For the first time in the 102-year history of the Spengler Cup, a team of select college hockey players representing NCAA Division I hockey – the top college league in the United States – will take part. The team, named the «U.S. Collegiate Selects», will consist of the best and most talented prospects in Division I. As a result, numerous future National Hockey League (NHL) stars from various nations will take the ice in Europe for the first time.
The National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) has been organizing national men’s hockey championships since 1948, and women’s championships since 2001. It is considered the most prestigious college hockey championship in the U.S. The term “college hockey” refers to intercollegiate games within the NCAA structure.

NCAA Division I is the highest level of U.S. college hockey. It comprises 64 teams, organized into six conferences, each with its own season and playoffs. The top 16 teams qualify for the NCAA finals – known as the Frozen Four – which concludes with semifinals and a final played in an NHL arena.
College hockey is seen as a major talent pool for the NHL; around 85 percent of American NHL players come from the NCAA. Many prospects choose this path before making the jump to the NHL – such as stars like Cale Makar, Jack Eichel, Connor Hellebuyck, and Brock Faber.

The «U.S. Collegiate Selects», who will compete at the Spengler Cup in December, will only be slightly younger than the U.S. World Championship team from Stockholm. Many NCAA players are well above the typical college age, as they often spend several years in junior leagues before beginning their studies – often at age 20 or 21. Seniors – players in their fourth year of college – are frequently 23 or 24 years old. In addition, there are so-called graduate students, who have completed their undergraduate degrees and are allowed to play a fifth year as master's degree students. These players can be up to 26 years old.
The international makeup of the teams also plays a major role. While many players are American, the NCAA attracts talent from all over the world – with strong representation from Canada, Sweden, and Finland as well as players from Germany, Switzerland, and the Czech Republic. This international diversity, combined with the higher average age, results in a physically mature and technically profound level of play that clearly distinguishes NCAA hockey from other college sports.

First Participation of an NCAA Select Team at the Spengler Cup Davos

While teams from the University of Minnesota (1981) and the University of North Dakota (1982) took part in the Spengler Cup over 40 years ago, this marks the first time in the tournament’s 102-year history that a select team of top NCAA players from various universities will compete in Davos.

With the official commitment from the NCAA, preparations are now in full swing – from travel and training plans to possible test matches before the tournament. At the same time, initial player selections are already underway in the U.S. Unlike a regular club team, organizing a selection team presents unique logistical and sporting challenges for both the Spengler Cup organizers and the NCAA officials.

Fans and visitors of the Spengler Cup can look forward to a young, highly talented team never before seen on the ice in Europe.

Text: Media release    Foto: NCAA / Rich Gagnon