17 Big Ten Players Selected in 2017 NHL Entry Draft

A total of 18 players with Big Ten connections were drafted in the 2017 Entry Draft on Friday. The Gophers owned the highest draft pick with forward Casey Mittelstadt going No. 8 overall to the Buffalo Sabres. The Wolverines had two players selected, one in the first and second round to boast the highest picks combined.

The B1G Scoreboard (10/14/16-10/16-16)

Men's Scores From 10/14/16

• Michigan State @ Lake Superior, 7:37 ET
• Penn State @ Mercyhurst, 7:05 ET
• (6) Boston College @ Wisconsin, 7:00 CT
• U.S. U-18 Team @ Minnesota, 7:00 CT

Should I Stay Or Should I Go Now?: Players Leaving Early

It happens each and every year; the calling of the NHL gets too great for the 19-22 year olds. It becomes even easier to jump ship after a rough and/or disappointing season. Here's a look at which players have opted out of their remaining collegiate days in hopes of an NHL future.

Michigan

Andrew Copp - Junior Forward, Winnipeg Jets
Copp is another Michigan native took off from Ann Arbor for the bigs. He was a fourth round pick by the Winnipeg Jets in 2013. Going so late in the round, I'd be willing to bet the Jets gave him a pretty good offer to make the leap from Michigan. An up and coming team it'd be no surprise if Copp has the opportunity to break into the lineup at some point next season.

Impact: Copp had a breakout season his junior year. He put up a career-best 31 points and was the team's third leading scorer all while wearing the 'C'. He made a noticeable difference on and off the ice. While his loss will be tough, it's not the end all be all for a Michigan squad on the rise.

2015-16 Big Ten Schedule Released

It's time to gear up for next season -- at least a little bit anyway -- with the release of next year's Big Ten schedule. Fans will be pleased to see most of the games have gone back to the typical Friday/Saturday night series with just two Sunday and Thursday night games a piece.

2015‐16 BIG TEN HOCKEY SCHEDULE  
Friday Dec. 4 Wisconsin at Michigan
Friday Dec. 4 Ohio State at Minnesota
Friday Dec. 4 Michigan State at Penn State

Saturday Dec. 5 Wisconsin at Michigan
Saturday Dec. 5 Ohio State at Minnesota
Saturday Dec. 5 Michigan State at Penn State

Friday Dec. 11 Minnesota at Michigan
Friday Dec. 11 Wisconsin at Michigan State

Saturday Dec. 12 Minnesota at Michigan
Saturday Dec. 12 Wisconsin at Michigan State

The Big Ten in the Biggest Moments

By Miles McQuinn

There’s only one thing that can bring out hockey sweaters in the warm months of May and June – it’s Stanley Cup playoff time. Plenty of familiar names don the ice in the conference finals of this year’s quest for the Cup. But the Big Ten has been represented long before the conference even came to be. Here’s a look at some of the best playoff performers to come out of Big Ten schools.

(Editor’s Note: We’re aware that these players were not in the Big Ten Hockey Conference at the time that they played... just go with it and enjoy!)

Here Lies: Wisconsin's 2014-15 Season

Some things are better six feet under. This year's Badger season is definitely one of them. The final nail in the coffin came at the defeating hands of Michigan -- who hammered home a win, 5-1, Thursday at the Joe.

There's no tip-toeing around it, Wisconsin's season was brutal on all fronts. Despite efforts from the likes of Grant Besse and goaltender Joel Rumpel, it didn't seem to be enough,  With Thursday's loss the Badgers dropped a school record 26 games. The historic program has opened record books in areas they never wanted to.

Shining high points of this season included a sweep over rival Minnesota and...well one high is better than none.

Will this death mean the end of the coaching staff? Who knows. We can only hope that they rise from the dead stronger than last year -- it can't get any worse can it?

RIP

Tourney Talk: Thoughts Heading Into Big Ten Tournament

By Miles McQuinn

What a wild finish to the Big Ten Conference regular season. All six teams are set to make their journey to Joe Louis Arena with the hopes of not only a conference title, but the chance to play for an NCAA title as well. Unfortunately, it looks like the Big Ten will only have one, maybe two representatives in the big dance this year. Regardless, here's my thoughts on each team as an exciting weekend in the motor city quickly approaches.

The B1G Scoreboard (2/20/15 - 2/22/15)

Men's Scores From 2/20/15:

• Michigan @ Ohio State, 7:00 ET

• Minnesota @ Penn State, 6:30 ET on BTN
  
• Michigan State @ Wisconsin, 8:00 CT on BTN 

Valentine's Cards For The One Who Lit The Lamp On Your Heart

Because nothing goes toether better than love and hockey. 

