10 predictions for UConn's 2026-27 season

The time has come. The air is getting crisp, the leaves are turning and the days are only getting shorter. That can only mean one thing: Time for me to make some wildly inaccurate predictions about the coming UConn men’s hockey season.

It’s hard enough to look into the future and forecast how the next five (or maybe six?) months will go for anything. But trying to prognosticate for a sport as unpredictable as hockey — not to mention the fact that the error bars are incredibly wide for this year’s edition of the Huskies — is next to impossible.

But predictions are fun (in theory, at least. I definitely haven’t been working on this article for weeks now), so here are 10 guesses as to how UConn’s season goes.

Hockey East finish: Fourth

In seven of the last nine seasons, UConn has finished fifth or better in the Hockey East standings. In five of the last six years, the Huskies have ended up fourth or better. They have seemingly figured out the formula for earning home ice in the quarterfinals.

Move the line up to fourth place, and the Huskies have landed there or better in five of the last six seasons. They have seemingly found the formula for earning home ice in the quarterfinals.

Still, after earning a record third-place finish in 2025-26, the Huskies will probably take a step back while Hockey East should rebound after a down year. Fourth feels like the sweet spot.

Leading goalscorer: Joey Muldowney

It’d be a surprise if anyone else even threatens Muldowney for the team lead in goals scored. Even in a relative down-year last season, he still found the back of the net 17 times — a mark that’s been surpassed just three other times in UConn’s Hockey East era, including once by Muldowney himself.

Runner-up: Kaden Shahan — During one five-game stretch in the first half last season, Shahan found the back of the net four times. He’s due for a breakout.

Assists leader: Alexandre Blais

Among UConn’s returners, Blais recorded the second-most assists with 13 last season and should find himself in an even bigger role as a sophomore. He’ll likely start the year alongside Muldowney, which will give him plenty of opportunities to pile up the helpers. Blais is arguably the team’s best playmaker — Muldowney went so far as to call him an “elite” passer — so he’ll create plenty of chances on his own as well.

Runner-up: Jeremy Loranger — In each of the last two seasons, UConn’s assist leader played center next to Muldowney. Hudson Schandor had 31 apples in 2024-25 while Ryan Tattle had 19 this past year. Loranger will now step into that same role.

Points leader: Joey Muldowney

Once again, Muldowney is the favorite, though not quite by the same margin as lead goalscorer. Through his career, his assist numbers have always lagged behind his goal totals, averaging 13.0 per season. Still, Muldowney’s goal-scoring ability — along with the fact that he should play alongside two other first-line caliber players — should keep his point total high.

Runner-up: Jeremy Loranger — As mentioned, the Omaha transfer should step onto UConn’s first line. He also projects to be the team’s second-best forward.

Breakout player: Anthony Allain-Samaké

At the beginning of his freshman season, Allain-Samaké was borderline unplayable as a raw 17-year-old. By the end of the year, he was arguably UConn’s best defenseman. That ascent should only continue.

Runner-up: Ethan Whitcomb — The big forward played the best hockey of his UConn career down the stretch last season, scoring in every game of the Hockey East Playoffs. The coaching staff has long been enamored with Whitcomb, often comparing him to Jachym Kondelik (who totaled 104 points in his career with the Huskies). This could be the year he finally emerges.

Top freshman: Will McIsaac

Charlie Morrison might have the stronger pedigree among the freshmen defensemen as a third-round pick of the New York Islanders this past summer, but McIsaac might be more college-ready. He’s 20 years old, played four full seasons of junior hockey with the WHL’s Spokane Chiefs and has all the tools to be a physical defensive defenseman from day one. Plus, McIsaac is a draft pick too, having gone in the fifth round back in 2024 to the St. Louis Blues.

Runner-up: Cole Davis — There’s been a buzz around Davis for a while now and it hasn’t died down during the preseason. I don’t think I can articulate exactly how I expect him to make an impact. I just have a gut feeling he’s going to be a big piece for this team.

Postseason: UConn returns to NCAA Tournament

There’s been a consistent theme during the Mike Cavanaugh Era at UConn. The Huskies often need a few tries at something before ultimately succeeding. Some examples:

• UConn failed to win a single postseason game during its first seven years in Hockey East. Since then, the Huskies have won seven playoff games over the last five years and have made it to the league’s championship game three times.

• UConn lost in three straight CT Ice championship games from 2022-24, but have won the last two tournaments.

• In the first six decades of UConn’s existence, it never made the NCAA Tournament — not even at the Division III level. The Huskies finally broke through in 2025 and have now made consecutive trips.

Given that record, UConn will find a way to return to the NCAA Tournament for a third straight year, even with so many new faces.

Goaltender with the most starts: Veeti Louhivaara

It’s tough to pick a winner in the goalie battle between Kam Hendrickson and Veeti Louhivaara. Hendrickson improved across each appearance last season and finished with a 2.44 GAA and .916 save percentage — good numbers. Cavanaugh has raved about his compete level and ability to get to pucks that he has no business stopping. Hendrickson should be even better with a year under his belt.

But Louhivaara, a fifth-round pick of the New Jersey Devils, is an impressive prospect who has all the tools necessary to become an elite netminder.

The pair will almost certainly split time throughout the first half but Louhivaara’s ceiling is too high to ignore. By the time CT Ice rolls around — when Cavanaugh typically taps a clear-cut No. 1 between the pipes — the freshman will have earned the starting job.

Still, this is a tough call. It wouldn’t be remotely surprising if Hendrickson ultimately came out on top.

UConn wins the Friendship Four

The field for the Friendship Four in Belfast is loaded. In this week’s USCHO Poll, Minnesota Duluth is ranked No. 5, Providence is No. 9 and UConn is No. 16.

The good news? The Huskies only have to play one of those teams. Assuming they get by Colgate — which they should, though it’s hard to consider any game played on a different continent a layup — UConn can hang with either of those two teams.

I believe the Huskies will do just that and claim the Friendship Four crown.

Wildcard: Joey Muldowney scores five goals in a game

As a sophomore, Muldowney recorded three hat tricks but never surpassed the four-goal mark. That’ll change this season. At some point, Muldowney will catch fire and find the back of the net five times — setting a Division I program record in the process.