10 must-see college players in the NCAA Hockey Tournament
The NCAA Tournament is incredible every year. These ten players will be must-see TV.
College hockey is ready for its dramatic finish to the 2024 season. The NCAA Championship Tournament is set to begin. 16 teams have made it and are hoping to make it to the Frozen Four in St. Paul, Minnesota.
Four teams will make it there and have a legit chance of winning the National title plenty of teams are going in thinking that they have a legit shot to win the whole thing.
Last week, the conference championships took place, and that helped determine who would be participating in the tournament. The best squads are now ready to take the ice and get things underway.
A lot of good players are going to be participating in this event. Some of them have already been drafted to the NHL and some of them have not. These are the 10 prospects that you must watch in this tourney:
The two Boston University players are very impressive to watch
1. Macklin Celebrini
Boston University’s Macklin Celebrini is going to be the number one overall pick in the 2024 NHL Draft. As a freshman, he was one of the nation’s leading scorers in terms of both goals and points. He has a legitimate chance to win the Hobey Baker.
Fans of NHL teams in the bottom five of the standings have to watch BU play in this thing just for Celebrini alone. The whole team is good but he’s on another level.
2. Lane Hutson
Celebrini’s teammate, Lane Hutson, is also incredible. He was already drafted by the Montreal Canadiens and he has become one of the NHL’s most impressive prospects to date. Whenever BU is done, you can expect Hutson to join the Habs wherever they are.
Being a young (and smaller) defenseman in the NHL is going to be very tough. With that said, you’ll see just how dangerous he can be when watching him play in this tournament.
Boston College is not short of must-see talent in 2024 either
3. Will Smith
Will Smith of Boston College is one of the best players in college hockey. He has a chance at the Hobey Baker as well. The 2023 fourth overall pick (San Jose Sharks) is going to be a star in the NHL.
Smith brought his A-game to the Hockey East championship weekend and it helped his team win big. If he plays like that here, BC just might win the whole thing.
4. Gabe Perreault
The New York Rangers selected Boston College forward Gabe Perreault with their first-round pick in 2023. He plays on a line with Will Smith and it has gone about how you’d expect.
Perreault is a master at creating offense in the most clutch of moments. He is must-see TV as a college forward and he plays on a must-see line.
5. Ryan Leonard
This elite line that Boston College has a third. Ryan Leonard, who was the first-round pick of the Washington Capitals in 2023, plays with Smith and Perreault. That line is one of the best in NCAA history.
Leonard scores a ton of goals and takes advantage of great plays made to set him up. He can also drive play on his own which is why this line is so lethal. It is rare to have three players this good on one college line. All three of them are box-office.
6. Cutter Gauthier
Boston College is one of the NCAA favorites this year. That line of Perreault, Smith, and Leonard is a big reason why. However, there is one more elite forward among them. Cutter Gauthier is a center on another line.
Gauthier may even be the best player on the team overall. He is a tad older with a bit more experience which may be why. He didn’t want to sign with the Philadelphia Flyers so they traded his rights to the Anaheim Ducks this season which adds to his story. If they are going to win, you can expect him to have a big tourney.
Michigan isn't what they were last year but they have two very fun players
7. Seamus Casey
The New Jersey Devils already have Luke Hughes and Simon Nemec so they have to be pretty excited to add Seamus Casey to the mix soon. The Michigan defenseman has been marvelous this season.
Casey is tied for third in the country with 38 assists. Few NCAA blue-liners can create offense the way he can. When Michigan gets going in the tournament, they need Casey on top of his game to have a chance.
8. Gavin Brindley
Gavin Brindley should have never fallen to the second round in 2023 but he did. The Columbus Blue Jackers landed him and they will eventually reunite him with his former Michigan teammate Adam Fantilli.
Brindley is fifth in goals this season and he’s looking to add more in the tournament. He is the must-watch forward on that team.
The NCHC has two players that could lead their team to a National Title
9. Jackson Blake
Jackson Blake of North Dakota is box office too. If he isn’t as known as some of the other stars in college hockey, it is about time that people start learning. The Carolina Hurricanes prospect is truly special.
Blake is tied with Celebrini and Gauthier for the second most points in the nation. They only trail Will Smith. Blake needs to stay hot if North Dakota is going to have a shot.
10. Zeev Buium
Zeev Buium of Denver might not be as well known as some of the others on this list but people need to know about him. He is a top prospect eligible for the 2024 NHL Draft. He won’t be drafted within the first few picks but he very well could go in the top 10. You can almost guarantee it’ll be within the top 15.
Buium is a defenseman who can set up plays and create tons of offensive chances for those around him. Denver is going to rely on him to play well on the back end so they have a chance to come out of their region.
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