A proposed new format for the Big Ten men’s hockey postseason is tied to league coaches’ hopes to improve team chances to make and win the NCAA Tournament.
The Big Ten playoffs would change starting in the upcoming season from three weeks to two and from a best-of-three quarterfinal series to a mid-week single game under the new setup that’s working through approvals in the conference’s governance structure, sources told BadgerExtra. All seven teams still would qualify for the three-round conference postseason.
Concerns about teams facing a two-week layoff before the NCAA Tournament if they’re eliminated from the Big Ten’s quarterfinal round were a major impetus for the proposed change, according to sources.
That happened to the University of Wisconsin in 2024, to Minnesota last season and to Penn State in 2023. The Nittany Lions are the only team that recovered to win its NCAA opener but they lost in the regional final; the Badgers lost to Quinnipiac and the Gophers fell to UMass, both in overtime.
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The new format that coaches approved exploring at Big Ten offseason meetings keeps all rounds at the higher seed’s home rink but has a shorter period of down time for teams that bow out of the conference playoffs early and are in position to make the NCAA Tournament.
The Big Ten has placed four teams in the 16-team NCAA field in each of the last three seasons. There have been 32 Big Ten teams in 11 NCAA Tournaments since the conference formed a men’s hockey league in 2013-14. It still hasn’t won a national championship.
The quarterfinal round of the Big Ten men’s hockey postseason could be changing from a best-of-three series on a weekend to a single game in the middle of the week.
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That’s why a move that could better prepare teams for the regional round has been appealing to those around the Big Ten, according to sources.
The plan, sources said, is for the regular season to extend a week later than it has under a three-week playoff format, ending on the first weekend of March. The quarterfinals would be played on the following Wednesday (March 11 in 2026).
The rest of the tournament is largely unchanged in the proposal. The semifinal round would have single games hosted by the top two remaining seeds on the next Saturday (March 14) and the championship game would be the following weekend. The final could be either Friday or Saturday (March 20 or 21).
Sources said the plan could be approved in the coming weeks.
The biggest point of contention in league discussions about the new setup, according to sources, was the impact of a condensed timeline and the potential for a quick turnaround for teams that have to travel after the quarterfinal round. But the change would be more incentive to finish higher in the standings and host more playoff games.
There are seven teams in the Big Ten men’s hockey conference so the No. 1 seed gets a bye into the semifinals. The perception around the league has been that having the first week of the playoffs off isn’t always an advantage for the regular-season champion, and the proposed format addresses that by moving the quarterfinal to the middle of the week between the end of the regular season and the semifinals.
Changing from a best-of-three quarterfinal to a single game also has the potential to help more Big Ten teams get into the NCAA Tournament. Michigan went into the 2025 league quarterfinals in position to make the NCAA field under the PairWise Rankings but missed out after being swept by Penn State in two games.
A single-game elimination might have kept the Wolverines in play for the NCAA Tournament, and it could for other teams that are on the bubble in the future. But there’s also a chance that a team that needs the extra win from sweeping a best-of-three series won’t get it.
The Big Ten has mostly used a three-week postseason schedule since it moved away from a single-site event after the 2017 tournament. The only exception was during the pandemic in 2021, when all games were played at Notre Dame over three days.
