Friday, April 19, 2024

NCAA Alumni Set to Begin Chase for Stanley Cup

2024 Stanley Cup Playoffs Get Underway This Weekend

NCAA Alumni Set to Begin Chase for Stanley Cup
No fewer than 35 different NCAA schools will be represented in the Stanley Cup Playoffs.

More than 120 former NCAA hockey players representing 35 different schools will be on National Hockey League playoff rosters when the 2024 Stanley Cup Playoffs begin this weekend.

A total of 127 NCAA alumni were listed on NHL playoff rosters as of Friday morning, led by Boston, Colorado, the New York Rangers, and Vancouver with 12 each. Nashville was next with 10.

Michigan (11) and Minnesota (10) boast the most alumni on playoff rosters, followed by North Dakota (nine), Wisconsin (nine), Boston University (eight), UMass (seven) and St. Cloud State (seven). Twenty NCAA schools have multiple alumni competing in the Stanley Cup Playoffs.

Rostered NCAA Alumni by Series*:
22 – Vancouver (12) vs. Nashville (10)
21 – Winnipeg (9) vs. Colorado (12)
19 – NY Rangers (12) vs. Washington (7)
16 – Boston (12) vs. Toronto (4)
15 – Carolina (8) vs. NY Islanders (7)
13 – Edmonton (5) vs. Los Angeles (8)
11 – Florida (4) vs. Tampa Bay (7)
10 – Dallas (5) vs. Vegas (5)

* – rosters as of April 19

First-Round Series Involving Former Teammates:

Vancouver vs. Nashville

  • Brock Boeser vs. Cole Smith (2016-17 at North Dakota)

NY Rangers vs. Washington

  • Jonny Brodzinski vs. Nick Jensen (2012-13 at St. Cloud State)
  • Jonny Brodzinski vs. Charlie Lindgren (2013-15 at St. Cloud State)

Carolina vs. NY Islanders

  • Brady Skjei vs. Mike Reilly (2012-15 at Minnesota)
  • Brady Skjei vs. Hudson Fasching (2013-15 at Minnesota)

Edmonton vs. Los Angeles

  • Dylan Holloway vs. Alex Turcotte (2019-20 at Wisconsin)

In addition to NCAA alumni dotting NHL playoff rosters, more than half of the 16 teams competing in the Stanley Cup Playoffs were assembled by general managers who played college hockey: Boston’s Don Sweeney (Harvard), Carolina’s Don Waddell (Northern Michigan), Colorado’s Chris MacFarland (Pace), Florida’s Bill Zito (Yale), Los Angeles’ Rob Blake (Bowling Green), the New York Islanders’ Lou Lamoriello (Providence), the New York Rangers’ Chris Drury (Boston University), Vegas’ Kelly McCrimmon (Michigan), and Washington’s Brian MacLellan (Bowling Green).

Five of the qualifying teams are coached by former NCAA players: Boston’s Jim Montgomery (Maine), Carolina’s Rod Brind’Amour (Michigan State), Los Angeles’ Jim Hiller (Northern Michigan), the Rangers’ Peter Laviolette (Westfield State), and Washington’s Spencer Carbery (Alaska Anchorage, St. Norbert).

The 2024 Stanley Cup Playoffs get underway Saturday with the Carolina-NY Islanders and Boston-Toronto series. Click HERE to view College Hockey Inc.’s NHL Matchup Tool for all NHL players and staff with NCAA ties.

Take part in the 2024 NHL Bracket Challenge and enter your own bracket at NHL.com/CollegeHockey for a chance to win a prize package of official College Hockey Inc. gear.