Hosts Jim Connelly (@jimmyconnelly), Derek Schooley (@derekschooley), and Ed Trefzger (@EdTrefzger) look at sometimes controversial or overlooked topics in our midweek episode called Upon Further Review.

One month after our first analysis of the NPI, we compare and contrast the teams "inside the bubble" in each, and look at which teams are pretty safe and which have work to do.

This episode is sponsored by the NCAA Men's Frozen Four, April 9 and 11 in Las Vegas. Tickets: https://ncaa.com/mfrozenfour

Find all of our podcasts at USCHO.com/podcasts

Hosts Jim Connelly (@jimmyconnelly), Derek Schooley (@derekschooley), and Ed Trefzger (@EdTrefzger) review games of the weekend and news of the past week.

They note that St. Cloud State and Arizona State got boosts to their season with tournament wins, while RIT and Army West Point pulled off upsets. Maine's strong weekend at Denver is also among games highlighted.

They also look at disappointing results for the U.S. and Canada in the IIHF World Junior Championship and the pressure on players on that stage.

This episode is sponsored by the NCAA Men's Frozen Four, April 9 and 11 in Las Vegas. Tickets: https://ncaa.com/mfrozenfour

Find all of our podcasts at USCHO.com/podcasts

Hosts Jim Connelly (@jimmyconnelly), Derek Schooley (@derekschooley), and Ed Trefzger (@EdTrefzger) look at sometimes controversial or overlooked topics in our midweek episode called Upon Further Review.

They discuss the long semester break in college hockey and the impact of players participating in the IIHF World Junior Championshiop and the Spengler Cup, and tackle the question about whether the break is too long.

This episode is sponsored by the NCAA Men's Frozen Four, April 9 and 11 in Las Vegas. Tickets: https://ncaa.com/mfrozenfour

Find all of our podcasts at USCHO.com/podcasts

Hosts Jim Connelly (@jimmyconnelly), Derek Schooley (@derekschooley), and Ed Trefzger (@EdTrefzger) review games of the weekend and news of the past week.

First they catch up on the IIHF World Junior Championship with USA at 3-0-0-0 heading into its New Year's Eve game with Sweden, and on Canada and its college hockey representation. They also note what could be some attendance issues for non-USA games.

They also look at the Spengler Cup, where the U.S. Collegiate Selects surprised the world, but were disappointed in a 6-3 loss to HC Davos.

This episode is sponsored by the NCAA Men's Frozen Four, April 9 and 11 in Las Vegas. Tickets: https://ncaa.com/mfrozenfour

Find all of our podcasts at USCHO.com/podcasts

Hosts Jim Connelly (@jimmyconnelly), Derek Schooley (@derekschooley), and Ed Trefzger (@EdTrefzger) look at sometimes controversial or overlooked topics in our midweek episode called Upon Further Review.

In this episode, we look at five categories of superlatives: team of the first half, biggest plot twist, most worrisome big brand, most under-the-radar team, and prediction we each feel best about for 2026.

This episode is sponsored by the NCAA Men's Frozen Four, April 9 and 11 in Las Vegas. Tickets: https://ncaa.com/mfrozenfour

Find all of our podcasts at USCHO.com/podcasts

Hosts Jim Connelly (@jimmyconnelly), Derek Schooley (@derekschooley), and Ed Trefzger (@EdTrefzger) review games of the weekend and news of the past week.

First, they discuss the emotional farewell to Matthews Arena, highlighting its historical significance and the challenges faced in replacing such an iconic venue. The conversation shifts to the implications for Northeastern's hockey team during the construction of a new arena, including potential impacts on recruiting and game locations.

They also note some weekend performances, including key games for Dartmouth, UNH, Maine, and Augustana.

The episode concludes with an analysis of the current NPI standings, exploring the potential tournament bids for teams across different conferences, and assessing the strengths and weaknesses of the Big Ten, NCHC, ECAC, and Hockey East.

This episode is sponsored by the NCAA Men's Frozen Four, April 9 and 11 in Las Vegas. Tickets: https://ncaa.com/mfrozenfour

Find all of our podcasts at USCHO.com/podcasts

Hosts Jim Connelly (@jimmyconnelly), Derek Schooley (@derekschooley), and Ed Trefzger (@EdTrefzger) look at sometimes controversial or overlooked topics in our midweek episode called Upon Further Review.

In this episode, we look at teams that are ranked in the USCHO poll much lower than in the NPI and also the opposite, the teams poll voters love but the computer doesn't. We give our take on which is closer at assessing the teams at the season's midpoint.

This episode is sponsored by the NCAA Men's Frozen Four, April 9 and 11 in Las Vegas. Tickets: https://ncaa.com/mfrozenfour


Find all of our podcasts at USCHO.com/podcasts

Hosts Jim Connelly (@jimmyconnelly), Derek Schooley (@derekschooley), and Ed Trefzger (@EdTrefzger) review games of the weekend and news of the past week.

