ECAC Hockey

ECAC Hockey is one of the six NCAA conferences that compete at the Division I level in the sport of ice hockey. The conference was founded in 1961 by Ivy League schools Harvard, Dartmouth, Princeton, Yale, Brown, and Columbia, as well as Clarkson and St. Lawrence. The conference has undergone several changes over the years, with teams like RPI and Union joining in the 1970s, and Colgate and Cornell joining in the 1970s and 1950s, respectively. The conference is also affiliated with the NCAA and the ECAC.

● History

The conference was established in 1961, with the first game played between Harvard and Dartmouth at the Boston Garden. The conference was initially composed of Ivy League schools, but has since expanded to include other schools like Clarkson and St. Lawrence. The conference has a rich history, with teams like Boston University and Maine competing in the conference before moving to other conferences like Hockey East. The conference has also produced several notable players, including Mike Eruzione, who played for Boston University and was a member of the 1980 US Olympic hockey team that won the Miracle on Ice. Other notable players include Joe Nieuwendyk, who played for Cornell and won the Calder Memorial Trophy, and Ken Dryden, who played for Cornell and won the Stanley Cup with the Montreal Canadiens.

● Teams

The conference is currently composed of 12 teams, including Brown, Clarkson, Colgate, Cornell, Dartmouth, Harvard, Princeton, Quinnipiac, RPI, St. Lawrence, Union, and Yale. These teams compete against each other in a regular season schedule, with the top teams qualifying for the conference tournament. The conference also has several rivalries, including the Cornell-Harvard hockey rivalry between Cornell and Harvard, and the Dartmouth-Princeton hockey rivalry between Dartmouth and Princeton. Other notable rivalries include the Colgate-Clarkson hockey rivalry between Colgate and Clarkson, and the RPI-Union hockey rivalry between RPI and Union.

● Championships

The conference tournament is held annually, with the top teams competing for the conference championship. The tournament is typically held at the Herb Brooks Arena in Lake Placid, and the winner receives an automatic bid to the NCAA Men's Ice Hockey Championship. The conference has produced several national champions, including Harvard, which won the championship in 1989, and Cornell, which has appeared in the championship game several times, including in 1967 and 1970. Other notable conference champions include St. Lawrence, which won the championship in 2001, and Union, which won the championship in 2014.

● Awards

The conference presents several awards annually, including the ECAC Hockey Player of the Year award, which is given to the top player in the conference. The conference also presents the ECAC Hockey Rookie of the Year award, which is given to the top rookie player in the conference. Other notable awards include the ECAC Hockey Coach of the Year award, which is given to the top coach in the conference, and the ECAC Hockey Best Defensive Defenseman award, which is given to the top defensive defenseman in the conference. The conference has also produced several winners of national awards, including the Hobey Baker Award, which is given to the top player in college hockey. Notable winners of the Hobey Baker Award include Chris Drury, who played for Boston University and won the award in 1998, and Ryan Miller, who played for Michigan State and won the award in 2001.

● Season Structure

The conference season typically runs from October to March, with each team playing a schedule of conference and non-conference games. The conference teams also compete in several tournaments throughout the season, including the Dodge Holiday Classic and the Ledyard Bank Classic. The conference tournament is held in March, with the top teams competing for the conference championship. The winner of the conference tournament receives an automatic bid to the NCAA Men's Ice Hockey Championship, which is held in April. The conference has also produced several teams that have competed in the Frozen Four, including Harvard, which appeared in the 1994 tournament, and Cornell, which appeared in the 2003 tournament.

● Notable Alumni

The conference has produced several notable alumni, including Mike Eruzione, who played for Boston University and was a member of the 1980 US Olympic hockey team that won the Miracle on Ice. Other notable alumni include Joe Nieuwendyk, who played for Cornell and won the Calder Memorial Trophy, and Ken Dryden, who played for Cornell and won the Stanley Cup with the Montreal Canadiens. The conference has also produced several players who have gone on to play in the NHL, including Brian Gionta, who played for Boston College and played for the New Jersey Devils and Montreal Canadiens, and Jimmy Vesey, who played for Harvard and played for the New York Rangers and Buffalo Sabres. Other notable alumni include Noah Hanifin, who played for Boston College and played for the Carolina Hurricanes and Calgary Flames, and Kevin Shattenkirk, who played for Boston University and played for the Colorado Avalanche and Washington Capitals. Category:College ice hockey conferences in the United States