The B1G Scoreboard (1/30/15-1/31/15)

Men's Scores From 1/30/15:

• Michigan State 2, Michigan 1 -- Spartans Take Down No. 13 Michigan, 2-1

• Minnesota 7, Wisconsin 5 -- Gophers Put Up Seven in Win Over Badgers

Women's Scores From 1/30/15:

• Syracuse 2, Penn State 2 OT

• Wisconsin 3, Minnesota State 0

• Ohio State 3, Minnesota 3 OT (Minnesota wins shootout)

Men's Scores From 1/31/15:

• Minnesota 4, Wisconsin 4 OT (Wisconsin wins shootout) -- Badgers Draw, 4-4, with Minnesota

Women's Scores From 1/31/15:

• Syracuse 2, Penn State 4

• Wisconsin 5, Minnesota State 1

• Ohio State 1, Minnesota 3

B1G Has Higher Hopes in Hockeytown

By Mike Hinrichs

It's still a little less than two months away, but it's never too early to start looking forward to the second annual B1G tournament, set to take place March 19-21. This year's tourney heads to the heart of Hockeytown, hosted at the infamous Joe Louis Arena.

Last year's inaugural B1G conference tournament called the Xcel Energy Center in St. Paul home. Looking at the attendance numbers, you can bet the Big Ten is hoping for a better turnout the second time around.

Why the B1G Bust in 2014-15?

By Jessi Pierce

It's been a rough year two for many Big Ten hockey fans. While Michigan and Penn State and find themselves enjoying the top of conference standings respectively, perennial powerhouses Minnesota and Wisconsin are facing struggles that have shaken their fan bases to the core. Meanwhile Michigan State and Ohio State continue to work for establishment in the middle of the pack.

On a nationwide scale the darkness of the Big Ten is even more noticeable. Take a look at the college polls and you'll be hard pressed to find a Big Ten team in the top 15 -- especially in recent weeks.

The B1G Scoreboard (11/13/14-11/15/14)

Women's Scores From 11/13/14:

• Minnesota State 2, Wisconsin 8

Men's Scores From 11/14/14:

• Ohio State 3, Bowling Green, 2 -- Ohio State Scores Late for 3-2 Win at No. 19 Bowling Green

• Boston College 3, Michigan State 2 -- Spartans Come Up Short Against No. 8 Boston College

• American International 2, Michigan 5 -- Copp's Two-Goal Night Carries Michigan over AIC

• Penn State 3, UMass-Lowell 5 -- No. 4 UMass-Lowell Downs Nittany Lions, 5-3

• Minnesota-Duluth 3, Minnesota 0 -- Gophers Fall to UMD in Series Opener

The Big Scoreboard (10/18/14-10/19/14)

Men's Scores From 10/17/14:

• Mass 3, Michigan State 5 -- Hockey Tops UMass in Season Opener, 5-3

• Wisconsin 0, Northern Michigan 2 -- Wisconsin Falls to Michigan in Series Opener

• Miami 5, Ohio State 1 -- No. 17 Buckeyes Drop Home-and Home Series Opener to Miami

• New Hampshire 5, Michigan 1 -- Michigan Drops Home Opener to New Hampshire

• Penn State 3, Alaska-Anchorage 3 OT -- Nittany Lions Drawn 3-3 by Alaska-Anchorage

Men's Scores From 10/18/14:

• Mass 4, Michigan State 3 -- Late Goal Sinks Hockey 

• Wisconsin 1, Northern Michigan 4 -- UW Drops Series Finale to Northern Michigan

• Ohio State 1, Miami 2 -- Frey Makes 60 Saves in 2-1 Buckeye Loss

• New Hampshire 1, Michigan 2 -- Two-Goal Second Period Carries U-M Past UNH

• Penn State 3, Alaska 4 -- Nanooks Roar Back to Down Nittany Lions, 4-3

Women's Scores From 10/17/14:

• Bemidji State 1, Ohio State 5

• Minnesota 4, Wisconsin 1

• Penn State 4, Union 1

Women's Scores From 10/18/14:

• Bemidji State 0, Ohio State 1

• Minnesota 2, Wisconsin 1 OT

• Penn State 2, Union 2 OT

Our Big Ten Wish List For 2014-15

Finally. Let the puck drop and let's get the season underway. Last year proved that the world didn't implode thanks to the newly elected conferences and the parity was a bit closer than most may have thought. And like all seasons last year was full of upsets and surprises much to the excitement of college hockey fans everywhere.

