2025–26 ECAC Hockey men's season
| 2025–26 ECAC Hockey men's season | |
|---|---|
| Season | 2025–26 |
| Conference | ECAC Hockey |
| Division | Division I |
| Sport | men's ice hockey |
| Duration | October 3, 2025– March 21, 2026 |
| Number of teams | 12 |
| TV partner(s) | ESPN+ |
| NHL Entry Draft | |
| Regular Season | |
| Season champions | Quinnipiac |
| Top scorer | Hayden Stavroff |
| ECAC Hockey tournament | |
| NCAA tournament | |
| ECAC Hockey men's seasons « 2024–25 2026–27 » | |
The 2025–26 ECAC Hockey men's season will be the 65th season of play for ECAC Hockey and took place during the 2025–26 NCAA Division I men's ice hockey season. The season will begin on October 3, 2025, and the conference tournament is set to concluded on March 21, 2026.
Season
Coaches
- Prior to the previous season, Mike Schafer announced that he would be retiring following the '25 campaign.[1] The school quickly decided to hire Cornell alum Casey Jones as an associate coach with the intent of promoting him to head coach for this season.
- After finishing with a losing record in six of seven season, Rensselaer decided to move on from Dave Smith as head coach.[2] Soon thereafter, the school hired former American International head coach Eric Lang for the position.[3]
- Shortly before the beginning of the academic year, Keith Allain announced his retirement effective immediately.[4] Due to short time constraints, assistant coach Joe Howe was promoted to interim head coach for this year with a national search set to begin following the season.
Records
| Team | Head coach | Season at school | Record at school | ECAC Hockey record |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Brown | Brendan Whittet | 16 | 145–275–59 | 94–190–46 |
| Clarkson | Jean-François Houle | 2 | 24–12–3 | 15–6–1 |
| Colgate | Mike Harder | 3 | 34–31–7 | 26–14–4 |
| Cornell | Casey Jones | 1 | 0–0–0 | 124–96–35 |
| Dartmouth | Reid Cashman | 5 | 43–69–12 | 30–47–11 |
| Harvard | Ted Donato | 21 | 318–276–75 | 214–173–64 |
| Princeton | Ben Syer | 2 | 12–15–3 | 7–12–3 |
| Quinnipiac | Rand Pecknold | 31 | 666–359–107 | 253–130–54 |
| Rensselaer | Eric Lang | 1 | 0–0–0 | 0–0–0 |
| St. Lawrence | Brent Brekke | 7 | 61–116–23 | 38–71–15 |
| Union | Josh Hauge | 4 | 49–51–8 | 29–35–6 |
| Yale | Joe Howe | 1 | 0–0–0 | 0–0–0 |
Standings
| Conference record | Overall record | |||||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| GP | W | L | T | OTW | OTL | SW | PTS | GF | GA | GP | W | L | T | GF | GA | |||
| #10т Quinnipiac † | 22 | 17 | 4 | 1 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 50 | 102 | 48 | 38 | 26 | 9 | 3 | 157 | 88 | ||
| #9 Dartmouth * | 22 | 13 | 5 | 4 | 0 | 1 | 3 | 47 | 81 | 53 | 32 | 21 | 7 | 4 | 118 | 69 | ||
| #8 Cornell | 22 | 15 | 6 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 47 | 71 | 42 | 32 | 22 | 9 | 1 | 107 | 61 | ||
| Princeton | 22 | 11 | 9 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 37 | 63 | 57 | 32 | 17 | 12 | 3 | 99 | 86 | ||
| Union | 22 | 11 | 9 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 36 | 71 | 68 | 37 | 22 | 12 | 3 | 140 | 98 | ||
| Harvard | 22 | 11 | 10 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 35 | 61 | 64 | 34 | 16 | 16 | 2 | 92 | 100 | ||
