The road to the 2026 Frozen Four heats up as six conferences begin their tournament runs, with all games streaming on the ESPN App. The NCAA tournament bracket will be revealed March 22, featuring 16 teams including six automatic qualifiers from conference champions and 10 at-large selections based on NPI rankings.

Regional play starts March 26, culminating in the Frozen Four in Las Vegas on April 9-11. Each conference has unique formats - the Atlantic uses best-of-three series after the first round, while the Big Ten and Hockey East are single-elimination throughout. The CCHA features best-of-three quarterfinals before switching to single games.

Key storylines include Michigan and Michigan State battling for the Big Ten title, Minnesota State winning its eighth regular-season crown in nine years, and Providence clinching the No. 1 seed in Hockey East. Teams like Wisconsin, Augustana, and Boston College are watching closely as bubble contenders, with their tournament performances potentially determining NCAA tournament fates.