CoachReachCollege Ice Hockey Roster Openings 2026-27
Which college ice hockey programs are projected to lose the most players after this season, overall and at each position. Counted from the seniors and graduate students on 243 official rosters: an estimate to point your emails at programs that will need your position, not a promise of a spot.
Men's Ice Hockey: programs projected to lose the most playersProjected · estimate
| # | Program | On roster | Sr + Gr (departing) | Returning | Signal |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Indiana Institute of Technology NAIA IN | 31 | 15 | 14 | High |
| 2 | Mercyhurst NCAA D1 PA | 54 | 13 | 41 | Medium |
| 3 | Norwich NCAA D3 VT | 30 | 12 | 18 | High |
| 4 | Assumption NCAA D2 MA | 33 | 11 | 22 | Medium |
| 5 | Hamline NCAA D3 MN | 30 | 11 | 19 | Medium |
| 6 | SUNY Canton NCAA D3 NY | 29 | 11 | 18 | Medium |
| 7 | Utica NCAA D3 NY | 27 | 11 | 16 | High |
| 8 | Plymouth State NCAA D3 NH | 26 | 11 | 15 | High |
| 9 | Nichols NCAA D3 MA | 33 | 10 | 23 | Medium |
| 10 | Lawrence NCAA D3 WI | 32 | 10 | 22 | Medium |
| 11 | Canisius NCAA D1 NY | 30 | 10 | 20 | Medium |
| 12 | Chatham NCAA D3 PA | 26 | 10 | 16 | Medium |
| 13 | Massachusetts Dartmouth NCAA D3 MA | 32 | 9 | 23 | Medium |
| 14 | Alvernia NCAA D3 PA | 29 | 9 | 20 | Medium |
| 15 | Augustana NCAA D2 SD | 29 | 9 | 20 | Medium |
| 16 | Bentley NCAA D2 MA | 29 | 9 | 20 | Medium |
| 17 | Massachusetts Boston NCAA D3 MA | 29 | 9 | 20 | Medium |
| 18 | Trine NCAA D3 IN | 29 | 9 | 20 | Medium |
| 19 | St. Norbert NCAA D3 WI | 26 | 9 | 17 | Medium |
| 20 | Providence NAIA MT | 23 | 9 | 14 | Medium |
154 men's ice hockey rosters read for 2026-27; 142 have complete enough class and position data to be ranked. 12 low-confidence programs are left out of the rankings but shown on their own program pages.
Men's Ice Hockey openings by positionProjected · estimate: top 8 programs by departing players at each position
Forward F
- Assumption NCAA D2 MA9 of 19 departing High
- Indiana Institute of Technology NAIA IN9 of 17 departing High
- Nichols NCAA D3 MA8 of 19 departing High
- Utica NCAA D3 NY8 of 17 departing High
- Mercyhurst NCAA D1 PA7 of 27 departing Medium
- Lawrence NCAA D3 WI7 of 18 departing Medium
- Hamline NCAA D3 MN7 of 17 departing High
- Beloit NCAA D3 WI7 of 16 departing High
Defense D
- Indiana Institute of Technology NAIA IN6 of 11 departing High
- SUNY Canton NCAA D3 NY6 of 9 departing High
- Lehigh NCAA D1 PA5 of 23 departing Medium
- Mercyhurst NCAA D1 PA5 of 18 departing Medium
- Adrian NCAA D3 MI4 of 10 departing High
- Dartmouth NCAA D1 NH4 of 10 departing High
- Robert Morris NCAA D1 PA4 of 9 departing High
- Vermont NCAA D1 VT4 of 9 departing High
Goalie G
- Boston NCAA D1 MA2 of 4 departing High
- Franklin Pierce NCAA D2 NH2 of 4 departing High
- New England NCAA D3 ME2 of 4 departing High
- New Jersey Institute of Technology NCAA D1 NJ2 of 4 departing High
- Princeton NCAA D1 NJ2 of 4 departing High
- St. Norbert NCAA D3 WI2 of 4 departing High
- SUNY Brockport NCAA D3 NY2 of 4 departing High
- Wisconsin-Stevens Point NCAA D3 WI2 of 4 departing High
Women's Ice Hockey: programs projected to lose the most playersProjected · estimate
| # | Program | On roster | Sr + Gr (departing) | Returning | Signal |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Assumption NCAA D2 MA | 29 | 12 | 17 | High |
| 2 | Wilkes NCAA D3 PA | 33 | 10 | 23 | Medium |
| 3 | Vermont NCAA D1 VT | 26 | 10 | 16 | Medium |
| 4 | Plymouth State NCAA D3 NH | 25 | 10 | 15 | High |
| 5 | Trine NCAA D3 IN | 30 | 9 | 21 | Medium |
| 6 | Bemidji State NCAA D2 MN | 25 | 9 | 16 | Medium |
