DULUTH — Amsoil Arena is set to host two major hockey tournaments next spring.
The first event is locked in for March 19-21. That’s the 2027 NCAA Women’s Frozen Four, which is returning to Duluth after just four years. T
he last one in 2023 received such rave reviews
from the NCAA,
they awarded Minnesota Duluth another Frozen Four
just over 18 months later.
The 2023 Frozen Four did not feature the Bulldogs, who have made six-straight NCAA tournaments but missed the last four Frozen Fours after back-to-back appearances in 2021-22. But with Minnesota, Ohio State and eventual national champion Wisconsin in attendance, the event drew a two-day, three-game total of 7,365 fans.
Wisconsin goaltenders Chloe Baker (32) and Jane Gervais (1) talk near center ice during practice for the Frozen Four at Amsoil Arena on March 16, 2023, in Duluth.
Clint Austin / Duluth Media Group file photo
The second event isn’t technically officially official — last check — but
the IIHF already told people they are coming here last week
during the Men’s World Championship in Switzerland. And almost everyone involved in hockey in the Duluth area has heard about this for a couple of months now.
The 2027 IIHF Men’s Under-18 World Championship will be held in Duluth, April 22-May 2, with Amsoil Arena, DECC Arena and Heritage Center all hosting. Details are still being finalized, but word is the majority of the games will be held at Amsoil Arena, with Heritage and DECC Arena hosting practices and maybe a few games.
The Men’s U18 World Championship tournament features 10 teams playing 29 total games over 11 days — not including any pre-tournament warmups — with as many as four games taking place per day.
Players in the 2027 tournament were all born in 2009 or earlier. For a sneak peek at what Team USA might look like, check out the
2025-26 USA Hockey National Team Development Program Under-17 squad.
The U.S. hosted the U18 Men’s Worlds as recently as 2025 in Frisco and Allen, Texas, drawing 23,291 total fans, or 803 per game. Texas has hosted the last two times the tournament was in the United States, averaging 751 fans per game in 2021 in Frisco and Plano.
Ralph Engelstad Arena and Grand Forks, North Dakota, hosted in 2016, drawing 71,505 over 31 games for an average of 2,307 per game, with games featuring the U.S. and/or Canada all drawing over 2,000 fans.
While Minnesota hosted the Under-20 World Junior Championship just this past season — with Duluth hosting Team USA prior to the tournament — the State of Hockey has only co-hosted the Men’s U18 Worlds once and that was in 2009 in Moorhead and Fargo.
How the Bulldogs fared at Worlds
Justin Faulk of the U.S. speaks with the referee during a 2026 IIHF World Championship game against Latvia at Swiss Life Arena in Zurich, Switzerland, on May 23.
Denis Balibouse/REUTERS
Former Bulldogs defenseman Justin Faulk — now playing for the Detroit Red Wings — finished with two goals and three assists as captain of an American squad that was ousted from the quarterfinals of the 2026 IIHF Men’s World Championship in Zurich and Fribourg, Switzerland.
The U.S. finished the tournament 4-4 — needing a shootout to beat Germany — after losing 4-0 to Canada upon reaching the knockout stage.
Minnesota Duluth’s Max Plante of the U.S. in action against Britain’s Ben Bowns during the 2026 IIHF World Championships at Swiss Life Arena in Zurich, Switzerland, on May 17.
Denis Balibouse/REUTERS
Hermantown’s Max Plante, a Red Wings’ prospect
who is returning to UMD for his junior season in 2026-27,
scored a goal in the 7-3 win over Hungary. It was his lone point of the tournament. The 20-year-old and second-youngest player on the team appeared in the first six games, but not the final two. He averaged 11:10 of ice time per game, seeing his role reduced once the Ottawa Senators’ Matthew Tkachuk came on board.
Former UMD defenseman Wyatt Kaiser dressed for three of USA’s eight games and finished minus-7 in the tournament.
Victor Plante at NHL Draft combine
Incoming UMD freshman forward Victor Plante is in Buffalo, New York — where his father, Derek, played his first five-plus NHL seasons — this week for the 2026 NHL Scouting Combine.
He was one of 90 prospects invited to take part.
The 2026 NHL Draft will be held in Buffalo on June 26-27. Victor Plante — who played the previous two seasons with the NTDP — was ranked No. 42 among North American skaters by NHL Central Scouting this spring.
Derek Plante was a 1989 eighth-round draft pick of the Buffalo Sabres, going No. 161 overall. Derek and Kristi Plante’s eldest son, Zam Plante, was drafted in the fifth round in 2022, No. 150 overall, by the Pittsburgh Penguins. The Red Wings selected Max, the middle child, in the second round in 2024 at No. 47 overall.