There's never been this many high-end freshmen in college hockey, but which ones have the most weight and expectations on them?
There have never been this many talented freshmen in college hockey, but what comes with that is a lot of expectations on them. From highly touted prospects who haven’t been drafted yet to future cornerstones of NHL franchises, here are the freshmen with the biggest expectations this season.
Landon DuPont - Michigan
Not a large surprise that DuPont lands on this list, due to the fact that he’s the projected first-overall pick and that Gavin McKenna was in this situation just a year ago. DuPont is a highly skilled player with so many pre-ready elements in his game, but fans will be watching him like a hawk.
Does he struggle early? Does he process the game well at that level? Can he play the college style of hockey? There will be questions thrown at him from everywhere, and when you consider that many have talked about him as a potential candidate for the Hobey Baker Award, that’s as big an expectation as you can get as a freshman.
Chase Reid - Michigan State
Chase Reid was drafted seventh overall by the Seattle Kraken this past June, but he’s stepping into Michigan State with similar expectations because of his potential role with the Spartans. Reid will be Michigan State's offensive engine next season, and his junior-year numbers suggest he will be expected to produce on day one.
Reid will be looked at as a key piece on Michigan State next season, and with the margin from team to team super thin right now, you need the most out of all your top players.
Sammy Nelson - Notre Dame
Similar to DuPont, Nelson is also in his draft year. He’s joining a Fighting Irish team that won nine games last season. When a program that struggled so much the year prior adds a projected lottery pick, it’s a very big deal.
He’s joining a team that has his older brothers, Henry and Danny Nelson. Although the team finished at the bottom of the Big Ten last year, the improvements they’ve made to the roster make them seem like much more than a bottom-end team in that conference. Nelson will be looked upon early to contribute in a large role and be a key piece for Notre Dame in getting out of their recent slump.
Joshua Ravensbergen - Michigan State
The second Spartan on this list is goaltender and San Jose Sharks first-round pick Joshua Ravensbergen. The 19-year-old is projected to be the team’s starting netminder, and for a team with national championship aspirations, that’s a lot of weight on his shoulders.
There won’t be a lot of time for growing pains due to the Big Ten being so stacked this season. If his game is on, they’ll be fine, but if his game is off, the Spartans might be in a very bad position come spring.
Daxon Rudolph - Denver
Although many didn’t expect him to be, Rudolph was the first defenseman off the board in the 2026 NHL draft, and now he joins the reigning champs. Similar to Reid, Rudolph will be the main guy for the team's offense from the blueline. When you put up 28 goals and 78 points in the WHL, it’s very likely that you can contribute to a team at any level.
What will add to his expectations is Denver being a shutdown first team. Although he has some size, Rudolph’s defensive engagement is what made scouts a bit hesitant about him. If he struggles in his own zone, it’ll be hard for head coach David Carle to throw him out there for 20-plus minutes a game, but if he excels in that end, Rudolph could be playing an insane amount of minutes with the Pioneers.
