The 2026 NCAA Division I Men’s Ice Hockey Tournament kicked off today with Michigan as the No. 1 overall seed and a 16-team field featuring unprecedented talent, in part as a result of the first-ever season of CHL-to-NCAA eligibility. The Frozen Four is set for T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas on April 9 and 11, and it is the first time Sin City has hosted the event.
For Kings fans, there’s plenty of reason to pay attention. Four prospects across two teams — Denver and Western Michigan — could meet in a regional final this weekend. And seven college free agents previously identified by MayorsManor as potential Kings signings are playing on tournament teams.
Here’s what you need to know.
Worcester Regional (Worcester, MA — March 26 & 28):
No. 1 Michigan State (25-8-2, Big Ten) vs. No. 4 UConn (20-12-5, Hockey East). Final Score: 2-1.
Michigan State is the team to beat despite not being the top overall seed in the tournament. The Spartans knocked out UConn, backed by a season-high 41 saves from Trey Augustine. Michigan State now advances to Saturday’s regional final against the winner of Dartmouth vs. Wisconsin. For Kings fans, UConn’s elimination means Viking Gustafsson-Nyberg — the 6-foot-6, 225-pound Swedish shutdown defenseman on our college free agent watchlist — is now done with his college season and free to sign with an NHL club. He’s a physically imposing, shutdown defenseman and would be an excellent addition to the blueline pool.
No. 2 Dartmouth (23-7-4, ECAC champion) vs. No. 3 Wisconsin (21-12-2, Big Ten) Thursday at 2:30 p.m. PT on ESPNU.
Dartmouth is in the tournament for the first time since 1980 and has free agent target Hank Cleaves — a 6-foot-5 sophomore center with 38 points in 32 games — on their roster. Wisconsin has another name from the watchlist in Christian Fitzgerald. Over the season, he recorded two hat tricks within 26 days — the first Badger to do that since Cole Caufield — and as a senior could sign immediately. Both are dynamic scorers whose offensive games should translate to the pro level.
Sioux Falls Regional (Sioux Falls, SD — March 26 & 28):
No. 2 Providence (23-10-2, Hockey East) vs. No. 3 Quinnipiac (26-9-3, ECAC) Thursday at 2 p.m. PT on ESPN+.
The Kings connection in this game is Providence center Aleksi Kivioja, a 6-foot-5, 220-pound Finnish forward on the free agent watchlist who is winning 54.3 percent of his faceoffs and serves as an alternate captain. He’s not flashy, but big checking centers with leadership qualities are a hot commodity in the league.
No. 1 North Dakota (27-9-1, NCHC) vs. No. 4 Merrimack (21-15-2, Hockey East champion) Thursday at 5:30 p.m. PT on ESPN2.
No direct Kings targets, but North Dakota features freshman Keaton Verhoeff, a projected top-three-to-five pick in June who won’t even turn 18 until draft day. On the other side of the matchup, Merrimack is a Cinderella story. After starting the year 5-9-1, they became the first eight-seed ever to win the Hockey East championship.
Albany Regional (Albany, NY — March 27 & 29):
No. 1 Michigan (29-7-1, Big Ten champion) vs. No. 4 Bentley (23-11-5, Atlantic Hockey champion) Friday at 2:30 p.m. PT on ESPNU.
Michigan is the No. 1 overall seed and highest-scoring team in the country. The Kings angle is captain T.J. Hughes, arguably the best college free agent in this class. He is a 24-year-old senior and a Hobey Baker finalist with career numbers of 172 points in 152 games. He projects as a skilled third-line NHL center. Unfortunately, loads of other teams will be pushing to sign him — including Edmonton.
No. 2 Minnesota Duluth (23-14-1, NCHC) vs. No. 3 Penn State (21-13-2, Big Ten) Friday at 6 p.m. PT on ESPN2.
Penn State freshman Gavin McKenna, the projected No. 1 overall pick in June, has 51 points and is the face of the CHL-to-NCAA eligibility revolution. No players to watch in this game as far as the Kings go, but if you’re paying attention to the draft, this will be a great look at the player on top.
Loveland Regional (Loveland, CO — March 27 & 29):
No. 1 Western Michigan (26-10-1, NCHC, defending champion) vs. No. 4 Minnesota State (22-10-7, CCHA champion) Friday at 11:30 p.m. PT on ESPNU.
Western Michigan are the defending national champions and led by LA’s top goalie prospect Hampton Slukynsky — 26 wins, 2.26 goals-against average, four shutouts, every start this season. His coach has publicly called him “a future No. 1 goalie in the National Hockey League.” Hampton’s brother Grant — a forward who we expect to sign with the Kings this summer — scored the double-overtime tournament winner against this same Minnesota State team last year. This should be a great game and a chance to see both Slukynsky brothers in action.
No. 2 Denver (25-11-3, NCHC champion) vs. No. 3 Cornell (22-10-1, ECAC) Friday at 3 p.m. PT on ESPN+.
Denver are on a 13-game unbeaten streak and have three Kings draft picks on their roster: James Reeder (31 points, seventh-round pick 2024), Kristian Epperson (scored the double-overtime NCHC championship game-winner, third-round pick 2025), and Brendan McMorrow (played on the US World Juniors team, seventh-round pick 2025). Denver will face off against Cornell’s nation-best defense, which allows just 1.94 goals per game. Denver defenseman Boston Buckberger — whose plus-91 career rating is the second-highest in NCAA history — is atop the Kings’ college free agent board. If both Denver and WMU win Friday, Sunday’s regional final would be a King-on-King showdown, and a rematch of the NCHC semifinal that Denver won 2-1 in OT.
By the end of Friday night, we will have clarity on multiple fronts — which prospects are advancing, which free agents are available, and whether a King-on-King showdown is on deck.
Follow @mayorsmanor
Lead photo of Slukynsky
Note to webmasters/reporters: When recapping news or interviews from this site please remember to include a link to www.MayorsManor.com
googletag.cmd.push(function() { googletag.display(‘div-gpt-ad-522840723937225840-1’); });
Continue reading...