| Colgate | 22 | 9 | 10 | 3 | 2 | 0 | 2 | 30 | 68 | 74 | 37 | 13 | 20 | 4 | 99 | 125 | ||
| Clarkson | 22 | 9 | 10 | 3 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 29 | 65 | 65 | 37 | 18 | 16 | 3 | 111 | 107 | ||
| Rensselaer | 22 | 8 | 13 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 26 | 55 | 70 | 35 | 11 | 23 | 1 | 80 | 115 | ||
| Yale | 22 | 7 | 14 | 1 | 2 | 2 | 0 | 22 | 63 | 80 | 31 | 8 | 22 | 1 | 79 | 115 | ||
| St. Lawrence | 22 | 6 | 15 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 20 | 59 | 99 | 35 | 7 | 25 | 3 | 85 | 151 | ||
| Brown | 22 | 4 | 16 | 2 | 0 | 2 | 1 | 17 | 44 | 83 | 31 | 5 | 24 | 2 | 63 | 119 | ||
| Championship: March 21, 2026 † indicates conference regular season champion (Cleary Cup) * indicates conference tournament champion (Whitelaw Cup) Rankings: USCHO.com Top 20 Poll; updated March 16, 2026 | ||||||||||||||||||
Non-Conference record
Regular season record
| Team | AHA | Big Ten | CCHA | Hockey East | Independent | NCHC | Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Brown | 0-2-0 | 0-0-0 | 0-0-0 | 0-3-0 | 1-1-0 | 0-0-0 | 1-6-0 |
| Clarkson | 2-2-0 | 1-1-0 | 1-1-0 | 1-0-0 | 0-1-0 | 1-1-0 | 6-6-0 |
| Colgate | 1-3-0 | 0-2-0 | 0-0-0 | 2-3-1 | 0-0-0 | 0-0-0 | 3-8-1 |
| Cornell | 0-0-0 | 0-0-0 | 0-0-0 | 1-2-0 | 2-0-0 | 2-0-0 | 5-2-0 |
| Dartmouth | 1-0-0 | 0-0-0 | 0-0-0 | 2-1-0 | 1-0-0 | 1-1-0 | 5-2-0 |
| Harvard | 0-0-0 | 0-2-0 | 0-0-0 | 2-2-1 | 1-0-0 | 0-0-0 | 3-4-1 |
| Princeton | 0-1-1 | 0-0-0 | 0-2-0 | 0-0-0 | 3-0-0 | 0-0-0 | 3-3-1 |
| Quinnipiac | 3-0-0 | 1-0-0 | 0-0-0 | 4-2-1 | 1-1-1 | 0-0-0 | 9-3-2 |
| Rensselaer | 2-0-0 | 0-0-0 | 0-2-0 | 1-4-0 | 0-0-0 | 0-2-0 | 3-8-0 |
| St. Lawrence | 0-2-0 | 0-2-0 | 0-1-1 | 1-2-0 | 0-2-1 | 0-0-0 | 1-9-2 |
| Union | 5-0-1 | 0-0-0 | 0-0-0 | 2-0-0 | 2-0-0 | 0-1-0 | 9-1-1 |
| Yale | 0-1-0 | 0-0-0 | 0-1-0 | 0-2-0 | 0-0-0 | 1-2-0 | 1-6-0 |
| Overall | 14-11-2 | 2-7-0 | 1-7-1 | 16-21-3 | 11-5-2 | 5-7-0 | 49-58-8 |
Statistics
ECAC tournament
Teams are reseeded for the quarterfinal and semifinal rounds
| First Round March 6–7 | Quarterfinals March 13–15 | Semifinals March 20 | Championship March 21 | ||||||||||||||||||
| 1 | Quinnipiac | 0 | 3 | - | |||||||||||||||||
| 5 | Union | 9 | 8 | Clarkson | 3 | 4 | - | ||||||||||||||
| 12 | Brown | 0 | 2 | Dartmouth | 4 | ||||||||||||||||
| 8 | Clarkson | 0 | |||||||||||||||||||
| 2 | Dartmouth | 4 | 4 | - | |||||||||||||||||
| 6 | Harvard | 4* | 7 | Colgate | 1 | 1 | - | ||||||||||||||
| 11 | St. Lawrence | 3 | 2 | Dartmouth | 2* | ||||||||||||||||
| 4 | Princeton | 1 | |||||||||||||||||||
| 3 | Cornell | 1 | 4 | 5 | |||||||||||||||||
| 7 | Colgate | 3 | 6 | Harvard | 3 | 0 | 2 | ||||||||||||||
| 10 | Yale | 2 | 3 | Cornell | 2 | ||||||||||||||||
| 4 | Princeton | 3 | |||||||||||||||||||
| 4 | Princeton | 5 | 5 | - | |||||||||||||||||
| 8 | Clarkson | 2 | 5 | Union | 2 | 2 | - | ||||||||||||||
| 9 | Rensselaer | 1 | |||||||||||||||||||
Note: * denotes overtime period(s)
NCAA tournament
Ranking
USCHO
