Three of the Biggest Disappointments in NCAA Hockey So Far

The 2026–27 NCAA men’s hockey season is still in its early stages, but some teams have already given fans reasons for concern. Notre Dame, Ohio State, and Minnesota State entered the season hoping to put themselves in a spot to fight for the national tournament and even compete within their conference, but as it stands right now, these teams are falling behind expectations. 

Notre Dame has had one of the roughest starts among these three teams. After opening the season with two wins against Niagara, the Fighting Irish suffered a reality check against Western Michigan. Notre Dame was outscored 10–1 across the two-game series, losing 6–1 before being shut out 4–0.  The offensive play was expected to be a lot better, considering they brought back Danny Nelson, brought in Sammy Nelson, and even got Denver transfer Hagen Burrows, but the Irish have looked slow, and I can’t say they have an identity on the ice just yet. 

Ohio State has shown flashes of potential, but consistency remains a major issue. The Buckeyes split their opening series against RPI, losing 3–0 before bouncing back with a 3–2 victory. They followed that with another split against Sacred Heart, dropping the opener 5–3 before responding with a convincing 5–1 win. Although Ohio State has demonstrated that there is some offense, the inability to string together strong performances is concerning. If the Buckeyes hope to compete in a demanding Big Ten conference, they need to find more consistent play down the stretch

Minnesota State has arguably endured the most alarming results of the three. The Mavericks opened their series against Merrimack with a 4–3 overtime loss before suffering an 8–2 defeat in the rematch. The eight goals allowed were the first major red flag, marking the first time since 2011 that Minnesota State had conceded eight goals in a game. The Mavericks also lost both games against Wisconsin by scores of 4–0 and 4–1. Those results expose serious defensive concerns that must be addressed quickly if the team hopes to regain its footing.