The road to the 2026 men's Frozen Four heats up as the sport's six leagues embark on their conference tournaments.
The six league champions will earn automatic berths into the 16-team NCAA field, with the other 10 spots going to the top teams in the NPI rankings. The NCAA tournament bracket will be revealed March 22 at 3 p.m. on ESPNU and the ESPN App.
Regional play in the NCAA tournament begins March 26 and culminates with the Frozen Four in Las Vegas on April 9 and 11. All games will air on the ESPN networks and stream on the ESPN App.
Below are the schedules for every conference tournament, which will be updated with results as the tournaments progress.
All times Eastern.
Atlantic
After the four lowest seeds play in the first round, the Atlantic tournament moves to best-of-three series in the quarterfinals and semifinals, followed by a single-game final. Bentley won its first regular-season title, but the Falcons will have to win the conference tourney to move on to the NCAAs. No Atlantic teams are in the at-large picture.
First round, Tuesday
No. 9 Army at No. 8 Niagara
No. 10 Mercyhurst at No. 7 Canisius
Quarterfinals, Friday-Sunday
(best of three)
Lowest remaining seed at No. 1 Bentley
No. 5 RIT at No. 4 Holy Cross
No. 6 Air Force at No. 3 Robert Morris
Second-lowest remaining seed at No. 2 Sacred Heart
Semifinals, March 13-15
Best-of-three series at two highest remaining seeds
Final, March 21
at higher remaining seed
Big Ten
The tournament is all single games on campus sites. Michigan and Michigan State have been duking it out for the Big Ten regular-season title and the No. 1 ranking in the country most of the season. Penn State also is safely in the NCAA field, with Wisconsin in good shape for an at-large spot as well.
Quarterfinals, March 11
No. 5 seed at No. 4 seed
No. 6 seed at No. 3 seed
No. 7 Notre Dame at No. 2 seed
Semifinals, March 14
at two highest remaining seeds
Final, March 21
at higher remaining seed
CCHA
The CCHA tournament is on campus sites, with best-of-three quarterfinals followed by single games in the semifinals and final. Top seed Minnesota State emerged from a late logjam to win its eighth regular-season title in the last nine seasons. Entering the tournament, Augustana is the only conference team on the right side of the NCAA bubble -- and even its position is precarious. Minnesota State, St. Thomas and Bowling Green are close, but on the outs for now. These results will be watched closely by all the at-large contenders.
Quarterfinals, Friday-Sunday
(best of three)
No. 8 Ferris State at No. 1 Minnesota State
No. 5 Bowling Green at No. 4 Michigan Tech
No. 6 Bemidji State at No. 3 Augustana
No. 7 Lake Superior State at No. 2 St. Thomas
Semifinals, March 14
at two highest remaining seeds
Final, March 20
at higher remaining seed
ECAC
The top four seeds receive first-round byes and host the best-of-three quarterfinals. Winners advance to the single-game semifinals and final. Cornell, Dartmouth and Quinnipiac, which won its sixth straight regular-season ECAC title, are virtual locks to earn at-large NCAA berths.
All games are available on the ESPN App.
First round
Friday
No. 11 St. Lawrence at No. 6 Harvard
No. 9 RPI at No. 8 Clarkson
Saturday
No. 12 Brown at No. 5 Union
No. 10 Yale at No. 7 Colgate
Quarterfinals, March 13-15
(best of three)
First-round winner at No. 1 Quinnipiac
First-round winner at No. 2 Dartmouth
First-round winner at No. 3 Cornell
First-round winner at No. 4 Princeton
Semifinals, March 20
at Lake Placid, New York
Final, March 21
at Lake Placid, New York
Hockey East
This tournament is single-elimination throughout. The top five seeds receive first-round byes into the quarterfinals, which are held on campus sites. Providence, which has clinched the No. 1 seed with the first regular-season Hockey East title in program history, also has locked up an at-large NCAA spot. Of the other at-large contenders, Boston College is in the best shape, with UConn sitting right on the cut line entering the last weekend of the regular season, and UMass and Maine clinging to slim at-large hopes.
All games are available on the ESPN App.
First round, March 11
No. 9 seed at No. 8 seed
No. 10 seed at No. 7 seed
No. 11 Vermont at No. 6 seed
Quarterfinals
March 14
No. 5 seed at No. 4 seed
First-round winner at No. 1 Providence
First-round winner at No. 2 seed
First-round winner at No. 3 seed
Semifinals, March 20
at Boston
Finals, March 21
at Boston
NCHC
The NCHC tournament moves entirely to campus sites this year. The top four seeds -- North Dakota, Denver, Western Michigan and Minnesota Duluth -- are safely in the NCAA tournament field.
Quarterfinals, Friday-Sunday
(best of three)
No. 8 Omaha at No. 1 North Dakota
No. 7 Miami (Ohio) at No. 2 Denver
No. 6 Colorado College at No. 3 Western Michigan
No. 5 St. Cloud State at No. 4 Minnesota Duluth
Semifinals, March 14
at two highest remaining seeds
Final, March 21
at higher remaining seed
