List of NCHC tournament champions

The Target Center hosted the inaugural NCHC tournament in 2014.

The National Collegiate Hockey Conference is a National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) Division I ice hockey-only conference that was created during the 2014 NCAA Division I men's ice hockey conference realignment as a result of the formation of the Big Ten ice hockey conference.

The tournament began play in 2014 with an eight-team championship in three rounds. With the admission of Arizona State growing the NCHC to nine teams in the 2024–25 season, the team in ninth place in conference standings did not qualify for the tournament in 2024–25 or 2025–26 season.

The NCHC tournament features a first round round of best of three series hosted by the higher seed, with the four winners advancing to the Frozen Faceoff between 2014–2025.

The Frozen Faceoff was originally played at Target Center in Minneapolis, before moving to St. Paul's Xcel Energy Center beginning in 2018. Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the tournament was cancelled in 2020 and hosted in its entirety by regular season champion North Dakota at the Ralph Engelstad Arena in 2021. The tournament's previously unnamed trophy was named the National Cup in September 2025.[1]

The tournament moved entirely to campus sites starting in 2026.[2] With St. Thomas' admission to the NCHC in 2026–27, all ten teams will once again make the tournament. Following first round best-of-three series, the re-seeded number four and five seeds will play at the site of the one seed, with the winner playing the one seed the following day.[3]

Champions

Year Winning team Coach Losing team Coach Score Location Venue Ref
2014DenverJim MontgomeryMiamiEnrico Blasi4–3Minneapolis, MinnesotaTarget Center[4]
2015MiamiEnrico BlasiSt. Cloud StateBob Motzko3–2Minneapolis, MinnesotaTarget Center[5]
2016St. Cloud StateBob MotzkoMinnesota–DuluthScott Sandelin3–1Minneapolis, MinnesotaTarget Center[6]
2017Minnesota–DuluthScott SandelinNorth DakotaBrad Berry4–3Minneapolis, MinnesotaTarget Center
2018Denver (2)Jim MontgomerySt. Cloud StateBob Motzko4–1Saint Paul, MinnesotaXcel Energy Center
2019Minnesota–Duluth (2)Scott SandelinSt. Cloud StateBrett Larson3–2 (2OT)Saint Paul, MinnesotaXcel Energy Center
2020Cancelled due to the COVID-19 pandemic.[7]
2021North DakotaBrad BerrySt. Cloud StateBrett Larson5–3Grand Forks, North DakotaRalph Engelstad Arena
2022Minnesota Duluth (3)Scott SandelinWestern MichiganPat Ferschweiler3–0Saint Paul, MinnesotaXcel Energy Center
2023St. Cloud State (2)Brett LarsonColorado CollegeKris Mayotte3–0Saint Paul, MinnesotaXcel Energy Center
2024Denver (3)David CarleOmahaMike Gabinet4–1Saint Paul, MinnesotaXcel Energy Center
2025Western MichiganPat FerschweilerDenverDavid Carle4–3 (2OT)Saint Paul, MinnesotaXcel Energy Center
2026 Denver (4) David Carle Minnesota Duluth Scott Sandelin 4–3 (2OT) Denver, Colorado Magness Arena

[8]

Championships by School

School Championships Appearances Win%
Denver45.800
Minnesota Duluth35.600
St. Cloud State26.333
North Dakota12.500
Miami12.500
Western Michigan12.500
Colorado College01.000
Omaha01.000

References

  1. ↑ "NCHC Goes National, Unveils Secondary Logo and Brand Refresh". nchchockey.com. 2025-09-22. Retrieved 2026-03-09.
  2. ↑ "NCHC Moving Tournament Fully on Campus in 2026". College Hockey News. Retrieved 2024-03-21.
  3. ↑ Schlossman, Brad (2026-04-21). "UND's 2026-27 hockey schedule features intriguing road trips". Grand Forks Herald. Retrieved 2026-04-21.
  4. ↑ "2014 NCHC Tournament" (PDF). NCHC Hockey. Archived from the original (PDF) on 2014-03-28. Retrieved 2014-05-18.
  5. ↑ "2015 NCHC Tournament" (PDF). NCHC Hockey. Retrieved 2016-05-02.
  6. ↑ "Frozen Faceoff Live". NCHC Hockey. Retrieved 2016-05-02.
  7. ↑ "NCHC Tournament Cancelled Effective Immediately". nchchockey.com. March 12, 2020. Archived from the original on March 18, 2020. Retrieved March 12, 2020.
  8. ↑ "NCHC Tournament". College Hockey Historical Archive. Retrieved 2014-05-18.
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