We're now two months into the college hockey season, and we've seen a masterful display by the Big Ten that has them ranked in the top three spots of the USCHO.com rankings. Perhaps the most surprising team, however, has been Minnesota-Duluth, riding the Plante brothers to a 12-4-0 ranking and the third spot in the NCHC. Players are making names for themselves, and dynasty hockey managers should be keeping an eye on the ever-changing NCAA landscape.
Check out all our Fantasy Hockey Prospects analysis, breaking down both NHL-drafted players and draft-eligible options from NCAA, juniors and international competitions.
High Profile Freshman Forwards Battling for Top Draft Status
Gavin McKenna, F, Penn State
Perhaps the most hyped college hockey player of all time, McKenna has shot out of the gate with four goals (on 59 shots) and 18 points through 16 games. Notably, he only has two goals and six points at even strength, which highlights some of the concerns surrounding the potential No. 1 pick in 2026. McKenna is undersized at 6-foot, 170 pounds and is struggling to hold his own on the boards against bigger and stronger players who are up to 25 years old. The 17-year-old is playing tough minutes on the Nittany Lions' top line, but his backchecking has been lazy at times, while his defensive play needs work. Still, his resume on the team's top power-play unit is outstanding, as he has showcased command in space with the puck on his stick, utilizing elite vision
We're now two months into the college hockey season, and we've seen a masterful display by the Big Ten that has them ranked in the top three spots of the USCHO.com rankings. Perhaps the most surprising team, however, has been Minnesota-Duluth, riding the Plante brothers to a 12-4-0 ranking and the third spot in the NCHC. Players are making names for themselves, and dynasty hockey managers should be keeping an eye on the ever-changing NCAA landscape.
Check out all our Fantasy Hockey Prospects analysis, breaking down both NHL-drafted players and draft-eligible options from NCAA, juniors and international competitions.
High Profile Freshman Forwards Battling for Top Draft Status
Gavin McKenna, F, Penn State
Perhaps the most hyped college hockey player of all time, McKenna has shot out of the gate with four goals (on 59 shots) and 18 points through 16 games. Notably, he only has two goals and six points at even strength, which highlights some of the concerns surrounding the potential No. 1 pick in 2026. McKenna is undersized at 6-foot, 170 pounds and is struggling to hold his own on the boards against bigger and stronger players who are up to 25 years old. The 17-year-old is playing tough minutes on the Nittany Lions' top line, but his backchecking has been lazy at times, while his defensive play needs work. Still, his resume on the team's top power-play unit is outstanding, as he has showcased command in space with the puck on his stick, utilizing elite vision and hockey sense as a playmaker.
One of the reasons that McKenna chose college hockey – besides the six-figure NIL deal – is that he'd continue to get stronger in the weight room while facing tougher competition. The beginning of the season has been disappointing for his projection, but when you watch him play, it's clear that the talent is unmatched across college hockey. After all, you don't luck into CHL Player of the Year honors as a 16-year-old. McKenna should continue to improve as the season progresses.
Keaton Verhoeff, F, North Dakota
Verhoeff is battling McKenna for the No. 1 overall slot in next year's draft, and he's thriving in his time with the Fighting Hawks, handling big minutes on the blue line while posting four goals and four assists through 12 games. He won't turn 18 years old until next June, but he has had no issues holding his own in the physical NCHC landscape, measuring in at 6-foot-4, 212 pounds. Verhoeff doesn't move like he's that big, however, as he often joins the offensive rush up ice, where he's dangerous with the puck on his stick, both as a distributor and with his heavy shot. His defensive game could still use some work, but the talent is evident, and he'll continue to develop in head coach Dane Jackson's system.
Big Ten Frontrunners Fueling Fantasy Hockey Prospect Value
Will Horcoff, F, Michigan 
After posting 10 points through 18 games as a freshman, he's showing a massive improvement with a nation-high 14 goals through 16 games, adding seven assists along the way. The 2025 first-round pick (24th overall) has smooth hands and a wicked wrist shot, and at 6-foot-5, 201 pounds, he has been a menacing net-front presence. Horcoff mostly plays on the wing, which is where he's projected as an NHL player, but he has played some center in the past.
Blake Montgomery, F, Wisconsin 
Montgomery was a late bloomer, but has been convincing as a freshman. When we looked at our betting options earlier this season, Montgomery was a big reason that I felt Wisconsin was a worthy long-shot bid. Montgomery injected much-needed size into Wisconsin's lineup at 6-foot-4, and following a slow start to the season, he has been one of the team's best scorers with seven goals – two on the power play – over the last nine games while playing on the Badgers' third line. The 20-year-old is hard to slow down once he hits his top gear, and he's been willing to make plays in front of the net.