| 7 | SUNY Canton NCAA D3 NY | 24 | 9 | 15 | Medium |
| 8 | Franklin Pierce NCAA D2 NH | 31 | 8 | 23 | Medium |
| 9 | Nazareth NCAA D3 NY | 27 | 8 | 19 | Medium |
| 10 | Merrimack NCAA D1 MA | 26 | 8 | 18 | Medium |
| 11 | Saint Mary's University of Minnesota NCAA D3 MN | 26 | 8 | 18 | Medium |
| 12 | Robert Morris NCAA D1 PA | 25 | 8 | 17 | Medium |
| 13 | Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute NCAA D3 NY | 31 | 7 | 24 | Medium |
| 14 | Wisconsin-Eau Claire NCAA D3 WI | 29 | 7 | 22 | Medium |
| 15 | Concordia University Wisconsin NCAA D3 WI | 26 | 7 | 19 | Medium |
| 16 | Dartmouth NCAA D1 NH | 26 | 7 | 19 | Medium |
| 17 | New Hampshire NCAA D1 NH | 26 | 7 | 19 | Medium |
| 18 | Norwich NCAA D3 VT | 26 | 7 | 19 | Medium |
| 19 | St. Cloud State NCAA D2 MN | 25 | 7 | 18 | Medium |
| 20 | Connecticut NCAA D1 CT | 24 | 7 | 17 | Medium |
108 women's ice hockey rosters read for 2026-27; 101 have complete enough class and position data to be ranked. 7 low-confidence programs are left out of the rankings but shown on their own program pages.
Women's Ice Hockey openings by positionProjected · estimate: top 8 programs by departing players at each position
Forward F
- Vermont NCAA D1 VT7 of 15 departing High
- Wilkes NCAA D3 PA6 of 20 departing Medium
- Assumption NCAA D2 MA6 of 16 departing Medium
- SUNY Canton NCAA D3 NY6 of 15 departing High
- Merrimack NCAA D1 MA6 of 14 departing High
- Nazareth NCAA D3 NY6 of 14 departing High
- Vermont State University Castleton NCAA D3 VT5 of 17 departing Medium
- Wisconsin-Eau Claire NCAA D3 WI5 of 17 departing Medium
Defense D
- Assumption NCAA D2 MA5 of 9 departing High
- Alvernia NCAA D3 PA4 of 11 departing Medium
- Franklin Pierce NCAA D2 NH4 of 10 departing High
- Salve Regina NCAA D3 RI3 of 12 departing Medium
- Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute NCAA D3 NY3 of 11 departing Medium
- Concordia University Wisconsin NCAA D3 WI3 of 10 departing Medium
- Lindenwood NCAA D1 MO3 of 10 departing Medium
- Trine NCAA D3 IN3 of 10 departing Medium
Goalie G
- Bethel NCAA D3 MN2 of 4 departing High
- Hobart and William Smith Colleges NCAA D3 NY2 of 4 departing High
- Lawrence NCAA D3 WI2 of 4 departing High
- Plymouth State NCAA D3 NH2 of 4 departing High
- Wesleyan NCAA D3 CT2 of 4 departing High
- Amherst NCAA D3 MA2 of 3 departing High
- Boston NCAA D1 MA2 of 3 departing High
- Concordia University Wisconsin NCAA D3 WI2 of 3 departing High
How to use this
How the openings estimate works
Estimate: departing = players listed as seniors or graduate students at that position; signal compares them with everyone at the position whose class is listed (high: at least 2 and at least 40% departing; medium: at least 1 and at least 20%; low: fewer). Based only on the published roster.
- Does not account for transfers, early departures, injuries, walk-ons or players already committed.
- Seniors without a stated redshirt may still have a year of eligibility left; the roster page does not say.
- Coaches recruit for need and fit; an opening is not an offer.
Counts come from the official roster page as published; individual players are never stored or shown here. Open the official roster for names.
A program losing three starters at your position will read your email differently than one that is set for two years. Email the position coach now, say which spot you are aiming for, and link your film. Head coaches and position coaches for every program are in the ice hockey coaches directory.
Keep going
Aggregate counts from each program's official roster page; no player names or personal details are stored or shown. Rosters change through the year. Report a problem.