USHL

When Frozen Four action kicks off Thursday night, 75 USHL alumni will take the ice, populating all four rosters of the remaining NCAA Division I teams competing for the 2022 NCAA Championship. 

"The NCAA Frozen Four is the biggest event on the college hockey landscape," said USHL President and Commissioner Bill Robertson. "The USHL is again represented at the highest levels with more than 80 former players and coaches competing in Boston starting on Thursday. We wish our USHL alumni the very best as they close in on securing a National Championship in what should be a highly entertaining Frozen Four."

Remaining Big 10 schools University of Minnesota and University of Michigan lead the way with 23 and 22 players, respectively, while Minnesota State University and University of Denver follow with 19 and 11 players on their respective rosters. Eleven members of the remaining coaching staffs previously had their start in the USHL including three of the four Head Coaches, including Minnesota's Bob Motzko (North Iowa Huskies General Manager/Head Coach, 1986-91 & Sioux Falls Stampede General Manager/ Head Coach, 1998-01), Minnesota State's Mike Hastings (Omaha Lancers General Manager / Head Coach / Assistant Coach, 1992-93 & 1994-2008) and Denver's David Carle (Green Bay Gamblers Assistant Coach, 2012-14). Hastings' staff is the lone coaching staff with a trio of USHL alumni behind the bench. 

Among the 75 players across the four rosters, 31 have been selected at the NHL Draft, including 13 from Minnesota, 11 from Michigan, six from Denver and one from Minnesota State. The 31 Draft selections includes eight First Round picks, highlighted by three of last year's top-four picks from University of Michigan: Owen Power (Buffalo Sabres, 1st Overall), Matty Beniers (Seattle Kraken, 2nd Overall) and Luke Hughes (New Jersey Devils, 4th Overall). The First Round picks include another Michigan trio in Mackie Samoskevich (Florida Panthers, 2021, 24th Overall), Brendan Brisson (Vegas Golden Knights, 2020, 29th Overall) and Johnny Beecher (Boston Bruins, 2019, 30th Overall) as well as a pair of University of Minnesota skaters Chaz Lucius (Winnipeg Jets, 2021, 18th Overall) and Ryan Johnson (Buffalo Sabres, 2019, 31st Overall). USHL alumni make up 76 percent (31-of-41) of the NHL Draft Picks in the Frozen Four

Seven alumni participated in the 2022 Olympics. Michigan (Beniers, USA Hockey NTDP, 2018-20; Brisson, Chicago Steel & Green Bay Gamblers, 2018-20; Power, Chicago Steel, 2018-20) and Minnesota (Brock Faber, USA Hockey NTDP, 2018-20; Matthew Knies, Tri-City Storm, 2018-21; Ben Meyers, Fargo Force, 2016-19) each boast three while Minnesota State has a lone former Olympian: Nathan Smith (Cedar Rapids RoughRiders, 2017-19). 

Power currently leads USHL alumni with six points in the previous two Michigan games this tournament with six points (0-6-6) and league alumni have combined for 55 total points (20-35-55) in the Tournament. Players to watch in the Frozen Four also include Denver forward Bobby Brink (Sioux City Musketeers & USA Hockey NTDP, 2017-19), who leads the scoring race with 56 points (14-42-56) this season. Brink is joined in the Frozen Four by fellow Hobey Baker Hat Trick finalists Meyers and Minnesota State goaltender Dryden McKay (Green Bay Gamblers & Madison Capitols, 2015-18). 

All 16 active USHL Member Clubs are represented by multiple players with USA Hockey NTDP (17) and the Tri-City Storm (13) leading the way as the lone teams with double-digit totals. The Chicago Steel (9) are next, followed by, the Fargo Force, Green Bay Gamblers, Lincoln Stars and Omaha Lancers with eight representatives. The Sioux City Musketeers (7), Cedar Rapids RoughRiders (6), Des Moines Buccaneers (6), Muskegon Lumberjacks (5), Sioux Falls Stampede (5), Waterloo Black Hawks (5) and Youngstown Phantoms (5) all registered five-or-more alumni in the Frozen Four. 

(1) Michigan vs. (1) Denver
Thursday, April 7 (5 p.m. EST)

(2) Minnesota vs. (1) Minnesota State
Thursday, April 7 (8:30 p.m. EST)

TBD vs. TBD
Saturday, April 9 (8 p.m. EST)