They start with the weekend's Michigan vs. Michigan State series, with both visiting teams securing wins, while looking at Wisconsin's dominance and Dartmouth's 10-0 start.

In the second segment, they look at the performance of various teams in the NPI, and the gap between perception and performance for preseason favorites like Boston University and Minnesota.

The episode wraps with a conversation about the long holiday break in college hockey and the impressive showing of college players in Team Canada's preliminary World Juniors roster.

This episode is sponsored by the NCAA Men's Frozen Four, April 9 and 11 in Las Vegas. Tickets: https://ncaa.com/mfrozenfour

Find all of our podcasts at USCHO.com/podcasts

Hosts Jim Connelly (@jimmyconnelly), Derek Schooley (@derekschooley), and Ed Trefzger (@EdTrefzger) look at sometimes controversial or overlooked topics in our midweek episode called Upon Further Review.

This time we play "buy or sell" on eight propositions:

1. Michigan is the best team in college hockey.
2. This year’s Hobey Baker winner currently plays for Minnesota Duluth.
3. Western Michigan will return to this season's Frozen Four in Las Vegas.
4. Hockey East will be a two-or-less bid conference this season.
5. Dartmouth will be the ECAC regular-season champion
6. Either the CCHA or AHA will be a multi-bid conference this season (at least one at large NCAA team)
7. A blue-chip player will leave college hockey at the break.
8. The Tim Taylor Award for National Rookie of the Year will go to a former CHL player.

This episode is sponsored by the NCAA Men's Frozen Four, April 9 and 11 in Las Vegas. Tickets: https://ncaa.com/mfrozenfour

Find all of our podcasts at USCHO.com/podcasts

Hosts Jim Connelly (@jimmyconnelly), Derek Schooley (@derekschooley), and Ed Trefzger (@EdTrefzger) review games of the weekend and news of the past week.

Dartmouth continued its perfect start, moving to 8–0–0 with wins over Vermont and Merrimack. With Brown, Yale, Army, and New Hampshire ahead, a 12–0–0 pre-break record is suddenly realistic.
It was a light week nationally, but several top teams impressed:

• No. 1 Michigan swept Harvard (5–1, 4–3 OT) despite a Crimson rally.
• No. 3 Michigan State took two from Colgate
• Sweeps also for North Dakota, Quinnipiac, and Minnesota State.

In holiday tournaments, Miami claimed the Friendship Four in Belfast, beating RIT and then-No. 20 Union for the title. Alaska won the Adirondack Winter Invitational, shutting out St. Lawrence and edging Clarkson. At MSG, BU beat Cornell 2–1 in Red Hot Hockey on a third-period goal from Cole Eiserman.

This episode is sponsored by the NCAA Men's Frozen Four, April 9 and 11 in Las Vegas. Tickets: https://ncaa.com/mfrozenfour

Find all of our podcasts at USCHO.com/podcasts

Jim Connelly and Derek Schooley look around college hockey and tell us what they are thankful for this holiday season. 

Find all of our podcasts at USCHO.com/podcasts

This week on Weekend Review, Jim Connelly fills in for host Ed Trefzger and he and Derek Schooley talk about key moments from the weekend in college hockey including:
 
- Wisconsin’s two-game sweep of then-No. 1 Michigan State

- An impressive weekend for Princeton’s Kai Daniells

- Michigan’s offense: Can anyone stop it?

- Some key sweeps around the country

- And an early look at the NPI rankings with Thanksgiving approaching
 
This episode is sponsored by the NCAA Frozen Four April 9 & 11 in Las Vegas. Visit ncaa.com/mfrozenfour for tickets.

Find all of our podcasts at USCHO.com/podcasts

Hosts Jim Connelly (@jimmyconnelly), Derek Schooley (@derekschooley), and Ed Trefzger (@EdTrefzger) review games of the weekend and news of the past week.

They highlight Dartmouth's 6-0 start, Michigan State's nine-game winning streak, and RIT's surprising recovery for its own nine-game streak after an early season sweep by Sacred Heart.

The episode also touches upon the challenges of polling and rankings early in the season, and the potential unpredictability due to team depth and the nuances of hockey dynamics.

This episode is sponsored by the NCAA Men's Frozen Four, April 9 and 11 in Las Vegas. Tickets: https://ncaa.com/mfrozenfour

Find all of our podcasts at USCHO.com/podcasts

Hosts Jim Connelly (@jimmyconnelly), Derek Schooley (@derekschooley), and Ed Trefzger (@EdTrefzger) look at sometimes controversial or overlooked topics in our midweek episode called Upon Further Review.

In this episode, they discuss the impact of injuries on teams just five or six weeks into the season. The conversation covers significant injuries to key players, the House vs. NCAA settlement impact, roster limitations, and Designated Student Athletes (DSAs) that allows teams to exceed the 26-player roster limit. 


