The NCAA Division I season reaches a crescendo this week with the Frozen Four and the awarding of the Hobey Baker Award to the best men's NCAA hockey player.
The NCAA Men's Tournament semifinals will be played at Xcel Energy Center on Thursday, with Boston University against the University of Denver (5 p.m. ET; ESPN2), and Boston College facing the University of Michigan (8:30 p.m. ET; ESPN2), with the winners facing off in the championship game Saturday (6 p.m. ET; ESPN2). The four schools have combined to win 28 NCAA championships, and the rosters feature 51 NHL draft picks, including seven selected in the first round.
Two of the three Hobey Baker Award finalists will play in the Frozen Four, Boston University forward Macklin Celebrini, the likely No. 1 pick of the 2024 NHL Draft, and Boston College forward Cutter Gauthier, an Anaheim Ducks prospect. North Dakota forward Jackson Blake, a Carolina Hurricanes prospect, also is a finalist; the winner will be named Friday (6 p.m. ET; NHLN).
Here is a goalie, a defenseman and a forward to watch on each of the Frozen Four teams: