Ranking the Top 10 NCAA Men's Hockey Players at the Start of the 2026-27 Season

A new season of college hockey kicks off Friday night, but who has made the cut for our top players to watch this year?

With the NCAA becoming an increasingly attractive development route for players coming out of CHL major-junior hockey, college hockey has attracted more top-end talent than ever before.

NCAA rosters now feature players at vastly different stages of development: top-five NHL draft picks beginning their college careers at 18 alongside undrafted 23-year-olds still chasing a professional opportunity—and, in some cases, earning one.

Honorable mentions who just missed the cut but should still make noise this season include Tynan Lawrence (STL), Ethan Belchetz (UTA) and Ryan Lin (SJS).

10. Dean Letourneau, C, Boston College

Richard T Gagnon/Getty Images

Boston Bruins prospect and Boston College Eagles center Dean Letourneau has shown significant growth since he was drafted 25th overall in 2024. We expect him to take a further step this season.

Letourneau, who was drafted out of prep school (a far less common route for draft-eligible players than, say, college hockey or a major-junior league) was already a good skater when he came to college. Not just a good skater for his size — he's 6'7" now, and 229 pounds — but a good skater period. He pairs that skating with legitimate offensive skill, and while it took him a while to translate that skill to the NCAA, it certainly showed up last season. Letourneau went from 3 points in 36 games over his freshman year to 39 points in the same amount of games last year.

Part of this was increased opportunity, particularly on the power play, as he is especially effective there. But a greater part was simply Letourneau feeling more comfortable in the environment and more comfortable with his own skill set. He legitimately seems to be on the path to being a top prospect; it's going to be exciting to see what sort of step he takes this year.

9. Keaton Verhoeff, D, University of North Dakota

Michael Miller/ISI Photos/ISI Photos via Getty Images

A 2026 draft pick, Keaton Verhoeff is going into his second season in the NCAA.

He was selected ninth overall by the San Jose Sharks from the University of North Dakota Fighting Hawks.

Verhoeff made an ambitious move from the WHL's Victoria Royals to North Dakota at age 17, entering an unfamiliar league for his draft-eligible season. The decision gave him an early NCAA test and could position him for a larger role—and a potential breakout—in 2026-27.

The defenseman combines excellent size and physicality with a high-end hockey IQ, tools he should be better positioned to maximize after adjusting to the college game.

His first season at North Dakota was promising, though he did not always look like the player who had stood out with the Victoria Royals a year earlier. At times, his highly regarded skating appeared stiff or clunky, and he occasionally misread plays that he may have handled more consistently in the WHL.

Verhoeff should be better equipped to avoid those growing pains this season after gaining a full year of NCAA experience. That year also included an underage appearance for Canada at the World Junior Championship, and he could be in line for a larger role at this winter's tournament.

8. Caleb Malhotra, C, Boston University

John E. Sokolowski/Getty Images

Center Caleb Malhotra may be better known to some as the 3rd overall pick in the 2026 draft, or as retired NHLer (and current Vancouver Canucks head coach) Manny Malhotra's son.

But he is his own man, and his own player, and it is going to be so exciting to watch the college hockey audience witness his play week after week.

Malhotra is going to be a phenomenal NHL player—in the case of longevity and impact—which is why it's an excellent thing that he's taking time to develop and sand off the rough edges of his game in the NCAA first.

Last season saw Malhotra playing with the Brantford Bulldogs of the OHL, where, going into the season, he was highly touted for his defensive play and detail game. He rose sharply up the draft boards across the season as he made it increasingly clear that he was also a scoring and playmaking threat.

You can trust him anywhere on the ice, and he's able to drive play thanks to his excellent hockey sense. All of this bodes well for his transition to the NCAA game.

7. Max Plante, C, University of Minnesota Duluth

Richard T Gagnon/Getty Images

Max Plante, the reigning Hobey Baker Award winner, is the first recipient to return to NCAA hockey for the following season rather than turn professional since North Dakota's Ryan Duncan did so in 2007.

Plante's decision was not driven by a lack of professional options, though.

The Detroit Red Wings, who drafted him in the second round in 2024, would probably be delighted to have him either in their fold or playing with their AHL affiliate the Grand Rapids Griffins.

Plante chose to return to the University of Minnesota Duluth because it gave him the opportunity to play with his brothers: Zam, a 2022 draft selection of the Pittsburgh Penguins, and Victor, a 2026 selection of the Detroit Red Wings.

He has also been recently afforded another fascinating opportunity. Having spent the last two winters representing the USA at the World Junior Championships, in this first year of him aging out of the tournament he's been named to the roster for the US Collegiate Selects, a team that represents the USA and NCAA hockey at the Spengler Cup. 

Winning another Hobey Baker isn't out of the question either.

6. Wyatt Cullen, F, University of Minnesota

Michael Miller/ISI Photos/ISI Photos via Getty Images

You'll notice that unlike his compatriots, Wyatt Cullen is listed merely as forward. This isn't because we don't know what position he plays; it's because we've seen him play both center and wing and feel he could contribute at either position. It'll be exciting to see which one he settles into under Brett Larson at the University of Minnesota.

