The admission of elite Canadian Hockey League players to the NCAA has added to the pipeline of quality players the USHL has provided, making college hockey must-see TV for hockey fans this season. Per collegehockeynews.com, over 300 NHL draft picks will compete for NCAA programs this season. Six programs stand out in 2026-27 as having the most high-end NHL draft picks at its disposal. Those schools are The University of Denver, the University of North Dakota, Michigan State University, the University of Michigan, Boston University, and Boston College. Combined, these schools boast the prospects of 21 NHL clubs, many of whom were selected within the first two rounds of their respective drafts.
Today’s profile is of Michigan State University, which follows up the past two days’ articles focused on The Universities of Denver and North Dakota. The links to those articles can be found below. The Spartans tied an NCAA record this year, set by the University of Minnesota in 2007, with nine of its commits being selected in the NHL draft, five of whom were first-round choices (one of those first-round picks was former OHL Saginaw forward Nikita Klepov, who has since de-committed from MSU by turning pro; he now is in the NHL with the Anaheim Ducks). Four of these five first-rounders were former CHL players. Such players are led by d-man and OHL Sault Ste. Marie alum Chase Reid (7th overall in 2026 to SEA), who is joined in the Spartans’ D corps by QMJHL Moncton alum Tommy Bleyl (31st overall in 2026 to NSH). Along with second-round picks Brady Peddle (91st overall in 2025 to PIT) and Joonas Kemps (98th overall in 2026 to FLA), they have combined forces with returners Patrick Geary (172nd overall in 2025 to BUF) and Sean Barnill (70th overall in 2025 to NYR) in creating a formidable back end.
As strong as their group of d-men promises to be this season, their presence up-front will certainly provide many sleepless nights for opposing netminders. The firepower they added this season in 2026 picks Ethan Belchetz (17th overall to UTA), Jack Hextall (30th overall to CGY) and Brooks Rogowski (33rd overall to VAN) is enough cause for concern to their opponents. However, that is just a sample size, as the Spartans return former first-rounders Ryker Lee (26th overall in 2025 to NSH), Mason West (29th overall in 2025 to CHI), Cullen Potter (32nd overall in 2025 to CGY) and Cayden Lindstrom (4th overall in 2024 to CBJ). This group also consists of five additional NHL draft picks taken in rounds 2-7.
While their capabilities on both sides of the puck are something to behold, goaltender and WHL Prince George alum Joshua Ravensbergen (30th overall in 2025b to SJS) looks to be the vital cog in the Spartans’ championship aspirations this season. With the departure of Detroit Red Wings’ prospect and 2025-26 Mike Richter Award winner (Best NCAA goalie) Trey Augustine (41st overall in 2023), Ravensbergen was brought in to continue Augustine’s backbone-like presence between the pipes.
