Buium, Leonard among players to watch at NCAA Tournament

The 2025 NCAA Division I Men's Ice Hockey Tournament opens Thursday, with regionals in Toledo, Ohio, and Fargo, North Dakota, followed by regionals in Manchester, New Hampshire and Allentown, Pennsylvania on Friday.

Winners of the games Thursday will play their regional finals Saturday, and the winners of the Friday games will play their regional finals Sunday. The four regional winners advance to the Frozen Four, to be played at Enterprise Center in St. Louis, from April 10-12.

Boston College is the No. 1 seed in the tournament, with Michigan State No. 2, University of Maine No. 3 and Western Michigan University No. 4. The 16-team field features more than 100 players who have been drafted by NHL teams.

Here is a player to watch from each of the 16 teams (listed in alphabetical order):

Nik Armstrong-Kingcade, F, Bentley University

The 25-year-old graduate student from Rostock, Germany, had two goals and two assists in Bentley's 6-3 win against Holy Cross in the Atlantic Hockey championship game Saturday.

The undrafted NHL free agent has 27 points (12 goals, 15 assists) in 37 games. He played three seasons at the University of Massachusetts-Lowell before transferring to Bentley for the 2023-24 season.

Zeev Buium, D, University of Denver

The 19-year-old sophomore was selected as National Collegiate Hockey Conference Player of the Year, and for the second season in a row was voted the conference's Offensive Defenseman of the Year. He is one of the final 10 candidates for the Hobey Baker Award as the top men's NCAA hockey player.

Buium, selected by the Minnesota Wild in the first round (No. 12) of the 2024 NHL Draft, leads NCAA defensemen with 43 points (11 goals, 32 assists) in 38 games. He also had six points (two goals, four assists), and a plus-10 rating in a United States-best 25:13 of ice time in seven games to help the U.S. win the gold medal at the 2025 IIHF World Junior Championship.

Alex Bump, F, Western Michigan University

The 21-year old sophomore scored in the second overtime to help Western Michigan beat Denver in the NCHC championship game Saturday.

Bump has 46 points (23 goals, 23 assists) in 38 games. He was chosen by the Philadelphia Flyers in the fifth round (No. 133) at the 2022 NHL Draft.

Trevor Connelly, F, Providence College

A dynamic offensive player, Connelly missed 14 games because of injuries and while away from the team helping the U.S. win the gold medal at the World Juniors.

He has 13 points (four goals, nine assists) in 22 games.
The 19-year-old freshman was chosen by the Vegas Golden Knights in the first round (No. 19) at the 2024 draft.

Aiden Fink, F, Penn State University

The 20-year-old sophomore is third among NCAA players with 52 points (23 goals, 29 assists) in 37 games and is one of the 10 finalists for the Hobey Baker Award.

Fink was chosen by the Nashville Predators in the seventh round (No. 218) at the 2023 NHL Draft.

Gunnarwolfe Fontaine, F, Ohio State University

The 24-year-old graduate student, who played four seasons at Northeastern University before transferring to Ohio State this season, has a knack for scoring clutch goals.

His overtime goal led Ohio State past Penn State in the semifinals of the Big Ten tournament, and his goal late the third period against Michigan State forced overtime in the conference championship game, which Michigan State won.

While at Northeastern, he was MVP of The Beanpot in 2024 after scoring the winning goal in the semifinal and final game of the tournament.

This season he leads Ohio State with 40 points (17 goals, 23 assists) in 39 games.

Fontaine was selected by the Predators in the seventh round (No. 202) at the 2020 NHL Draft but is an NHL free agent.

Isaac Howard, F, Michigan State University

The 20-year-old junior scored in overtime as Michigan State won the Big Ten championship by beating Ohio State on Saturday.

He was named Big Ten Player of the Year and is one of 10 finalists for the Hobey Baker Award.

Howard, selected by the Tampa Bay Lightning in the first round (No. 31) at the 2022 draft, is tied for fourth among NCAA players with 51 points (26 goals, 25 assists) in 36 games.

Cole Hutson, D, Boston University

The 18-year-old freshman was voted Hockey East Rookie of the Year, and named a Hockey East First-Team All-Star and to the conference's All-Rookie Team.

He's third among NCAA defensemen with 40 points (12 goals, 28 assists) in 35 games, and led defensemen in scoring at the World Juniors with 11 points (three goals, eight assists) in seven games for the U.S. Hutson was chosen by the Washington Capitals in the second round (No. 43) at the 2024 draft.

One of his older brothers, Lane Hutson, is a defenseman with the Montreal Canadiens. Another older brother, Quinn Hutson, leads Boston University in scoring.

Ryan Leonard, F, Boston College

The 20-year-old sophomore leads NCAA players with 29 goals and he's tied for the Boston College lead with 47 points in 35 games. He also is one of 10 finalists for the Hobey Baker Award.

A physical winger who plays with an edge, he was captain of the U.S. at the World Juniors and was named the tournament's most valuable player after he had 10 points (five goals, five assists) in seven games.

Leonard was picked by the Capitals in the first round (No. 8) at the 2023 draft.

Taylor Makar, F, University of Maine

The younger brother of Colorado Avalanche defenseman Cale Makar, Taylor scored twice in Maine's 5-2 win against the University of Connecticut in the Hockey East championship game March 21.

The 24-year-old senior has 30 points (18 goals, 12 assists), and a Maine-best six game-winning goals, in 37 games in his first season at the school after three seasons at University of Massachusetts.

He was drafted by the Avalanche in the seventh round (No. 220) at the 2021 NHL Draft.

Joey Muldowney, University of Connecticut

With 15 goals in his past 12 games, including a hat trick against Boston University in the Hockey East semifinals March 20, Muldowney has been one of the hottest scorers in the country.

A 20-year-old sophomore, he's second in the NCAA with 27 goals in 37 games, and his 45 points leads Connecticut.

Muldowney was selected by the San Jose Sharks in the sixth round (No. 172) at the 2022 draft.

Cole O'Hara, F, University of Massachusetts

The 22-year-old junior is tied for fourth in the NCAA with 51 points (22 goals, 29 assists) in 39 games.

He was selected by the Predators in the fourth round (No. 114) at the 2022 draft.

Rhett Pitlick, F, Minnesota State University

After playing three seasons at the University of Minnesota, the 24-year-old senior transferred to Minnesota State and leads them with 40 points (13 goals, 27 assists) in 38 games. His plus-32 rating leads the NCAA.

The son of former NHL player Lance Pitlick and the younger brother of former NHL forward Rem Pitlick, Rhett was selected by the Montreal Canadiens in the fifth round (No. 131) at the 2019 NHL Draft but is a free agent.

Sam Rinzel, D, University of Minnesota

The 20-year-old sophomore has 31 points (10 goals, 21 assists) in 39 games and was named Big Ten Defensive Player of the Year.

Rinzel was chosen by the Chicago Blackhawks in the first round (No. 25) at the 2022 draft.

Ryan Walsh, F, Cornell University

The 21-year-old sophomore leads Cornell with 28 points (14 goals, 14 assists) in 34 games as the top-line center.

Walsh was selected by the Boston Bruins in the sixth round (No. 188) at the 2023 draft.

Jeremy Wilmer, F, Quinnipiac University

The 21-year-old junior leads Quinnipiac with 39 points (14 goals, 25 assists) in 37 games.

The undrafted NHL free agent played two seasons at Boston University before transferring to Quinnipiac this season.