Michigan State hockey might rewrite some records this fall, and that could be the case almost the second they hit the ice.
The first big non-conference game of the season for Michigan State will take place on Halloween all the way down in Austin, Texas. It’s going to set the tone for the season even though it’s six games into the 2026-27 campaign. While there will undoubtedly be big games in the first month of the season, this one is going to be the headliner between two likely top-five teams.
That game is going to break an NCAA record the second the puck drops.
According to Brad Elliott Schlossman, the Michigan State vs. North Dakota game is going to feature the most NHL first-round picks to ever play in the same NCAA hockey game.
The North Dakota vs. Michigan State game on Halloween in Austin, Texas, is scheduled to feature the most NHL first-round picks to ever play in a college hockey game.
— Brad Elliott Schlossman (@SchlossmanGF) June 29, 2026
Schlossman is claiming the broken record will be 13 between these two teams on Oct. 31, but I believe he made that projection (unless I’m missing someone obvious because that would make the most sense) right before Tommy Bleyl revealed that he was going to join the 2026-27 roster.
Michigan State is projected to have these first-rounders on the 2026-27 roster:
- Cayden Lindstrom
- Chase Reid
- Joshua Ravensbergen
- Ryker Lee
- Mason West
- Cullen Porter
- Nikita Klepov
- Ethan Belchetz
- Tommy Bleyl
- Jack Hextall
And according to the College Hockey News roster projections, North Dakota will have these first-rounders for the upcoming season:
- Carson Carels
- EJ Emery
- Keaton Verhoeff
- Cole Reschny
So there you have it, 14 first-rounders playing in a single college hockey game. Crazy.
National title or bust for Adam Nightingale?
I’ll say Frozen Four or bust.
It’s that unfortunate phrase again. While I’ve said it dozens of times that I hate the term “national title or bust”, I do believe that tag will follow Adam Nightingale and the Spartans around all season.
This Michigan State team has double-digit first-round picks on its roster, including a goaltender who was just ranked the No. 2 drafted NHL goalie prospect and five first-rounders from this past class. Missing the Frozen Four during the 2026-27 season would be one of the more disappointing outcomes of a Michigan State hockey season in decades.
While it’s hard to feel like it’s Frozen Four or bust for this program that was just in the gutter when Nightingale found it, he has been around for four-plus years now and it’s time to win the big one with all the talent he’s bringing in.
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