Whenever four college hockey blue bloods get together, there’s bound to be plenty of talent on the ice.

The Frozen Four at T-Mobile Arena will be teeming NHL scouts and front office executives starting Thursday when North Dakota takes on Wisconsin and Denver faces Michigan.

The tournament features 49 NHL draft picks combined, including five selected in the first round. Two of the three finalists for the Hobey Baker Memorial Award, given to the best player in college hockey, also will participate.

Here are some of the top players to watch:

Quinn Finley, F, Wisconsin

The junior forward carried the Badgers offense in the Worcester regional and is the leading scorer in the NCAA Tournament with five points.

He had a goal and two assists against Dartmouth in the first round and added a goal and an assist in the comeback win over Michigan State.

Finley, a third-round pick of the New York Islanders in 2022, leads the Badgers with 17 goals in 35 games.

Michael Hage, Michigan

A first-round pick (No. 21 overall) by the Montreal Canadiens in 2024, Hage is an outstanding playmaker for the Wolverines and a key cog on their top-ranked power play.

The sophomore has a nation-leading 38 assists in 38 games, and his 51 points are tied for fourth in the country.

Hage missed Michigan’s tournament opener against Bentley but returned for the 4-3 victory over Minnesota-Duluth in the regional final. He is expected to play against Denver in the national semifinals.

Johnny Hicks, G, Denver

The freshman is the nation’s hottest goaltender since taking over when Quentin Miller sustained a lower-body injury Jan. 24 against St. Cloud State.

Hicks is 14-0-1 and leads the country with a 1.12 goals-against average and .958 save percentage. He has allowed one goal or fewer in 10 of the 15 games during his unbeaten streak.

At 5-foot-10, 157 pounds, Hicks lacks ideal NHL size and is undrafted. He is one of several players in the tournament who took advantage of the new rule that made major junior players from the Canadian Hockey League eligible in the NCAA.

T.J. Hughes, F, Michigan

The senior captain is one of three finalists for the Hobey Baker and earned Big Ten Player of the Year honors.

Hughes is the NCAA active scoring leader with 178 career points (68 goals, 110 assists) in 155 games. He leads the Wolverines and is second in the nation with 56 points (21 goals, 35 assists) in 39 games.

Despite going undrafted, Hughes is one of the top NCAA free agents and expected to receive offers from several NHL teams when his season is complete.

Eric Pohlkamp, D, Denver

The Hobey Baker finalist leads all NCAA defensemen in goals (18) and points (39) and was the National Collegiate Hockey Conference Offensive Defenseman of the Year for the Pioneers.

Pohlkamp’s 18 goals are tied for the third-most in school history by a defenseman and are the most by a Denver blueliner in 50 years. He also leads the team with 77 blocked shots and owns a plus-25 rating, which is second on the team.

The junior was selected by the San Jose Sharks in the fifth round (No. 132 overall) the 2023 draft.

Cole Reschny, F, North Dakota

The freshman playmaker got off to a slow start as he transitioned from major juniors but heated up as the season went along and was named NCHC Rookie of the Year.

Reschny is second on the Fighting Hawks with 35 points (six goals, 29 assists) and has produced 10 points (two goals, eight assists) in his past 10 outings. He also was strong in the faceoff circle, winning nearly 58 percent of his draws.

A first-round pick (No. 18 overall) of the Calgary Flames in 2025, he helped Canada win a bronze medal at the World Junior Championship.

Keaton Verhoeff, D, North Dakota

The 6-foot-4-inch, 215-pound freshman is only 17 years old and ranked as the No. 2 North American skater for the 2026 draft in NHL Central Scouting’s midterm rankings.

Verhoeff produced 20 points (six goals, 14 assists) in 35 games and has a booming right-handed shot from the point. He added 42 blocked shots as his play in the defensive zone improved throughout the season.

The Fort Saskatchewan, Alberta, native spent two seasons in major junior with Victoria of the Western Hockey League before making the move to college hockey.

Contact David Schoen at dschoen@reviewjournal.com or 702-387-5203. Follow @DavidSchoenLVRJ on X.