The College Hockey Conference tournament has concluded this weekend, with all 16-team NCAA playoff spots decided.
For those who aren't familiar with how it all works, there are basically four regional brackets (consisting of four teams each), and the winners of those regions advance to the Frozen Four.
2024 NCAA Regionals
Providence, Rhode Island (March 29th and 31st)
1. Boston College v 16. Michigan Technological University
8. Wisconsin v 9. Quinnipiac
Maryland Heights, Missouri (March 29th and 31st)
4. Michigan State University v 13. Western Michigan
6. North Dakota v 10. Michigan
Springfield, Massachusetts (March 28th and 30th)
3. Denver v 14. UMass
5. Maine v 12. Cornell
Sioux Falls, South Dakota (March 28th and 30th)
2. Boston University vs. 15. RIT
7. Minnesota v 11. Omaha
The good news in all of this is that three of the Kings' top prospects (all forwards, all ranked in the top 10 on Los Angeles' list) are headed to the 2024 NCAA playoffs.
However, only one Kings contender has the ultimate chance of making it to the National Championship Game this year, as the way the bracket works means they will essentially beat each other along the way.
The winners of both the Providence and Maryland regionals will advance to the 2024 Frozen Four at Xcel Energy Center in St. Paul, Minn., but none of the players will play in the original eight tournaments. Therefore, that game will have no impact on the Kings' prospects. Schools competing for these two spots.
On the other side of the bracket, the Kings have Jack Hughes, who plays for second-seeded Boston College. If his school expands out of the Sioux Falls area, there will be at least one Frozen candidate. Hughes was a mainstay on BU's third line for the first half of the season, but has been more of a LW2 for the past month or so.
Things start with a bang, again from the Los Angeles Kings' perspective, with Denver's Springfield Regional opener against the University of Massachusetts on Thursday afternoon. The game will be available to watch on ESPN2 and will also feature #KingsOnKingsCrime as Kings prospects Jared Wright (Denver) and Kenny Connors (Mass.) face off.
Unfortunately, it also means one of the Kings' top prospects will be sent home early as a result of that game. No matter which team advances, the winner of both the Springfield and Sioux Falls regional tournaments will not only advance to the Frozen Four, but will also face off against the Kings for a spot in the national championship game. There is a possibility that it will be done again.
So, if everything goes perfectly, one of the Kings' two prospects, Hughes (Boston) and Wright/Conners (Denver/Mass.), will advance to the Frozen Four. If that happens, the two teams will meet in half of the Frozen Four, with one of the Kings' top prospects playing for this year's championship trophy.
Interestingly, all three players were selected in the 2022 NHL Draft. Wright was the most recent selection (sixth round) and has grown into a key role for the club. He was also the most productive offensively this season, scoring 14 goals. Hughes (second round) and Connors (fourth) are no slouches either. Therefore, they have a spot in each team's lineup.
Not surprisingly, Connors (pictured above at Kings Development Camp) is considered the most NHL-ready prospect right now. Even if he were to sign, it doesn't mean he would jump to Los Angeles. It's just that AHL development is likely to be minimal.
LA Kings main game outlook
Thursday. March 28th
3. Denver vs. 14. Massachusetts — 11 a.m. PT on ESPN2
2. Boston University vs. 15. RIT — 2 p.m. PT on ESPNU
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The Kings have parted ways with two prospects and have decisions looming on three more. plus 2 on tv today
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