| Team | Pre | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 13 | 14 | 15 | 16 | 17 | 18 | 19 | 20 | 21 | 22 | 23 | 24 | 25 | Final |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Brown | NR | NR | NR | NR | NR | NR | NR | NR | NR | NR | NR | NR | NR | NR | NR | NR | NR | NR | NR | NR | NR | NR | NR | NR | – | – |
| Clarkson | NR | NR | NR | NR | NR | NR | NR | NR | NR | NR | NR | NR | NR | NR | NR | NR | NR | NR | NR | NR | NR | NR | NR | NR | – | – |
| Colgate | NR | NR | NR | NR | NR | NR | NR | NR | NR | NR | NR | NR | NR | NR | NR | NR | NR | NR | NR | NR | NR | NR | NR | NR | – | – |
| Cornell | 17 | 17 | 18 | 19 | 20 | 17 | 20 | 19 | 17 | 17 | 17 | 17 | 17 | 14 | 13 | 12 | 10 | 9 | 9 | 11 | 11 | 9 | 9 | 8 | – | – |
| Dartmouth | NR | NR | NR | NR | NR | NR | 19 | 13 | 13 | 10 | 8 | 8 | 9 | 11 | 10 | 10 | 14 | 14 | 12 | 14 | 14 | 12 | 12 | 9 | – | – |
| Harvard | NR | NR | NR | NR | NR | NR | NR | NR | NR | NR | 18 | 18 | 18 | NR | NR | NR | NR | NR | NR | NR | NR | NR | NR | NR | – | – |
| Princeton | NR | NR | NR | NR | NR | NR | NR | NR | NR | NR | NR | NR | NR | 20 | 18 | NR | NR | NR | NR | NR | NR | NR | NR | NR | – | – |
| Quinnipiac | 13 | 8 | 10 | 6 | 7 | 5 | 10 | 9 | 8 | 8 | 10 | 10 | 10 | 8 | 7 | 6 | 6 | 5 | 5 | 5 | 7 | 8 | 7 | 10 | – | – |
| Rensselaer | NR | NR | NR | NR | NR | NR | NR | NR | NR | NR | NR | NR | NR | NR | NR | NR | NR | NR | NR | NR | NR | NR | NR | NR | – | – |
| St. Lawrence | NR | NR | NR | NR | NR | NR | NR | NR | NR | NR | NR | NR | NR | NR | NR | NR | NR | NR | NR | NR | NR | NR | NR | NR | – | – |
| Union | NR | NR | NR | NR | NR | NR | NR | 20 | 20 | NR | NR | 20 | 20 | NR | NR | NR | NR | NR | NR | NR | NR | NR | NR | NR | – | – |
| Yale | NR | NR | NR | NR | NR | NR | NR | NR | NR | NR | NR | NR | NR | NR | NR | NR | NR | NR | NR | NR | NR | NR | NR | NR | – | – |
Note: USCHO did not release a poll in week 12.[5]
USA Hockey
| Team | Pre | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 13 | 14 | 15 | 16 | 17 | 18 | 19 | 20 | 21 | 22 | 23 | 24 | 25 | 26 | Final |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Brown | NR | NR | NR | NR | NR | NR | NR | NR | NR | NR | NR | NR | NR | NR | NR | NR | NR | NR | NR | NR | NR | NR | NR | NR | – | – | – |
| Clarkson | 20 | NR | NR | NR | NR | NR | NR | NR | NR | NR | NR | NR | NR | NR | NR | NR | NR | NR | NR | NR | NR | NR | NR | NR | – | – | – |
| Colgate | NR | NR | NR | NR | NR | NR | NR | NR | NR | NR | NR | NR | NR | NR | NR | NR | NR | NR | NR | NR | NR | NR | NR | NR | – | – | – |
| Cornell | 16 | 16 | 18 | 18 | 20 | 16 | 19 | 17 | 16 | 16 | 15 | 16 | 17 | 12 | 12 | 12 | 10 | 8 | 10 | 10 | 10 | 9 | 9 | 8 | – | – | – |
| Dartmouth | NR | NR | NR | NR | NR | NR | 20 | 13 | 10 | 10 | 7 | 7 | 8 | 10 | 9 | 10 | 13 | 14 | 13 | 12 | 12 | 12 | 12 | 9 | – | – | – |
| Harvard | NR | NR | NR | NR | NR | NR | NR | NR | 18 | 20 | 16 | 18 | 16 | 20 | NR | NR | NR | NR | NR | NR | NR | NR | NR | NR | – | – | – |
| Princeton | NR | NR | NR | NR | NR | NR | NR | NR | NR | NR | NR | NR | NR | 19 | 18 | NR | NR | NR | NR | NR | NR | NR | NR | 20 | – | – | – |
| Quinnipiac | 13 | 9 | 10 | 6 | 6 | 5 | 9 | 9 | 8 | 8 | 10 | 10 | 10 | 8 | 7 | 7 | 6 | 5 | 5 | 5 | 7 | 8 | 7 | 10 | – | – | – |
| Rensselaer | NR | NR | NR | NR | NR | NR | NR | NR | NR | NR | NR | NR | NR | NR | NR | NR | NR | NR | NR | NR | NR | NR | NR | NR | – | – | – |
