The Frozen Four is set to get underway on Thursday, April 10, as Western Michigan will take on Denver at 5:00 p.m. ET and Boston University will battle Penn State at 8:30 p.m., with both games set to be broadcast on ESPN2.
Some of the top collegiate hockey players in the country will be on the ice during the Frozen Four, including a handful of future NHLers.
The Frozen Four is plenty familiar territory for Boston University, which serves as one of the biggest pipelines to the NHL for top hockey prospects. That's the case once again in 2025, as the school boasts a handful of the next generation of NHL stars on its roster.
With that in mind, we're going to look at seven of the top NHL prospects set to take the ice during the Frozen Four.
1. Cole Hutson, D, Boston University––Washington Capitals
Cole Hutson, younger brother to breakout rookie Lane Hutson of the Montreal Canadiens, is one of the best freshmen in the country. He had 46 points in 37 games during his first college season and has the all the makings of a future star. Hutson was a second-round pick (No. 43 overall) by the Capitals in 2024, and he's already looking like a bargain of a pick for the franchise.
2. Cole Eiserman, LW, Boston University––New York Islanders
One of the best shooters in the country, Eiserman's offensive capabilities figure to be on full display during the Frozen Four. At just 18 years old, Eiserman starred for BU in his freshman season, racking up 34 points including 23 goals. A first-round pick (No. 20 overall) by the Islanders in 2024, Eiserman will hope to make his impact felt during the tournament.
3. Aiden Fink, RW, Penn State––Nashville Predators
Aiden Fink has enjoyed a terrific season in 2024-25, registering a 53 points in 39 games, including 23 goals, as he led the Nittany Lions to its first ever Frozen Four appearance. A former seventh-round pick (No. 218 overall) by the Predators in 2023, Fink's beginning to look like an absolute steal for Nashville, and will hope to lead Penn State to an upset win over Boston University.
4. Zeev Buium, D, Denver––Minnesota Wild
One of the best defensemen in college hockey, Buium enjoyed a terrific sophomore season for Denver, during which he logged 48 points in 40 games. He's a gifted defender who's capable of making a big impact on the attack, too. A first-round pick (No. 12 overall) by the Wild in 2024, fans in Minnesota should be keeping tabs on the 20-year-old, who is one of the most exciting players in the tournament.
5. Hampton Slukynsky, G, Western Michigan––Los Angeles Kings
Slukysnky is arguably the reason Western Michigan has qualified for its first-ever Frozen Four. The goaltender has been nothing short of sensational this season, having emerged as one of the NHL's best up-and-coming goalie prospects. A 2023 fourth-round pick (No. 118) by the Kings, Slukynsky has surrendered just 1.92 goals per game and boasts an elite save percentage of .923.
6. Tom Willander, D, Boston University––Vancouver Canucks
The counterpart to Cole Hutson, Willander is one of the most formidable defensemen in college hockey. While slightly less offensively gifted than Hutson, he more than makes up for it with his brilliant work on the defensive end. The Swede was the No. 11 pick in the 2023 draft by Vancouver, and has racked up 23 points in 37 games at BU this season.
7. Jack Devine, RW, Denver––Florida Panthers
Devine is one of the most experienced players in the Frozen Four this year, having already led the University of Denver to two championships in the last three years. He'll be looking for one last title before leaving school, and if Denver does win it all again, he'll likely be one of the main catalysts behind their success. In 2024-25, Devine, a seventh-round pick by the Panthers in 2022, has 57 points including 44 assists across 43 games.
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This article was originally published on www.si.com as Top NHL Prospects to Watch in This Year’s Frozen Four.
