8 Must-Watch NHL Prospects in the 2026 NCAA Frozen Four The 2026 NCAA Frozen Four is set to begin on April 9, featuring four teams: the University of Michigan, the University of Wisconsin, the University of North Dakota, and the University of Denver. The tournament kicks off with Wisconsin facing North Dakota at 5 p.m. and Michigan taking on Denver at 8:30 p.m. While Michigan is the favored team, the competition is fierce, with Denver holding three of the last four national championships, North Dakota boasting a potential NHL Draft lottery pick in Keaton Verhoeff, and Wisconsin making its first Frozen Four appearance since 2010. Before the tournament begins, attention turns to standout players from each team. Among the key prospects are forwards, defensemen, and goaltenders whose performances could shape the outcome of the championship. The University of Michigan’s Michael Hage, a forward for the Montreal Canadiens, is expected to return after a minor lower-body injury kept him out of the previous playoff game. Hage, who scored 51 points this season, will be a critical asset for the Wolverines as they aim to secure their first national title since 1998. His return is anticipated to bolster Michigan’s offensive efforts, and his NHL future with the Canadiens seems likely once the season concludes. Will Horcoff, another Michigan forward and prospect for the Pittsburgh Penguins, has exceeded expectations this season. As the son of former NHLer Shawn Horcoff, Horcoff’s progress has been notable, particularly in his playmaking ability. His development has impressed both the Penguins and Wolverines, positioning him as a potential future NHL contributor. From the University of Denver, Eric Pohlkamp, a defenseman for the San Jose Sharks, has been a standout performer.#university_of_north_dakota #university_of_michigan #university_of_wisconsin #montreal_canadiens #university_of_denver
Summit League Preview: NDSU vs. UND North Dakota State men's basketball is back in the Summit League championship game for the 10th time in 14 years. The Bison take on in-state rival North Dakota at 8 p.m. tonight inside the Denny Sanford Premier Center. NDSU cruised to a 74-50 semifinal win over Omaha on Saturday night, holding the defending league champions to 30% shooting. The big men dominated for the Bison as Treyson Anderson had 16 points on just eight field goal attempts while Noah Feddersen had his second straight double-double of 11 points and 13 rebounds. A win for NDSU would be its first Summit League Tournament title since 2020. The Bison swept the Fighting Hawks by an average margin of victory of 25 points during the regular season. A dominant second half guided NDSU to an 83-66 win in Grand Forks before a blowout 96-63 win in front of a record crowd at the SHAC just eight days ago. The Bison made 16 threes in that game, seven by Tay Smith, and held UND to 31% shooting. The Bison and Fighting Hawks last met in the Summit League Tournament for the 2020 championship game. NDSU blew out UND, 89-53, in that game en route to its fifth Summit title. Through two tournament games, NDSU has held its opponents to 34.3% shooting and 29 turnovers. UND, the 3 seed in this year's tournament, came away with a 67-66 upset win over No. 2 seed St. Thomas last night. The Hawks trailed by seven, 47-40, in the second half, but ended the game on a 27-19 run. Eli King came away with an errant Austin Herro pass and George Natsvlishvili hit a free throw with 0.1 second to play, giving UND its second berth into the Summit League title game. Greyson Uelmen had another solid performance, scoring 2,8 points on 9-of-11 shooting. Uelmen averaged 14.#denny_sanford_premier_center #north_dakota_state #university_of_north_dakota #summit_league_tournament #summit_league_championship_game
