The road to the 2020 Men's Frozen Four in Detroit begins in earnest Saturday afternoon with Boston University traveling to Union to kick off the regular season (ESPN+). The field often feels wide open, but Minnesota Duluth enters the season as the two-time defending champion. Despite not having the high draft picks or the historic success of some other programs, the Bulldogs have pretty much owned the past decade. Can anyone catch them?
That chase should be a lot of fun to watch. The men's college hockey landscape is littered with big-time talent, exciting teams and excellent coaches. Some of the traditional powers are still looking to regain some of their shine, and other teams are taking steps toward national prominence. And with 202 NCAA alumni dotting NHL opening-night rosters -- including nine who appeared in the college ranks last season -- there are few better places to get a glimpse of the future of the highest level of the sport than men's Division I hockey.
Here's a look at the teams and players you should know heading into the season.
Teams to watch | Peters' top 10
2020 draft watch | Hobey hopefuls
Big questions for this season
TEAMS TO WATCH
Minnesota Duluth
Can the Bulldogs really three-peat? It has happened one time in the 61-year history of the NCAA men's hockey tournament, when Michigan won three straight titles between 1951 and 1953. In an age of parity and early departures for the NHL, and amid the general difficulty of maintaining such a high level of success, Minnesota-Duluth has been remarkably consistent. The team has appeared in each of the past three national championship games and has three titles under Scott Sandelin, dating back to the school's first in 2011.
UMD had some significant losses from last season's squad, but it still has its two-time national champion goaltender Hunter Shepard. Additionally, much of the team's D corps opted to return to school this year, led by St. Louis Blues prospect Scott Perunovich and Winnipeg Jets draft pick Dylan Samberg, who each could have gone pro after last season. Three of the team's top five scorers from last season, Perunovich, Justin Richards and Minnesota Wild draft pick Nick Swaney, are also still on the roster.
Most importantly, Sandelin returns behind the bench after NHL teams were showing interest all summer. If any other team wants to win the title this season, it's going to have to get through the Bulldogs first.
Denver
A trip to the Frozen Four almost appeared ahead of schedule for the inexperienced Pioneers and rookie head coach David Carle in 2018-19. The freshman-laden squad got major impact from its first-year players, including goalie Filip Larsson, who opted to sign with the Detroit Red Wings after the season. But Denver is bringing back the core of the freshman class, including second-leading scorer and Calgary Flames draftee Emilio Pettersen.
Devin Cooley split time with Larsson in net and returns after posting a .934 save percentage in 20 appearances last season. And the Pios added a high-impact recruit in Philadelphia Flyers second-round pick Bobby Brink, who was one of the elite playmakers of the 2019 NHL draft class. The biggest boost to the lineup, however, is the return of junior defenseman Ian Mitchell, who eschewed a chance to sign with the Chicago Blackhawks to return to the team as captain. He's one of the more effective defensemen in the country with excellent two-way skills and poise.
Wisconsin
The team that I'm most excited to watch this season is Wisconsin. The Badgers have three first-rounders on the roster and another who should go in the first round in 2020. They have not been to the NCAA tournament since 2014, which is a long gap for a program that has been a traditional power. With one of the best recruiting classes in the country, there's a lot of excitement around the program that former NHL coach and player Tony Granato has been building.
The freshman class is led by Alex Turcotte and Cole Caufield, who were drafted fifth by the Los Angeles Kings and 15th by the Montreal Canadiens. Both could be program-changing players and instant impact guys. Dylan Holloway, who could be a top-15 pick in the 2020 draft, is also a big part of this class after winning the Canadian Junior Hockey League's MVP honors last season.
Then there's a veteran blue line highlighted by New York Rangers first-rounder K'Andre Miller and Flyers draft pick Wyatt Kalynuk. Goaltending seems to be the primary concern, aside from the relative youth of this roster, but the Badgers should be a boatload of fun to watch.
Boston College
Very similar to Wisconsin, Boston College is getting a lot of attention for the quality of its recruiting class. The Eagles will bring in three first-round picks from the 2019 NHL draft as they look to bounce back from an abysmal 2018-19 campaign. Winger Matt Boldy, goalie Spencer Knight and center Alex Newhook were selected 12th, 13th and 16th, respectively, and each of those players has the potential to make a substantial impact right away. Veteran forwards like Carolina Hurricanes prospect David Cotton (23 goals last season) and Florida Panthers draft pick Logan Hutsko are going to be big-time players for BC on top of the exceptional incoming class.
But there are still plenty of questions about this team, as it lost some key veterans on the blue line and will have freshmen playing some key minutes. Much of the team's hopes could hinge on Knight's success between the pipes. It's a lot of pressure to put on a freshman, but there's no time like the present for a player who so many believe has the potential to be a No. 1 in the NHL.
Penn State
The Nittany Lions had an electric offensive attack last season and return each of their top five scorers from a year ago. Four of those players -- Alex Limoges, Evan Barratt, Liam Folkes and Brandon Biro -- had 40 or more points over the team's 39 games. Penn State has a host of other key offensive players, including New Jersey Devils prospect Aarne Talvitie, who was injured the last half of the 2018-19 campaign and could be a major impact player this season.
