March is the time for NCAA madness, and although basketball gets most of the attention, the D1 Ice Hockey Championship is also starting this week, drawing thousands of fans from across the nation. It will also draw plenty of NHL attention, with teams eager to see how their top collegiate prospects are doing.
The Ottawa Senators have had plenty of success with prospects in the NCAA, from Jake Sanderson to Stephen Halliday, and this year looks to be no different. Eight players across five programs will hit the ice between Thursday and Friday, and there’s a good chance a few of them make it to the next round. That’s great news for the Senators, as they don’t have the deepest prospect pool anymore and need to find a few hidden gems. Thankfully, there’s plenty of talent in the NCAA just waiting for an opportunity to break out.
Hensler, Idzan, Dyck and Montgomery – U. Wisconsin
Not long ago, the University of North Dakota was the place to be for future Senators. Now, it’s the University of Wisconsin. The Badgers currently have four Ottawa prospects on their roster, headlined by their 2025 first-round pick, Logan Hensler. The two-way defender had a solid sophomore season, putting up 12 points in 23 games, increasing his point-per-game average from 0.38 to 0.52. Unfortunately, he won’t be dressed on Mar. 26, as he suffered a season-ending leg injury on Jan. 31.
Fellow 2025 draft pick Blake Montgomery has started to rediscover his game after a hot start this season, with two points in his last two games. However, he’s also upped his aggression, adding two game misconducts in two games against Penn State. Although Wisconsin won, he had to sit out against Ohio State as he now has three misconduct penalties on the season, which carry an automatic one-game suspension. That left him with 17 points and 65 penalty minutes in his freshman season.
Tyson Dyck and Bruno Idzan both struggled to get into the lineup at times this season. Idzan, the third 2025 draft pick to suit up for Wisconsin, struggled to adapt to the pace of the NCAA, dressing for just 20 games this season, none of which came in March. He finished his freshman season with three goals and five points.
On the other end of the spectrum is Dyck, a 22-year-old junior who put up 15 points in 26 games, but only played twice in March, the last of which was to replace Montgomery on the third line during his suspension. He had a great start to the new year with an eight-game point streak, but hasn’t been able to stay in the lineup since. This is his last year to earn an NHL contract before his rights expire, so he’ll be extra motivated to put on a good show.
After securing the number three regional seed, the Badgers will take on second-seed Dartmouth College. The two schools have never met before on the ice, and Dartmouth hasn’t been to the National Championship since 1980. But the team has been sneaky good this season, led by sophomores Hayden Stavroff and Hank Cleaves, while Montreal Canadiens’ prospect Emmett Croteau has been stellar between the pipes for the Big Green. Wisconsin has the experience and NHL talent, though, which should help them get to the quarterfinals.
Theo Wallberg – Western Michigan
After two seasons with Ohio State, Theo Wallberg transferred to Western Michigan University for the 2025-26 season and rediscovered his scoring touch after a rough sophomore season. In 35 games, the 6-foot-5 blueliner scored a goal and 13 points, while leading the team with 33 blocked shots. It’s not the 21 points he scored as a freshman at Ohio State, but he was primarily deployed on the third pairing this season and didn’t get nearly as much power play time. He’s a strong, puck-moving defenceman who has continued to improve his strength and physicality, and he’ll be essential for Western Michigan to defend its title.
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Trying to upset the reigning champions will be the Minnesota State Mavericks. The two met in the first round of last season’s National Championship, with Western Michigan moving on. However, Minnesota State has been red-hot lately, winning eight of its last nine games thanks to goalie Alexander Tracy, who currently sports a .927 save percentage (SV%) over 38 games. The CCHA champions won’t go down without a fight.
Filip Nordberg – Merrimack
Filip Nordberg is proving to be a bit of a late bloomer. After spending two seasons in the United States Hockey League (USHL), he joined Merrimack College as a 21-year-old freshman, where he’s been a steady depth piece for the Warriors. In 37 games, the big defenceman has seven assists, 62 PIMs, 48 blocked shots, and a defence-leading 50 shots on goal. With an already well-rounded defensive game, he might just need a bigger role to show he can be an impact player, and there’s no better time to do it than against one of the best teams in the NCAA.
The North Dakota Fighting Hawks are a powerhouse. They’re the third-highest scoring team in the NCAA, with offence coming from all over the lineup, and they have the rare privilege of playing in their home arena to start the tournament. However, Merrimack is coming off a seven-game win streak and a Hockey East Championship. They also have a fantastic coach in Scott Borek, who gives Merrimack a chance to pull off one of the biggest upsets in college hockey.
Hoyt Stanley – Cornell
For the third time in his three-year collegiate career, Hoyt Stanley returns to the NCAA D1 hockey tournament with Cornell. Like Wallberg, Stanley has made a name for himself with his solid defensive play while putting up lower offensive totals, but instead of playing a sheltered role, the 2023 fourth-round pick is front and centre on the top pairing. He eats a ton of tough minutes, yet still finished with a plus-5 while blocking a team-high 42 shots.
That defensive-mindedness will be crucial against the University of Denver’s offence. Champions in 2022 and 2024, Denver is looking forward to a rematch against the Big Red, which they barely pushed aside in the 2024 quarterfinals with a 2-1 victory. It’s likely going to be another low-scoring affair thanks to the two defensive-minded teams, but Stanley will have a great chance to prove he’s worth an NHL contract if he can shut down the 5th-best program in the NCAA.
Kevin Reidler – Penn State
Kevin Reidler joined Penn State after his freshman season at Nebraska-Omaha because he wanted a place where he could play big minutes. Unfortunately, that hasn’t worked out as he hoped, as he’s been forced to split time with freshman Josh Fleming, who’s outperformed him in every category. It’s not that he’s been bad; in 18 games this season, Reidler has a .901 SV% and a 3.31 goals-against average (GAA). However, Fleming has a .922 SV%, a 2.64 GAA, and two shutouts. With a difficult matchup against the University of Minnesota-Duluth, expect Fleming to get the start on Mar. 27.
Aside from Hensler and Montgomery, most of these prospects haven’t gotten much attention, but that doesn’t mean they aren’t effective players. Stanley and Wallberg have continued to develop into reliable defensive pillars, and Nordberg and Idzan continue to show promise as they get more comfortable with the grind of college hockey. Even Dyck and Reilder have proven they have the skill to steal a game when needed, and should another player go down with an injury, they’re more than capable of stepping in. That’s what the Senators will be looking for, and they’ll have plenty to watch on Mar. 26.