| St. Lawrence | NR | NR | NR | NR | NR | NR | NR | NR | NR | NR | NR | NR | NR | NR | NR | NR | NR | NR | NR | NR | NR | NR | NR | NR | – | – | – |
| Union | NR | NR | NR | NR | NR | NR | NR | 20 | NR | NR | NR | NR | NR | NR | NR | NR | NR | NR | NR | NR | 20 | 20 | 20 | NR | – | – | – |
| Yale | NR | NR | NR | NR | NR | NR | NR | NR | NR | NR | NR | NR | NR | NR | NR | NR | NR | NR | NR | NR | NR | NR | NR | NR | – | – | – |
Note: USA Hockey did not release a poll in week 12.[6]
NPI
| Team | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 13 | 14 | 15 | 16 | 17 | 18 | 19 | 20 | 21 | 22 | 23 | 24 | Final |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Brown | – | – | – | – | – | 47 | 57 | 46 | 53 | 56 | 55 | 55 | 56 | 57 | 57 | 57 | 58 | 58 | 59 | 59 | 59 | 59 | 59 | – |
| Clarkson | – | – | 45 | – | – | 38 | 43 | 50 | 48 | 42 | 42 | 35 | 28 | 29 | 40 | 42 | 44 | 44 | 42 | 42 | 40 | 39 | 34 | – |
| Colgate | – | – | 36 | – | – | 49 | 46 | 45 | 47 | 51 | 48 | 47 | 49 | 47 | 45 | 46 | 45 | 48 | 48 | 48 | 49 | 46 | 50 | – |
| Cornell | – | – | – | – | – | 9 | 4 | 3 | 12 | 14 | 14 | 11 | 9 | 11 | 9 | 7 | 8 | 10 | 10 | 10 | 9 | 9 | 9 | – |
| Dartmouth | – | – | – | – | – | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 12 | 10 | 7 | 11 | 11 | 11 | 11 | 10 | 8 | – |
| Harvard | – | – | – | – | – | 27 | 12 | 8 | 15 | 10 | 9 | 17 | 20 | 20 | 19 | 21 | 25 | 23 | 31 | 31 | 33 | 31 | 32 | – |
| Princeton | – | – | – | – | – | 20 | 29 | 15 | 32 | 18 | 19 | 12 | 15 | 25 | 29 | 31 | 28 | 32 | 27 | 27 | 28 | 30 | 23 | – |
| Quinnipiac | – | – | 11 | – | – | 21 | 21 | 14 | 13 | 15 | 13 | 10 | 10 | 9 | 8 | 9 | 9 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 7 | 7 | 11 | – |
| Rensselaer | – | – | 55 | – | – | 58 | 59 | 59 | 56 | 58 | 57 | 56 | 55 | 55 | 55 | 56 | 56 | 55 | 54 | 54 | 54 | 54 | 54 | – |
| St. Lawrence | – | – | 53 | – | – | 60 | 60 | 60 | 61 | 62 | 62 | 62 | 62 | 63 | 62 | 62 | 62 | 62 | 60 | 60 | 60 | 61 | 61 | – |
| Union | – | – | 8 | – | – | 42 | 35 | 39 | 35 | 34 | 29 | 27 | 21 | 32 | 34 | 33 | 31 | 25 | 20 | 21 | 21 | 21 | 26 | – |
| Yale | – | – | – | – | – | 13 | 36 | 30 | 42 | 46 | 51 | 52 | 53 | 52 | 52 | 54 | 54 | 54 | 56 | 57 | 57 | 58 | 58 | – |
Note: teams ranked in the top-10 automatically qualify for the NCAA tournament. Teams ranked 11-16 can qualify based upon conference tournament results.[7]
References
- ^ "Mike Schafer '86 to retire as hockey coach after next season | Cornell Chronicle".
- ^ "Men's Ice Hockey to Undergo Change at Head Coach". RPI Engineers. March 10, 2025. Retrieved June 8, 2025.
- ^ "Eric Lang Named C. Lloyd Bauer '55 Men's Varsity Ice Hockey Coach". April 8, 2025. Retrieved April 10, 2025.
- ^ "Yale men's hockey coach Allain, who guided Bulldogs to 2013 national championship, announces retirement; Howe tabbed interim head coach for '25-26 season". USCHO. August 9, 2025. Retrieved August 10, 2025.
- ^ "USCHO Division I Men's Poll". USCHO.com. Retrieved March 16, 2026.
- ^ "USA Hockey Men's Poll". USCHO.com. Retrieved March 16, 2026.
- ^ "Men's National Collegiate Percentage (NPI) Index". USCHO.com. Retrieved March 16, 2026.