College hockey is right around the corner, so why not highlight the best weekend matchups this season, historic rivalries, player vs player rivalries, and potential national championship previews?
Every weekend in college hockey is filled with amazing matchups with great storylines to follow, but some stand out more than others. Some matchups are just too good to the point where you’ll cancel all your plans, order a pizza, sit down, and watch two teams go at it in a weekend series.
This season has so many of those, so why not highlight the best weekend series for you to mark on your calendar, cancel everything, and prepare for a great few days of hockey?
Michigan Wolverines vs Denver Pioneers - October 16
A rematch of the Frozen Four semi-finals, and one of the best games of hockey I’ve ever seen. Two teams with championship aspirations; Denver looking to go back-to-back, and Michigan looking to win their first since 1998.
This matchup doesn’t just showcase two elite teams, but it will be a battle of two elite defenseman who are expected to be stars in the NHL for a very long time. Denver’s Daxon Rudolph was the fourth overall pick this past June by the Buffalo Sabres and will be the offensive engine for the Pioneers, and for Michigan, they have projected first overall pick Landon DuPont, who will have a large red circle around his name in the scouting report for Denver.
One thing this matchup brings is a potential preview of the Frozen Four, and it’s a shame we can’t have this matchup every single weekend.
Boston College Eagles vs Boston University Terriers - February 1 (Beanpot)
This won’t be the first time these teams play this season, but it’s the first game of the Beanpot, and it’s late enough in the season that seeding will matter a lot.
The all-time series record for these teams is so close, and right now, BC leads 138 to BU’s 137; you can’t get much closer. Both teams have elite rosters headlined by NHL-level talent and potential Hobey Baker candidates. The Terriers have Tynan Lawrence and Caleb Malhotra down the middle of the ice, while the Eagles have Dean Letourneau, the six-foot-seven Boston Bruins prospect who will be in contention to lead the country in goals by the end of the year. A storied rivalry that will feature two very elite hockey clubs.
North Dakota Fighting Hawks vs Minnesota Golden Gophers - October 22
Another storied rivalry, and for Minnesota, they’ll have a new head coach after replacing Bob Motzko with former St. Cloud State coach Brett Larson. For North Dakota, it’ll be year three for Dane Jackson, and the third year is when programs normally find their stride under a new head coach.
Minnesota was second to last in the Big-10 last year, and that shouldn’t be the expectation for them in 2026. They’re returning talent, while also bringing in players like Wyatt Cullen, the 10th overall pick by the Nashville Predators in this past draft. North Dakota has an elite roster yet again, led by Cole Reschny, Keaton Verhoeff, and freshman Carson Carels. Getting this elite matchup one week after Denver vs Michigan confirms that I’m never leaving my house, and you shouldn’t either.
Wisconsin Badgers vs Minnesota Golden Gophers - November 5
A rivalry that spans almost as long as college hockey has been around, these two programs circle this weekend every year, and so should you. A Big-10 matchup, and for Wisconsin, they’re looking to make it back to the national championship after having their hearts broken last season by Denver.
Both of these squads should be very solid, and with how the conference is shaping up right now, every in-conference weekend is going to be so insanely crucial.
Michigan Wolverines vs Michigan State Spartans - November 19
This was such a great rivalry last year: two teams near the top of the rankings, fighting for the top spot, and you could feel it. The intensity was felt; the players played like it was the national championship, and it was must-see TV. Both teams are bringing in very elite freshman classes, and a lot of those freshmen will be competing with each other for awards come the end of the season.
A matchup that will be overlooked this weekend is the battle of the 2025 draft goalies, Jack Ivankovic for Michigan and Joshua Ravensburgen for State. Both are extremely elite netminders who will be in the running for the Mike Richter Award come spring. This weekend series could simply come down to this exact matchup. When you add this battle, along with the freshmen and the in-state rivalry, it’s the making for one amazing series.
