8 Must‑Watch NHL Prospects Playing in the 2026 NCAA Frozen Four

The teams are set for the 2026 Frozen Four: the University of Michigan, the University of Wisconsin, the University of North Dakota, and the University of Denver. Play begins Thursday, April 9th as Wisconsin faces off against North Dakota at 5pm and Michigan takes on Denver at 8:30pm.

The University of Michigan is my pick — not that anyone asked — but there are good arguments to be made for any of the four teams to win. Denver has won three of the last four national championships. North Dakota has a potential NHL Draft lottery pick in Keaton Verhoeff. Michigan has made the Frozen Four four times in the last five seasons. And Wisconsin is headed to the Frozen Four for the first time since 2010. What a story it would be to get their first national title in 20 years. 

Before the puck drops, let's take a look at some players to watch. A couple of honorable mentions that didn't make this article: goaltender Jack Ivankovic from Michigan and goaltender Jan Spunar from North Dakota. If you've got time, go find some highlights of just how important these two have been to their respective teams.

University of Michigan: Michael Hage and Will Horcoff

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Michael Hage (F, Montreal Canadiens): 

Montreal Canadiens prospect Michael Hage was limited to a few shifts in the Wolverines' most recent playoff game thanks to a lower-body injury that kept him out of the previous game. Word on the street, though, is that he is expected to return for the Frozen Four as the team heads to Las Vegas to take on Denver. The 51-point scorer will no doubt be welcomed back with open arms in the Wolverines' pursuit of their first national title since 1998. Once Michigan's season is over, don't be surprised if he signs with the Habs.

Will Horcoff (F, Pittsburgh Penguins): 

Pittsburgh Penguins prospect Will Horcoff (yes, son of Detroit Red Wings assistant general manager and former Edmonton Oiler Shawn) has been a delightful surprise this year. He's a significantly better player than he was going into the 2025 NHL Draft, something both the Penguins and Wolverines are no doubt thrilled about, and his playmaking ability is perhaps where that shines the most. He's got a ways to go yet before he's NHL ready, but fans of Bryan Rust in particular will like this guy.

University of Denver: Eric Pohlkamp and Kristian Epperson

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Eric Pohlkamp (D, San Jose Sharks): 

Hobey Baker finalist Eric Pohlkamp has been making his mark with the Denver Pioneers this season. He's scored 39 points in 41 games, and he's been eating minutes. Going back to the start of 2026, he's only logged under 20 minutes once, and that was just barely. In the Pioneers' double overtime win over the University of Minnesota-Duluth, he logged 31:52. The offensive side of his game has also shown promising improvements this season. Expect to see him go on to compete for a roster spot in San Jose next season.

Kristian Epperson (F, Los Angeles Kings): 

Kristian Epperson, drafted in the third round by the Kings in 2025, was one of many players who took the opportunity to leap from the CHL to the NCAA this season. (He in fact had the fascinating trajectory of USNTDP to the Saginaw Spirit of the OHL and then to NCAA hockey.) It was Epperson who scored the game-winning goal in that double overtime game against Minnesota-Duluth, off a pass by fellow freshman Clarke Caswell. One highlight of Epperson's game is that he's a menace on the forecheck—something that will come in very handy for Denver's push for yet another national title.

University of Wisconsin: Quinn Finley and Zach Schulz

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Quinn Finley (F, New York Islanders): 

University of Wisconsin junior and New York Islanders prospect Quinn Finley has been on top of his game this season — on the ice and off. He's stepped into more of a leadership role, and he's focused on improving the defensive side of his game, asking to be used on the penalty kill and taking a more detail-oriented approach than he has in seasons past. That's the kind of thing the Islanders will be watching as they decide whether to offer him a contract — and the kind of approach that helps win championships.

Zach Schulz (D, New York Islanders): 

For a while it seemed like injury was going to end Zach Schulz's season like it did fellow defenseman Logan Hensler's, but the Badgers just may have gone deep enough into the postseason to allow Schulz to return from his fractured fibula. Schulz, roommates with the previously mentioned Finley, isn't officially back — he is definitely on this list in a "watch and see if he's playing" capacity — but things look a lot more positive than they did when he had surgery in December. If he does return, look for him to step up both as a leader and in a shutdown, defense-first role.

University of North Dakota: Cole Reschny and EJ Emery

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Cole Reschny (F, Calgary Flames): 

NCHC Rookie of the Year and Calgary Flames first-round pick Cole Reschny joined the University of North Dakota this season from the Victoria Royals of the WHL. His point-per-game pace in the NCAA adds to an impressive season that included winning bronze with Team Canada at this year's World Junior Championships where he had five points in 7 games. I'll be watching to see whether he's one-and-done in college hockey or if he wants to take another season to continue refining his skill set.

EJ Emery (D, New York Rangers): 

Defenseman EJ Emery, a 2024 first-round pick of the New York Rangers, has been a key cog in the North Dakota lineup this season. As always, he's been playing a top-pair shutdown role, and his presence on the ice could often be described as "smothering" by opponents. His skating, particularly speed and agility, and his patience when it comes to forcing opponents into errors are just two of the many highlights of his game. That suffocating shutdown ability is going to be critical if North Dakota wants to take home the national title.