Photos: Wisconsin men’s hockey takes on Notre Dame
Wisconsin forward Tyson Dyck (16) flies through the air while taking a shot against Notre Dame on Friday, Feb. 21, 2025 at Kohl Center in Madison, Wi. OWEN ZILIAK/STATE JOURNAL
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Wisconsin defenseman Logan Hensler (6) is laid out by Notre Dame forward Niko Jovanovic (20) on Friday, Feb. 21, 2025 at Kohl Center in Madison, Wi. OWEN ZILIAK/STATE JOURNAL
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Wisconsin celebrates after a goal against Notre Dame on Friday, Feb. 21, 2025 at Kohl Center in Madison, Wi. OWEN ZILIAK/STATE JOURNAL
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Wisconsin defenseman Logan Hensler (6) maneuvers with the puck against Notre Dame on Friday, Feb. 21, 2025 at Kohl Center in Madison, Wi. OWEN ZILIAK/STATE JOURNAL
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Wisconsin and Notre Dame players race for the puck on Friday, Feb. 21, 2025 at Kohl Center in Madison, Wi. OWEN ZILIAK/STATE JOURNAL
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Wisconsin forward Jack Horbach (22) puts a shot on goal against Notre Dame on Friday, Feb. 21, 2025 at Kohl Center in Madison, Wi. OWEN ZILIAK/STATE JOURNAL
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Wisconsin forward Jack Horbach (22) celebrates after scoring against Notre Dame on Friday, Feb. 21, 2025 at Kohl Center in Madison, Wi. OWEN ZILIAK/STATE JOURNAL
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Wisconsin sends the puck in to the Notre Dame net on Friday, Feb. 21, 2025 at Kohl Center in Madison, Wi. OWEN ZILIAK/STATE JOURNAL
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Wisconsin celebrates after scoring against Notre Dame on Friday, Feb. 21, 2025 at Kohl Center in Madison, Wi. OWEN ZILIAK/STATE JOURNAL
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Wisconsin center Christian Fitzgerald (13) grabs Notre Dame defenseman Jimmy Jurcev (2) after the whistle on Friday, Feb. 21, 2025 at Kohl Center in Madison, Wi. OWEN ZILIAK/STATE JOURNAL
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Wisconsin forward Ryland Mosley (12) knocks the puck out of the air with his stick against Notre Dame on Friday, Feb. 21, 2025 at Kohl Center in Madison, Wi. OWEN ZILIAK/STATE JOURNAL
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Wisconsin celebrates after a goal against Notre Dame on Friday, Feb. 21, 2025 at Kohl Center in Madison, Wi. OWEN ZILIAK/STATE JOURNAL
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Wisconsin forward Quinn Finley (19) sends a backhand pass across the ice against Notre Dame on Friday, Feb. 21, 2025 at Kohl Center in Madison, Wi. OWEN ZILIAK/STATE JOURNAL
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Wisconsin forward Adam Pietla (28) talks to Notre Dame defender Jimmy Jurcev (2) after a hit on Friday, Feb. 21, 2025 at Kohl Center in Madison, Wi. OWEN ZILIAK/STATE JOURNAL
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Wisconsin fights for the puck in front of the Notre Dame goal on Friday, Feb. 21, 2025 at Kohl Center in Madison, Wi. OWEN ZILIAK/STATE JOURNAL
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Wisconsin celebrates after a goal against Notre Dame on Friday, Feb. 21, 2025 at Kohl Center in Madison, Wi. OWEN ZILIAK/STATE JOURNAL
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Wisconsin forward Tyson Dyck (16) handles the puck in the corner against Notre Dame on Friday, Feb. 21, 2025 at Kohl Center in Madison, Wi. OWEN ZILIAK/STATE JOURNAL
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Wisconsin forward Quinn Finley (19) sends a puck towards the Notre Dame net on Friday, Feb. 21, 2025 at Kohl Center in Madison, Wi. OWEN ZILIAK/STATE JOURNAL
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Wisconsin center Owen Landmark (18) takes a face-off against Notre Dame on Friday, Feb. 21, 2025 at Kohl Center in Madison, Wi. OWEN ZILIAK/STATE JOURNAL
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Wisconsin goalie Tommy Scarfone (30) watches as the puck flies in the air against Notre Dame on Friday, Feb. 21, 2025 at Kohl Center in Madison, Wi. OWEN ZILIAK/STATE JOURNAL
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Wisconsin forward Adam Pietla (28) buries a shot against Notre Dame on Friday, Feb. 21, 2025 at Kohl Center in Madison, Wi. OWEN ZILIAK/STATE JOURNAL
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Wisconsin forward Simon Tassy (11) celebrates with the bench after scoring against Notre Dame on Friday, Feb. 21, 2025 at Kohl Center in Madison, Wi. OWEN ZILIAK/STATE JOURNAL
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Notre Dame center Tyler Carpenter (28) kicks the puck along the boards on Friday, Feb. 21, 2025 at Kohl Center in Madison, Wi. OWEN ZILIAK/STATE JOURNAL
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Wisconsin goalie Tommy Scarfone (30) make a save against Notre Dame on Friday, Feb. 21, 2025 at Kohl Center in Madison, Wi. OWEN ZILIAK/STATE JOURNAL
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Wisconsin celebrates after a goal against Notre Dame on Friday, Feb. 21, 2025 at Kohl Center in Madison, Wi. OWEN ZILIAK/STATE JOURNAL
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