NCAA Tournament players to watch include McKenna, Livanavage

The 2026 NCAA Division I Men’s Hockey Tournament began Thursday, with regionals in Worcester, Massachusetts; Sioux Falls, South Dakota; Albany, New York and Loveland, Colorado.

Each region consists of four teams playing a regional semifinal and a regional final with the four region champs moving on to the Frozen Four at T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas, from April 9-11.

The 16-team field features hundreds of NHL prospects, many of whom already have been selected in the NHL draft and some who will be eligible this year.

Here is one player to watch from each of the 11 remaining teams (in alphabetical order):

Trey Augustine, G, Michigan State University

The Big Ten Goaltender of the Year is a finalist for the Mike Richter Award, which is given to the top goalie in college hockey, and is a Hobey Baker Award Top 10 finalist.

He had 41 saves in a 2-1 win against UConn in the Worcester regional semifinal on Thursday, and the 21-year-old junior is 24-8 with one tie, a 2.05 goals-against average and .931 save percentage in 33 games. He was selected by the Detroit Red Wings in the second round (No. 41) of the 2023 NHL Draft.

Alexis Cournoyer, Cornell University

The freshman earned First Team All-ECAC honors and was named ECAC Goaltender of the Year. He is a semifinalist for the Mike Richter Award.

He is 18-9-0 with a .917 save percentage. His 1.98 goals-against average is tied for third in the nation.
The 20-year-old was picked by the Montreal Canadiens in the fifth round (No. 145) of the 2025 NHL Draft.

Ben Dexheimer, University of Wisconsin

The senior captain earned All-Big Ten First Team honors on defense.

An undrafted free agent, the 23-year-old has 25 points (six goals, 19 assists) in 36 games, including an assist in a 5-1 win against Dartmouth in the Worcester regional semifinals. He also leads Wisconsin in time on ice at 21:21.

Johnny Hicks, University of Denver

An injury to starting goalie Quentin Miller opened the door for the freshman, who stepped in and went 12-0 with one tie,  a .958 save percentage and 1.14 GAA in 17 games.

He made 41 saves in Denver’s 4-3 overtime win against Minnesota Duluth in the National Collegiate Hockey Conference championship game.

The 20-year-old undrafted free agent played for Victoria of the Western Hockey League and Brooks of the British Columbia Hockey League in 2024-25.

T.J. Hughes, University of Michigan

The center has been one of the most consistent scorers in college hockey during his four seasons at Michigan, with 175 points (67 goals, 108 assists) in 153 games.

He had a goal and two assists in a win against Ohio State in the Big Ten championship game to help Michigan earn the overall No. 1 seed in the tournament.

This season has been his most productive with 53 points (20 goals, 33 assists) in 37 games. The 24-year-old is second in the country in points to Ethan Wyttenbach of Quinnipiac.

Hughes, an undrafted free agent, is one of 10 finalists for the Hobey Baker Award as the outstanding men's NCAA hockey player.

Jake Livanavage, University of North Dakota

The junior defenseman earned All-NCHC First Team honors for the second straight season.

He has 25 points (five goals, 20 assists) in 37 games, and the 21-year-old had three shots on goal in North Dakota's 3-0 win against Merrimack in the Sioux Falls regional semifinals.

Livanavage, an undrafted free agent, also had one assist in four games with the U.S. Collegiate Selects in the Spengler Cup in December.

Gavin McKenna, Penn State University

McKenna has lived up to the hype after making the move to college hockey from the Western Hockey League this past offseason. 

The 18-year-old forward is tied for third in third in the country with 51 points (15 goals, 36 assists) in 34 games.

McKenna is a Hobey Baker Award Top 10 Finalist and was named Big Ten Freshman of the Year, and is No. 1 on NHL Central Scouting's midterm ranking of North American skaters for the 2026 NHL Draft.

Max Plante, University of Minnesota Duluth

A Hobey Baker Award Finalist, as was his father Derek for Minnesota Duluth in 1993, the 20-year-old sophomore was named NCHC Forward of the Year.

Plante, selected by the Detroit Red Wings in the second round (No. 47) of the 2024 NHL Draft, is fifth in the country in scoring with 49 points (24 goals, 25 assists) in 38 games.

Lukas Swedin, Bentley University

The freshman goalie has won five straight games while allowing seven goals.

Swedin made 24 saves in a 3-2 win against Sacred Heart in the Atlantic Hockey championship game and was named Most Outstanding Player in the tournament.

The 21-year-old undrafted free agent is 14-6 with four times,  a .921 save percentage and a 2.02 GAA in 24 games.

William Whitelaw, Western Michigan University

The junior forward has 34 points (19 goals, 15 assists) in 38 games. He had two shots on goal in Western Michigan's 3-1 win against Minnesota State in the Loveland regional semifinals Friday.

He began his college career at Wisconsin in 2023-24, then spent last season at Michigan before transferring to Western Michigan for this season.

The 21-year-old was chosen by the Columbus Blue Jackets in the third round (No. 66) of the 2023 NHL Draft.

Ethan Wyttenbach, Quinnipiac University

The freshman forward leads all NCAA players with 59 points (25 goals, 34 assists) in 39 games, including a goal in Quinnipiac's 5-2 win against Providence in the Sioux Falls regional semifinals.

The 19-year-old is a Hobey Baker Award Top 10 Finalist, the ECAC Rookie of the Year and was named to the ECAC First All-Star Team.

Wyttenbach was drafted by the Calgary Flames in the fifth round (No. 144) in the 2025 draft.​

NCAA Tournament schedule

Thursday, March 26

Worcester region 
Michigan State 2, UConn 1
Wisconsin 5, Dartmouth 1

Sioux Falls region
Quinnipiac 5, Providence 2
North Dakota 3, Merrimack 0

Friday, March 27

Loveland region
Western Michigan 3, Minnesota State 1
Denver vs. Cornell (6 p.m. ET; ESPN+)

Albany region
Michigan vs. Bentley (5:30 p.m. ET; ESPNU)
Penn State vs. Minnesota Duluth (9 p.m. ET; ESPN2) 

Saturday, March 28

Worcester region final: Michigan State vs. Wisconsin (4:30 p.m. ET; ESPN2)
Sioux Falls region final: North Dakota vs. Quinnipiac (7 p.m. ET; ESPN2) 

Sunday, March 29

Loveland region final: Western Michigan vs. Denver/Cornell winner – TBD
Albany region final – TBD 

Thursday, April 9

Las Vegas Frozen Four 

National semifinals (5/8:30 p.m. ET; ESPN2) 

Saturday, April 11

National championship (5:30 p.m. ET; ESPN)