format, but they all follow a similar general structure.

The first two rounds of all four tournaments are single-elimination. That means that if a team loses, they’re out of the tournament. The first round is typically played at campus sites, while the second round is played at pre-determined regional sites.

The format then changes for the remaining rounds. For the NCAA Division I men’s and women’s tournaments, the field expands to 16 teams and the games are played at four regional sites. The winners of each regional advance to the Final Four, which is a single-elimination bracket to determine the National Champions

For the NCAA Division III men’s and women’s tournaments, there are no regional sites. Instead, the field expands to eight teams and all eight teams travel to one pre-determined site for a single-elimination bracket to determine the national champions.

How to fill out a bracket

One of the most popular ways to celebrate college hockey’s postseason is by filling out a bracket. It’s a simple way to show support for your team and make the tournament more exciting to watch. But if you’ve never filled out a bracket before, it can be a little daunting. Here’s a quick guide to help you get started.

There are four major college hockey conferences: the Hockey East the Western Collegiate Hockey Association the Central Collegiate Hockey Association and the Eastern College Athletic Conference Each conference has its own tournament, and the winners of those tournaments receive an automatic bid to the NCAA tournament

There are also four “independent” teams that don’t belong to any specific conference: Notre Dame Boston College Alaska-Anchorage, and Merrimack. These teams don’t participate in their own conference tournaments, but they can still receive an at-large bid to the NCAA Tournament if they have a strong enough record.

In addition to the college Hockey teams that have earned an automatic or at-large bid, there are also six “play-in” games between teams with lower records. These games are sometimes called “The First Four” or “The Opening Round ” The winners of these games will advance to play one of the top-seeded teams in the first round of the NCAA Tournament

The first round of the NCAA tournament is typically played on campus sites (i.e., at the home arena of one of the participating teams). The four regional finalists will advance to the Frozen Four, which is a single-elimination tournament held at a neutral site each year. This year, the Frozen Four will be held in Boston on April 11 and 13.

What are the upsets to watch for

As the college hockey season enters its final month, it’s time to start thinking about the NCAA Tournament

This year’s tournament will be particularly interesting, as there are a number of teams that could make a run at the title. Here are a few of the upsets to watch for:

--Minnesota Duluth The Bulldogs are currently ranked No. 1 in the nation, and they have the talent to make a run at the title. They could be upset in the early rounds, however, as they have a number of young players who could be vulnerable to nerves.

-Denver: The Pioneers are currently ranked No. 2 in the nation, and they have been one of the most consistent teams all season. They do not have any glaring weaknesses, but they could be upset by a team with more experience in big games.

--Notre Dame The Fighting Irish are currently ranked No. 3 in the nation, and they have been one of the most surprising teams this season. They could be upset by a team that is better prepared for the physicality of the NCAA Tournament

The dark horses of the tournament

While there are many talented teams in the NHL this year, there are a few dark horses that could make a run in the playoffs. These teams have the potential to upset some of the more favored teams and make a deep run in the tournament.

The Nashville Predators are one team to watch out for. They have a strong defense and an excellent goaltender in Pekka Rinne. The Predators also have a good mix of veteran experience and young talent. They could be a dangerous team in the playoffs.

Another team to watch out for is the Winnipeg Jets The Jets have been one of the best teams in the NHL this season and they have a deep roster full of talent They also have home-ice advantage in the first two rounds of the playoffs, which could help them make a deep run.

The Vegas Golden Knights are another team that could surprise some people in the playoffs. The Golden Knights are a expansion team, but they have been one of the best teams in the NHL this season. They have a strong offense led by William Karlsson and Jonathan Marchessault. The Golden Knights also have a good goaltending tandem in Marc-Andre Fleury and Malcolm Subban.

So, while there are many talented teams in the NHL this year, keep an eye out for these dark horses as they could make some noise in the playoffs.

The favorite to win it all

This year’s college Hockey Championship is wide open, with any of a dozen teams having a legitimate shot at winning it all.

One team that looks like a favorite is Denver, which is currently ranked No. 1 in the PairWise Rankings. The Pioneers have lost just four games all season, and their high-powered offense has been clicking on all cylinders lately.

Another team to watch out for is Minnesota-Duluth, which won the National Championship last year. The Bulldogs have been inconsistent at times this season, but they have the experience and talent to make another run at the title.

So who will win it all? It’s impossible to say for sure, but Denver and Minnesota-Duluth look like the teams to beat.

Why bracketology is fun

College hockey fans love bracketology. It’s a way to track how each team is doing and see where they might end up in the NCAA tournament

The term “bracketology” was first used by ESPN college basketball analyst Joe Lunardi in 2001. He started using it to describe the process of predicting which teams would make the NCAA Tournament

Lunardi is now considered the king of college basketball bracketology. But there are other bracketologists out there who focus on college hockey

One of the most well-known college hockey bracketologists is Jim Dahl, who runs the website college hockey News. Dahl has been doing bracketology for years and he’s pretty good at it.

In 2017, Dahl correctly predicted 31 of the 32 teams that made the NCAA tournament The only team he missed was Notre Dame which ended up being one of the last four teams to make the field.

This year, Dahl is once again predicting that Notre Dame will make the NCAA tournament But he’s not as confident in his prediction as he was last year.

“It’s early, so anything can happen,” Dahl said. “But right now, I would say that Notre Dame is on the bubble.”

Bubble teams are ones that are on the edge of making or not making the NCAA Tournament They are usually teams that have a few good wins but also some bad losses.

Notre Dame is currently eighth in the PairWise Rankings, which are used to determine who makes the NCAA tournament The top 16 teams in the PairWise Rankings will make the field.

So right now, Notre Dame is on track to make the NCAA tournament But if they lose some games and other teams win, they could fall out of contention.

That’s why bracketology is so much fun for college hockey fans It’s always changing and there are always new upsets and surprises along the way.