A total of 19 former NCAA men's ice hockey student-athletes competed in this year's Stanley Cup final.
As the Carolina Hurricanes celebrate winning the NHL championship, the series reinforced a defining connection across the sport — that NCAA national champions continue to win at the highest levels of hockey, from the Frozen Four to the Stanley Cup Final. Carolina's championship roster featured a pair of NCAA title winners, while the series also included one of college hockey's most decorated players in Vegas Golden Knights center Jack Eichel.
NCAA champions deliver on hockey's biggest stage
Carolina's championship run was anchored by two players who won NCAA Men's Frozen Fours:
- Shayne Gostisbehere — Union (New York), 2014.
- Mark Jankowski — Providence, 2015.
Hobey Baker Award winner highlights NCAA excellence
Eichel, who was a student-athlete at Boston U., brought one of college hockey's highest honors into the final. The center:
- Won the 2015 Hobey Baker Award for the nation's top player, becoming only the second freshman to win the award.
- Led the nation during the 2014-15 season in points (71) and assists (45).
- Swept conference awards, winning Hockey East Player of the Year, Rookie of the Year and Tournament MVP.
Total NCAA representation
A total of 19 former student-athletes were on the rosters in this championship series. Vegas' roster featured 10, while Carolina's had nine.
Carolina Hurricanes
- Jackson Blake, North Dakota.
- Brandon Bussi, Western Michigan.
- Shayne Gostisbehere, Union (New York).
- Mark Jankowski, Providence.
- K'Andre Miller, Wisconsin.
- Mike Reilly, Minnesota.
- Eric Robinson, Princeton.
- Jaccob Slavin, Colorado College.
- Sean Walker, Bowling Green.
Vegas Golden Knights
- Trevor Connelly, Providence.
- Jeremy Davies, Northeastern.
- Nic Dowd, St. Cloud State.
- Jack Eichel, Boston U.
- Noah Hanifin, Boston College.
- Ben Hutton, University of Maine.
- Tanner Laczynski, Ohio State.
- Jaycob Megna, Omaha.
- Cole Smith, North Dakota.
- Reilly Smith, Miami (Ohio).
Playing on hockey's biggest stages
Former college athletes who won Olympic gold with Team USA were also represented across both teams by Slavin (Carolina) and Eichel and Hanifin (Vegas).
