DULUTH — Cornell’s 4-3 opening-round victory as the No. 15 overall seed over No. 2 Michigan State in Toledo is considered by many to be the biggest upset of the 2025 NCAA men’s hockey tournament.
I disagree.
The biggest upset of last year’s tournament was me, a 20-plus-year veteran of botched NCAA hockey brackets,
narrowly defeating my kindergarten son in a head-to-head bracket challenge.
Dad 7, Jack 5 … out of 15.
Ok, we both stunk it up.
Neither of us picked Western Michigan to win,
getting just two of the Frozen Four and none of the NCAA title game combatants.
The 2025 NCAA men’s hockey bracket of Jack, on the left, and his dad, on the right.
Matt Wellens / Duluth News Tribune
Like father, like son, I guess.
Well, Jack and I are both out for redemption this season. We are here to inevitably doom your favorite team.
Jack, now a first-grader, has watched a lot of college hockey this season. Like his dad, he is an NCHC homer, as that is mostly what he watches on Friday and Saturday nights throughout the winter.
But who can blame us? The NCHC has won seven of the last nine NCAA men’s hockey championships, placing multiple teams in six of the last 10 Frozen Fours.
With four NCHC teams spread out across three of the four regionals this year, could we be headed for another all-NCHC championship game in Las Vegas,
like the 2017 title game in Chicago?
Welcome to Beat Writer vs. First Grader.
Here are Jack’s picks. He’s a Bulldogs fan who picks with his heart.
Jack’s predictions for the 2026 NCAA men’s hockey tournament.
Matt Wellens / Duluth News Tribune
And here are my picks. I did not want to pick the same winner as Jack this year, so I went with the team that enters the NCAA tournament winners of nine straight, and unbeaten in its last 13 games (12-0-1).
Matt Wellens’ annual kiss of death for the 2026 NCAA men’s hockey tournament. He’s not sorry. He’s doing the best he can.
Matt Wellens / Duluth News Tribune
You can print out your own 2026 NCAA men’s hockey tournament bracket here.
2026 NCAA Men’s Hockey Tournament:
All times Central
All games streamed on ESPN app or ESPN.com/watch
Thursday’s Regional Semifinals
Worcester, Massachusetts Regional
3. Michigan State vs. 14. UConn, 12:30 p.m. (ESPN2)
6. Dartmouth vs. 12. Wisconsin, 4 p.m. (ESPNU)
Sioux Falls, South Dakota Regional
7. Providence vs. 10. Quinnipiac, 4 p.m. (ESPN+)
2. North Dakota vs. 15. Merrimack, 7:30 p.m. (ESPN2)
Friday’s Regional Semifinals
Loveland, Colorado Regional
4. Western Michigan vs. 13. Minnesota State, 1:30 p.m. (ESPNU)
5. Denver vs. 11. Cornell, 5 p.m., (ESPN+)
Albany, New York Regional
1. Michigan vs. 16. Bentley, 4:30 p.m. (ESPNU)
8. Minnesota Duluth vs. 9. Penn State, 8 p.m. (ESPN2)
Saturday’s Regional Finals
Worcester Regional Final, 3:30 p.m. or 6 p.m. (TBA)
Sioux Falls Regional Final, 3:30 p.m. or 6 p.m. (TBA)
Sunday’s Regional Finals
Loveland Regional Final, 2 p.m. or 4:30 p.m. (TBA)
Albany Regional Final, 2 p.m. or 4:30 p.m. (TBA)
Co-host of the Bulldog Insider Podcast and college hockey reporter for the Duluth News Tribune covering the Minnesota Duluth men’s and women’s hockey programs.