So what do we want to see in 2014-15? Here are a few thoughts that immediately come to mind:

Big Ten Media Day: Quotables

Big Ten Media Day invaded Joe Louis Arena Wednesday -- preparing the legendary home of the Detroit Red Wings for March's Big Ten Conference Championship.

Lots was learned and even some fun was had along the way. Here are a few of our favorite quotes from the day:

23 Big Ten Hockey Athletes Earn Distinguished Scholar Awards

ROSEMONT, Ill. – The Big Ten Conference announced on Wednesday that 683 student-athletes have earned the Big Ten Distinguished Scholar Award. The list includes student-athletes from every institution and 37 different sports who have recorded a minimum grade-point average (GPA) of 3.7 or higher for the previous academic year.

  

Big Ten Faculty Representatives established the Distinguished Scholar Award in 2008 to supplement the Academic All-Big Ten program. Similar to the Academic All-Big Ten honor, Distinguished Scholar Award recipients must be letterwinners in at least their second academic year at their institution. However, the Distinguished Scholar Award encompasses only student-athletes with a minimum GPA of 3.7 or higher for the previous academic year, excluding summer school. The Academic All-Big Ten threshold is a cumulative GPA of 3.0 or higher for a student-athlete’s academic career.

Michigan

Zach Hyman, So., Torono, Ontario, history major

Luke Moffatt, Sr., Paradise Valley, Ariz., business administration major

Stanley Cup Dreams and NHL Hopefuls

Future Wolverine Dylan Larkin was selected 15th overall in the 2014 NHL Entry Draft

Future Pros

The Big Ten was fully represented in Philadelphia June 27 and 28 for the 2014 NHL Entry Draft. In total, 13 current and future Big Ten players were selected. Minnesota's four-chosen players was the third-highest total for any NCAA school with Hockey East's Boston College leading the way. Another interesting note: only two players of the 13 selected were chosen by the same team.

Dylan Larkin -- Michigan commit 

Defenseman, USNTDP, 1st Rd., (15) by Detroit Red Wings

Joshua Jacobs -- Michigan State commit

Defenseman, USAH Indiana Ice, 2nd Rd., (41) by New Jersey Devils

Ryan Collins -- Minnesota commit

Defenseman, USNTDP, 2nd Rd., (47) by Columbus Blue Jackets

Jack Doughty -- Wisconsin commit

Defenseman, USNTDP, 2nd Rd., (51) by Nashville Predators

Jack Glover -- Minnesota commit

Defenseman, USNTDP, 3rd Rd., (69) by Winnipeg Jets

2014-15 Schedule Released

Here it is folks. What do you think? The schedule concludes with the 2015 Big Ten Tournament, March 19-25, at Joe Louis Arena in Detroit.

 2014‐15 BIG TEN HOCKEY SCHEDULE
DAY  DATE  MATCHUP

Thursday or Friday  Nov. 20 or 21  Michigan State at Ohio State*

Friday or Saturday  Nov. 21 or 22  Michigan State at Ohio State*

Friday  Nov. 21  Penn State at Michigan

Saturday  Nov. 22  Penn State at Michigan

Friday  Dec. 5  Ohio State at Michigan
Friday  Dec. 5  Minnesota at Michigan State
Friday  Dec. 5  Penn State at Wisconsin

Saturday  Dec. 6  Minnesota at Michigan State
Saturday  Dec. 6  Penn State at Wisconsin

Final Tournament Thoughts

Great Competition, Lacking Crowd

For all the complaints that poured in on Thursday, I think even disappointed fans can agree the competition at the tournament was pretty high. Even in the tournament's opening games overtime was reached with Penn State pushing past Michigan 2-1 in two OTs, and Ohio State advancing by beating Michigan State 2-1 in a single extra frame.

Wisconsin and Penn State opened up Friday competition with another OT and Ohio State made it a game with Minnesota before disappointing local Gopher fans by taking the upset win, 3-1.
On the crowd side of things it was a disappointing turn out. But as the USCO pointed out, NCAA tournaments across the board were down 40 percent this year.

"The total attendance for the two leagues that played in the Twin Cities (the Big Ten in St. Paul, Minn., and the NCHC in Minneapolis) was 59,862 across seven sessions.

In a 13-year run at the Xcel Energy Center in St. Paul, the WCHA Final Five had only one year where the total attendance was lower: 2011, when the tournament had only four sessions instead of the usual five.