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Frozen Four power rankings: Teams with the best chance to win the national championship

Will Denver repeat? Will Boston University continue its dominance? Or will a first timer like Western Michigan or Penn State take the NCAA crown?
ByAusten Bundy|
Apr 13, 2024; Saint Paul, Minnesota, USA; A detailed view of the helmet worn by Denver Pioneers goaltender Jack Caruso (31) after the game against the Boston College Eagles after the championship game of the 2024 Frozen Four college ice hockey tournament at Xcel Energy Center. Mandatory Credit: Matt Krohn-Imagn Images
Apr 13, 2024; Saint Paul, Minnesota, USA; A detailed view of the helmet worn by Denver Pioneers goaltender Jack Caruso (31) after the game against the Boston College Eagles after the championship game of the 2024 Frozen Four college ice hockey tournament at Xcel Energy Center. Mandatory Credit: Matt Krohn-Imagn Images | Matt Krohn-Imagn Images

The NCAA Frozen Four is set to drop puck on Thursday at Enterprise Center in St. Louis, Missouri. The national semifinals will feature two teams with storied histories in this competition while the other half of the field is looking for its first-ever championship.

Reigning national champions Denver will face NCHC rival Western Michigan in one half of the bracket while five-time champs Boston University will take on scrappy newcomer Penn State.

Ranking which Frozen Four teams have the best chance at winning the national title

Each team rightfully earned its way to this point but their past performances will mean nothing with everything on the line in the final weekend of the season. This how they all stack up relative to their chances of winning a national title.

No. 3 Western Michigan (30-7-1)

The Broncos dominated the NCHC and squeaked out a double-overtime victory over the reigning-champion Pioneers in the conference championship game on March 22. It'll be very tough to repeat that result in unfamiliar territory as this is the first time the program will be competing in the Frozen Four in its ten NCAA Tournament appearances. Western Michigan owns the best scoring margin (1.90) and winning percentage in the sport this season. Of the teams competing, the Broncos have the best scoring defense which may come in handy against a stacked Pioneer offense and whichever opponent comes next.

No. 6 Denver (29-11-1)

Denver will be looking to win back-to-back titles for the first time since 2019 and the second time in school history. The program came close to toppling Western Michigan in the NCHC final but despite the loss, that performance still bodes well for a Pioneer team that ranks first in scoring and third in power play conversion this season. Denver returned a significant amount of its national championship team from 2024, so the veteran presence may be enough to get the best of the Broncos in the semifinals and ride the momentum to another championship.

No. 8 Boston University (21-13-2)

The Terriers won a lot of games this year and look the part of national semifinalists. However, there are still some glaring question marks that could sink their chances of a sixth national title. Boston University averaged the most penalty minutes-per-game this year (13.50) and ranked 38th nationally in penalty killing (.785). Staying out of the penalty box will be the deciding factor for the Terriers even if they are facing an inexperienced foe in the semifinal. And if it reaches the national championship game, it could run into a buzzsaw out of the NCHC with high-flying offenses.

No. 12 Penn State (20-13-4)

The Nittany Lions are making school history by participating in their first-ever Frozen Four. Coming out of the Big Ten, Penn State was one of the biggest surprises in college hockey this season and it hopes the magic hasn't run out yet. The team's inexperience could very well be its downfall, however. It needed an overtime thriller to eliminate another potential first timer in UConn in their respective regional final to get to this stage. It would be a huge Cinderella story if Penn State were to topple a historically dominant program like Boston University and then take out an NCHC juggernaut in the final.

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