Porter Martone, F, Michigan State 
As advertised, the 2025 first-round pick (sixth overall) has been remarkable for the Spartans, leading the team with 10 goals, including seven in the last five games against Big Ten competition, and adding eight assists through 12 games. The 19-year-old has a high motor and hasn't shied away from the physicality of college hockey at all, and it looks like there's a good chance he's on the Flyers for the start of the 2026-27 season.
Hockey East Breakout Performers Leading Draft Conversations
Cole Hutson, D, Boston University 
The Terriers are having a tough start to the season, but Hutson has been a bright spot with team highs in goals (seven) and assists (11) through 14 games while averaging a whopping 26:32 of ice time. The St. Louis product is basically on the same pace as his freshman year, but he's scoring at a higher clip (11.3 percent). He's quite physical even at his smaller stature (5-foot-11), and his offensive gifts on the blue line give him an opportunity to follow in his brother Lane's footsteps.
Roger McQueen, F, Providence 
McQueen's a power forward with a wicked wrist shot, but he had a slow start to the season with no goals through the first nine games. He has seemingly turned a corner, posting four goals – all at even strength – over the last four games while adding two assists in that stretch. The back injury hasn't held him back so far, but that could still be a long-term risk.
Justin Poirier, F, Maine 
Poirier has scored at every level, and now he leads the Black Bears with 11 goals and 17 points through 14 games, tickling twine on 19.6 percent of his shots in the process. The 2024 fifth-round pick has an NHL-ready shot, and he has responded well to the physicality of college hockey despite his 5-foot-7 stature. His size will continue to make us hesitant, but the upside is apparent.
Joey Muldowney, F, UConn 
Speaking of undersized forwards, Muldowney (5-foot-9) has produced just one goal over the last six games but is still tied for the team high with six goals through 12 games. This may be his last season of college hockey, but it looks like he'll probably need a couple of years in the AHL before he gets his chance in the show.
James Hagens, F, Boston College 
Hagens is having a good season, but it's underwhelming considering his seventh-overall selection last summer. The 19-year-old has produced six goals and seven assists through 13 games, and while we'd like to see a higher pace in his second year, he's taking on the burden of being the focal point of this team's offense after Ryan Leonard and Gabe Perreault went pro. Perhaps more importantly, Hagens added 15 pounds this offseason but didn't appear to lose any speed. There's no need to panic on Hagens right now, but it's worth keeping an eye on his progress at World Juniors and in the second half of the season.
Vaclav Nestrasil, F, UMass 
Nestrasil has been dominant since he stepped on the ice at UMass, as he's second on the team with 16 points (seven goals, nine assists) through 15 games. The 6-foot-5 forward has mixed it up physically while looking comfortable in traffic. His early production is encouraging for his long-term outlook, and he should continue to fill out his frame with the UMass training staff.
Dominant Players Rising in NCHC and NHL Draft Radar
Eric Pohlkamp, D, Denver
Pohlkamp has stepped right into the shoes left behind by Zeev Buium, as he leads the Pioneers with 10 goals – two on the power play – from the blue line, contributing six assists as well. The 5-foot-11, 201-pound defenseman contributes at every level of the ice and has a sturdy frame for his height. Pohlkamp – a right-shot defenseman – has checked every box we've needed to see with the added responsibilities, putting him on an interesting NHL trajectory.
Max Plante, F, Minnesota-Duluth 
Plante was lauded as a playmaker during his draft year, and he had an outstanding freshman season where he posted 28 points (nine goals, 19 assists) through 23 games. He now leads the Bulldogs as a 19-year-old with 13 goals and 13 assists through 16 games. His brother Zam (Penguins) isn't far behind with seven goals and 17 assists, but he's two years older. A second-round pick in 2024, Max has the higher long-term upside and needs to be on fantasy radars.
Cole Reschny, F, North Dakota 
Reschny is a smooth, speedy skater who handles zone entries well and sets up his teammates, posting two goals and nine assists through 12 games. The 2025 first-round pick has an outstanding shot that he needs to use more – he has just 25 shots on goal – and we should expect him to start using it more soon. After all, he posted 26 goals through 62 games in the WHL last season before adding nine goals over 11 playoff games.
William Whitelaw, F, Western Michigan 
A 2023 third-round pick, Whitelaw is on his third team in three seasons, but this has been his best yet with a team-high seven goals and six assists through 14 games. He compensates for his smaller size with a strong stride, but he needed to develop into a consistent goal scorer to have a real chance at the NHL level. While his flashes have been intriguing, we still need to see more going forward.