Cullen—yes, the son of former NHLer Matt—was drafted out of the USNTDP this year at 10th overall by the Nashville Predators. His draft position was the product of a rollercoaster of a season that began with a torn hip flexor, contributed to by a significant growth spurt and leading to a slow start, and ended with scouts agreeing that he was one of the best offensive talents available last year. He was one of the youngest players in the 2026 draft class as well, just turning 18 this September. 

He's a creative and dynamic offensive player, with elite intelligence and playmaking abilities. He needs to add a layer of physicality to his game and some more muscle to his frame, but college hockey happens to be the perfect place for both of those things.

5. Michael Hage, C, University of Michigan

Icon Sportswire/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images

Montreal Canadiens prospect Michael Hage surprised everyone—including the Habs—when he decided to return to the University of Michigan for a third season.

That typically doesn't happen for top prospects drafted out of college hockey and Hage, a product of the development machine that is the Chicago Steel of the USHL, is definitely a top prospect.

When you take a moment and think about it, though, it makes sense; the Wolverines made it to the Frozen Four last year and he had a taste of a potential championship only to have it taken away when they lost out on a finals berth. Going back to try and get redemption is understandable.

Hage, a center, had 52 points in 39 games last season on top of 15 points in 7 World Juniors games. We're likely going to see those offensive totals jump again (though he aged out of the WJC). He's a fantastic puck carrier, with terrific offensive instincts, and he understands how and when to create space for both himself and also his teammates through his playmaking. He's another one who definitely has Hobey Baker potential.

4. Carson Carels, D, University of North Dakota

Steve Dunsmoor/Getty Images

Selected sixth overall in the 2026 draft by the Calgary Flames, Carson Carels is one of the players we are most excited to see in college hockey this season.

One of the hallmarks of his game is the fact that he likes to play mean, and does it well. That is going to serve him well in college hockey, which is often a more physical game than junior hockey.

Carels played with fellow North Dakota defenseman Keaton Verhoeff at last year's World Junior Championships, where they helped Canada to a bronze medal. Expect to see both of them back this season and playing a more significant role, with several players from that roster aging out. 

Carels comes to North Dakota from the Prince George Cougars of the WHL, and please don't make the mistake of thinking that hallmark meanness is the only thing that he brings to the team. He's equally terrific at both ends of the ice, showcasing terrific skating skills and landing sneaky passes to teammates as easily as he lands heavy hits on opponents.

3. Landon DuPont, D, University of Michigan

Jonathan Kozub/Getty Images

We've reached an exciting unknown (as far as how he'll fare in college hockey goes; he's very known overall) quantity: projected top 2027 draft pick Landon DuPont. 

Well, current projected top pick; we've seen what can happen across a season, and the transition to college hockey can trip up even the best of players. But we're not particularly worried about DuPont. He joins the Wolverines (and the previously mentioned Michael Hage) from the Everett Silvertips of the WHL. DuPont was a key piece of the Silvertips' WHL championship win and push for a Memorial Cup championship last season, and he will certainly bring that intensity to the NCAA. 

You may see detractors mention that he's 5'11"; ignore it. His play speaks for itself, as does his ability to absorb heavy and difficult minutes. We've already provided an early scouting report but here's a quick rundown. DuPont is an excellent, speedy skater whose intelligence and creativity allow him to create and find teammates, and whose endless tenacity underpins it all. It wouldn't be surprising to see the Wolverines use him on either the power play or the penalty kill, as he's been known to eat up minutes on both.

2. Chase Reid, D, Michigan State University

Chris Tanouye/Getty Images

Defenseman Chase Reid was drafted 7th overall by the Seattle Kraken in June; before that he was one of our top prospects for 2026. His elite skill level is such that he could've easily been a top pick in some other draft year that didn't contain Gavin McKenna, and that involved general managers who weren't afraid to take a chance on a kind of weedy guy who is smarter than just about everyone else in his draft class.

Reid is incredibly offense-focused, but it's not to the detriment of his team or the rest of his game; it's in the way that the game moves through him when he is on the ice. He's able to control the flow and pace of the game when he has the puck, a true play driver and incredible puck carrier. His elite skating and hockey sense drive all of it. 

He comes to the NCAA from the Sault Ste. Marie Greyhounds of the OHL, where he was a greater than point-per-game player despite being limited by injury. His school of choice was Michigan State University, a school that has done an excellent job securing commitments from top NHL-drafted prospects and should be a team to watch this season for that reason.

1. Ethan Wyttenbach, LW/RW, Quinnipiac University

Michael Miller/ISI Photos/ISI Photos via Getty Images

Winger Ethan Wyttenbach was selected in the fifth round in 2025 by the Calgary Flames and is our top NCAA player to watch this season.

Returning to Quinnipiac University after a freshman season where he blew everyone away with his growth from the season prior, Wyttenbach has showcased quite a significant amount of growth since being drafted. He earned the 2026 Tim Taylor Award, given to the best freshman D1 hockey player each year, and led the nation in points with 59 (25 goals and 34 assists). He was also named ECAC rookie of the year.

Wyttenbach is already being tossed around as an early Hobey Baker award candidate. His phenomenal hockey IQ contributed significantly to those impressive offensive totals during his freshman season, and it won't be a surprise to see him make another jump points-wise this season. He's great at creating space and options for teammates; a true play driver due to his ability to read the ice.

Add to that his heavy shot and endless tenacity, and you have a recipe for a player the Calgary Flames are chomping at the bit to sign when his college season ends next spring.