This episode is sponsored by the NCAA Men's Frozen Four, April 9 and 11 in Las Vegas. Tickets: https://ncaa.com/mfrozenfour


Find all of our podcasts at USCHO.com/podcasts

Hosts Jim Connelly (@jimmyconnelly), Derek Schooley (@derekschooley), and Ed Trefzger (@EdTrefzger) review games of the weekend and news of the past week.

The discussion opens with Michigan State’s victories over Penn State. The conversation moves to the NCHC, where Denver, Minnesota Duluth, and North Dakota secured sweeps, sparking a discussion about the dominance of NCHC teams this season. Specific attention is given to Minnesota Duluth's remarkable turnaround and in the ECAC, Dartmouth's impressive start. The episode concludes with a tribute to Jack Parker's Hockey Hall of Fame induction and Derek Schooley’s 700th game coaching Robert Morris.


This episode is sponsored by the NCAA Men's Frozen Four, April 9 and 11 in Las Vegas. Tickets: https://ncaa.com/mfrozenfour


Find all of our podcasts at USCHO.com/podcasts

Hosts Jim Connelly (@jimmyconnelly), Derek Schooley (@derekschooley), and Ed Trefzger (@EdTrefzger) look at sometimes controversial or overlooked topics in our midweek episode called Upon Further Review.

Topics include the disparities between top and bottom teams, surprising standouts like Wisconsin and Union, and the impact of new CHL eligibility rules on smaller programs. The hosts discuss how older, experienced players from CHL and U Sports are leveling the playing field and contributing to closer games and more frequent upsets.

Find all of our podcasts at USCHO.com/podcasts

Hosts Jim Connelly (@jimmyconnelly), Derek Schooley (@derekschooley), and Ed Trefzger (@EdTrefzger) review games of the weekend and news of the past week.

Topics include Western Michigan's defensive struggles, Boston University's potential goaltending issues, Denver's inconsistent performance, and Wisconsin's impressive no-loss record. The trio also explores preliminary out-of-conference records, highlighting the Big 10 and NCHC's strong start, while delving into the challenges facing other conferences. The episode concludes with insights into the impact of the eligibility of sub-.500 teams in the NCAA tournament on the at-large field.

Find all of our podcasts at USCHO.com/podcasts

Hosts Jim Connelly (@jimmyconnelly), Derek Schooley (@derekschooley), and Ed Trefzger (@EdTrefzger) look at sometimes controversial or overlooked topics in our midweek episode called Upon Further Review.

The early 2025-26 season has seen 11 upsets of ranked teams in the first four weeks, up from just two during the same period last season. Meanwhile, mild upsets have become the norm. We discuss why this is happening and whether it's a case of everyone getting better.

Find all of our podcasts at USCHO.com/podcasts

Hosts Jim Connelly (@jimmyconnelly), Derek Schooley (@derekschooley), and Ed Trefzger (@EdTrefzger) review games of the weekend and news of the past week.

Key games included Sacred Heart's OT win against Ohio State, Clarkson's victory over North Dakota, and Merrimack's win against Quinnipiac.

The hosts note the increasing balance in college hockey, with 11 top 10 teams losing to unranked opponents in the first four weeks compared to only two last year. The discussion covers various dynamics influencing the season, such as improved team performances, a deeper talent pool, and changes in player rosters and game strategies.

They also examine other ranked team matchups, including Michigan vs. Western Michigan and Boston University vs. Connecticut, while considering how these trends might shape the season. The episode concludes with a look forward to conference play, particularly in the Big Ten and NCHC.

Find all of our podcasts at USCHO.com/podcasts

Hosts Jim Connelly (@jimmyconnelly), Derek Schooley (@derekschooley), and Ed Trefzger (@EdTrefzger) look at sometimes controversial or overlooked topics in our midweek episode called Upon Further Review.

College hockey is experiencing a massive facilities arms race, with programs investing heavily in new arenas. Recent projects range from Union's $55 million M&T Bank Center to Northeastern's planned $300-350 million replacement for Matthews Arena, with notable investments at St. Thomas ($175M), Western Michigan ($100M+), and numerous other schools. The hosts debate whether this spending remains the primary recruiting advantage or if NIL money, revenue sharing, and player development have become equally important.

A major concern: nine-figure construction costs could make college hockey unsustainable and deter program expansion.

A key tension emerges around maintaining atmosphere during upgrades. Smaller, intimate venues like Cornell's Lynah Rink preserve the electric home-ice advantage that massive buildings often lose when they're harder to fill. The hosts note successful examples like UConn's compact arena and Union's decision to stay smaller rather than expand, while acknowledging the challenge of balancing modernization with the historic charm that makes college hockey special.

Find all of our podcasts at USCHO.com/podcasts