The question for Penn State, however, is whether it can prevent its opponents from scoring enough to pile up more wins. The Nittany Lions led the nation with 177 goals for in 2018-19, but also allowed the third-most goals against across the NCAA with 139. So if you like scoring, watch Penn State.
Minnesota State
Head coach Mike Hastings has taken the college hockey equivalent of a mid-major and turned it into the kind of team the blue bloods don't want to run into in the postseason. Just two years ago, Minnesota Duluth needed overtime to dispatch the Mavericks on the way to the 2018 NCAA title. And now Minnesota State enters the season having sustained just minimal losses from an already veteran team, while adding a blue-chip recruit in Winnipeg draftee Nathan Smith.
The offense will be led by German standout seniors Marc Michaelis and Parker Tuomie, who combined for 82 points last season, while the back end is bolstered by one of the most coveted NCAA free agents, Connor Mackey. In net, the team brings back Dryden McKay, who posted a .927 save percentage as a freshman, while also adding Jaxson Stauber. Stauber most recently backstopped the Sioux Falls Stampede to a championship in the USHL last season.
The Mavs simply play hard. Every team they play will be feeling it the rest of the week after leaving Mankato.
MY PRESEASON TOP 10
1. Minnesota Duluth
2. Denver
3. Minnesota State
4. Cornell
5. Boston College
6. Penn State
7. Western Michigan
8. Wisconsin
9. Quinnipiac
10. UMass
NCAA PLAYERS IN TOP 100 NHL PROSPECTS
5. Alex Turcotte, C, Wisconsin (Los Angeles Kings)
9. Trevor Zegras, C/W, Boston University (Anaheim Ducks)
11. Cole Caufield, LW, Wisconsin (Montreal Canadiens)
20. Matthew Boldy, LW, Boston College (Minnesota Wild)
33. Alex Newhook, C, Boston College (Colorado Avalanche)
34. Cam York, D, Michigan (Philadelphia Flyers)
37. K'Andre Miller, D, Wisconsin (New York Rangers)
51. Spencer Knight, G, Boston College (Florida Panthers)
68. Ian Mitchell, D, Denver (Chicago Blackhawks)
TOP 2020 NHL DRAFT-ELIGIBLE
Dylan Holloway, LW, Wisconsin
NHL scouts will be making frequent trips to Madison to keep an eye on Holloway, who could end up being a top-10 pick in a very exciting 2020 NHL draft. After he posted 88 points in the Alberta Junior Hockey League last season and earned MVP honors, expectations are pretty high for Holloway to be an impact player despite being one of the youngest players in the country. Holloway plays a solid two-way game, dedicated in all zones, and then has the skill to make plays and make others around him better. Wisconsin is a super young team as a whole, so it will need those first-year players to take on major roles. If Holloway can excel in the elevated position he's being given, it's going to go a long way for his draft stock.
HOBEY BAKER WATCH
The following prospects are listed alphabetically.
Cole Caufield, LW, Wisconsin
It is really hard for a freshman to win the Hobey, but I think Caufield has a chance to be one of the special few. The Canadiens prospect scored 72 goals for the U.S. National Team Development Program last season, shattering previous single-season records while showcasing a truly special level of skill.
Mitchell Chaffee, RW, UMass
The Minutemen have lost 2019 Hobey winner Cale Makar, but his classmates have a lot of firepower, too. Chaffee and teammate John Leonard were both over 40 points last season and will be looked to as the driving force offensively for a UMass team looking to maintain its newfound status.
David Cotton, LW, Boston College
The senior forward and Hurricanes prospect was a bright spot in a tough season for the Eagles, as he posted 23 goals, which tied for second in the country. If Cotton plays a significant role in a resurgent season for BC, he's going to be in the mix.
Alex Limoges, LW, Penn State
After tying for the national scoring lead last season with 50 points, Limoges is back for his junior season and has a chance to do something special with this Penn State squad.
Ian Mitchell, D, Denver
The Blackhawks draft pick has been electric since he stepped foot on campus in Denver. I am expecting a big boost in points in his junior season.
Cale Morris, G, Notre Dame
Entering his senior season with a .938 career save percentage, Morris has the ability to make the Irish a contender on his own.
Scott Perunovich, D, Minnesota Duluth
His point total dipped in his sophomore season, but Perunovich was no less effective on the back end. An excellent skater with tremendous offensive instincts, the Blues prospect should be a driver for the three-peat bid.
Odeen Tufto, C, Quinnipiac
With 83 points in 76 games over his first two collegiate seasons, I'm not sure what else Tufto has to do to get more national recognition. The 5-foot-7 center is dynamic and will be crucial to a solid Quinnipiac squad.
Johnny Walker, RW, Arizona State
The Sun Devils' independent status may make it tougher for them to win individual awards, but the 23-year-old Phoenix native can absolutely score. He tied for second overall with 23 goals, but led the nation with a 0.72 goals per game rate.