12 prospects to watch at the Frozen Four

The 2023 Frozen Four tournament for the NCAA men's hockey national championship is shaping up to be an all-time classic.

Four star-studded programs in Minnesota, Michigan, Quinnipiac, and Boston University head to Tampa Bay's Amalie Arena to complete this year's bracket.

Minnesota faces Boston University in one semifinal, while Quinnipiac takes on Michigan in the other. Both contests are Thursday evening, with the national championship game commencing Saturday night.

Here are 12 prospects to keep an eye on as the 2022-23 NCAA men's hockey season comes to a close.

Potential playoff reinforcements Dave Reginek / Getty Images Sport / Getty

A duo of stars at the Frozen Four could jump from the national championship to the Stanley Cup playoffs in a two-week span.

Luke Hughes, the New Jersey Devils' 2021 fourth overall pick, has been among the most electrifying NCAA players over the past two seasons. After scoring the most goals ever by a freshman defenseman in 2021-22 with 17, he backed it up with a monster 47 points this campaign.

Hughes' production as a U20 NCAA defenseman is historic. His 86 points are the most scored by a junior-aged blue-liner across two seasons since the 1970s. Only New York Rangers star Adam Fox has come close over the past 20 years to Hughes' 1.09 points per game as a U20 defenseman in the NCAA.

The youngest Hughes brother will almost certainly sign with the Devils after this weekend. And he'll have a legitimate chance to usurp Kevin Bahl and Brendan Smith for a spot in New Jersey's playoff lineup.

Meanwhile, Matthew Knies might as well get comfortable in Florida. Following the Tampa Bay-hosted Frozen Four, Knies will likely join the Toronto Maple Leafs for a back-to-back against the Florida Panthers and Tampa Bay Lightning.

Much has been made about the Maple Leafs' top prospect and his potential impact in a playoff series. While it's far from guaranteed that Knies will play in the postseason for Toronto, his blend of size, physicality, and scoring prowess makes for a tantalizing late-season addition.

After a quiet showing in the regional bracket, the pressure is on Knies to perform as Minnesota looks to capture its first national title since 2003.

BU's dynamo on the back end Icon Sportswire / Icon Sportswire / Getty

The U20 scoring of Hughes is historic over a two-year span, but it's been exceeded in a single season by Montreal Canadiens prospect Lane Hutson this year.

Hutson's a phenomenon with Boston University. He has a team-high 48 points and plus-28 rating, while his 15 goals are one back of the lead on the Terriers. Remember, this is a freshman defenseman we're talking about, and not one who was a high first-round pick, either. This is a player the Canadiens selected at the end of the second round.

It's a truly historic freshman campaign for the Boston University blue-liner. His 48 points are the most by a U19 defenseman since 1983 and exceed totals from the likes of Hall of Famer Brian Leetch and Norris Trophy winner Adam Fox.

How did this breathtaking prospect fall so far in the draft? Hutson is listed at 5-foot-10 and 155 pounds on Boston University's website, and that's probably generous.

Hutson will have hurdles to overcome once he turns pro due to his lack of size. But there's no denying the incredible skill and skating that makes him among the highest potential players participating in the Frozen Four. There are few prospects as exciting to watch as Hutson right now. Expect him to put on a show in Tampa Bay.

Fab freshmen forwards Icon Sportswire / Icon Sportswire / Getty

The 2023 class of freshmen forwards have made a massive impact this season.

Adam Fantilli and Logan Cooley are leading the way, with both starring for their respective teams en route to Hobey Baker nominations.

Fantilli is the projected second overall pick this summer after Connor Bedard, and he's put together a remarkable campaign with Michigan. Leading the NCAA with 64 points in 35 games, Fantilli's scoring rate as a draft-eligible player exceeds Jack Eichel's dominant 2014-15 campaign with Boston University.

Fantilli is also two goals away from matching Craig Simpson's NCAA draft-eligible record of 31 goals set in 1985.

Cooley - the Arizona Coyotes' third overall pick last summer - has been as advertised with Minnesota. Centering the best line in the country, Cooley leads the NCAA with a plus-37 rating and is second to Fantilli in scoring with 57 points. Only a few NHL-affiliated prospects match his dynamic, game-breaking ability.

But the freshmen forwards starring in prominent roles aren't limited to Fantilli and Cooley. The Wolverines feature projected 2023 first-round pick Gavin Brindley and Rutger McGroarty, the Winnipeg Jets' 14th overall pick. St. Louis Blues first-rounder Jimmy Snuggerud has been among the biggest surprises this season as a running mate with Cooley on the Golden Gophers. And Quinnipiac rookie Sam Lipkin shouldn't be overlooked, despite playing on an experienced squad.

Trio of touted free agents Icon Sportswire / Icon Sportswire / Getty

Minnesota has 14 NHL-drafted players. Boston University and Michigan have 12 a piece. Quinnipiac has just three, and one is the team's backup goaltender.

With a lack of NHL-affiliated players and a massively successful season, multiple Bobcats are in line to land entry-level contracts as free agents.

The most notable of the group is forward Collin Graf. After a freshman season at Union College, Graf transferred to Quinnipiac and has flourished as a sophomore. He leads the Bobcats in scoring with 56 points, 17 clear of second-most on the team.

Graf's breakout play has made him one of the top NCAA free agents on the market this season. Not only does his scoring make him an appealing target, but so does his age. Graf is still only 20 years old and is among the youngest free agents in addition to the highest scoring.

At the other end of the rink, netminder Yaniv Perets took over the Bobcats' crease in 2021 and hasn't looked back. The 23-year-old has posted an astonishing 54-9-5 record with 21 shutouts over the past two campaigns, and only Buffalo Sabres prospect Devon Levi has a higher save percentage than Perets' .935 mark over that span.

While Graf and Perets have NCAA eligibility remaining that could see them stay at Quinnipiac in 2023-24, defenseman Zach Metsa will close out his five-year stay with the Bobcats this weekend.

The undersized right-shot blue-liner has been Quinnipiac's top player on the back end for three years but has taken a big step over the past two. Metsa led the team in scoring in 2021-22 and has an eye-watering plus-68 rating since 2021. The 24-year-old will have many suitors vying for his services after his collegiate career ends.

Statistics from Elite Prospects.

Copyright (C) 2023 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.