Four reasons for Flyers fans to watch the men’s NCAA hockey tournament

March Madness shifts from the hardwood to the ice this week with the puck dropping on the NCAA men’s ice hockey tournament on Thursday afternoon.

All roads lead to the State of Hockey, with St. Paul, Minn. as the site for this year’s Frozen Four (April 11-13). Flyers fans should tune in this week with at least four of the organization’s prospects slated to participate in the tournament — Denver’s Massimo Rizzo is doubtful to play with a lower-body injury — and countless 2024 draft-eligible prospects also competing on college hockey’s biggest stage.

Here are four reasons why local fans should watch the NCAA Tournament, starting with this week’s regionals.

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Too soon? The No. 5 overall pick in the 2022 draft, Gauthier might be the most hated athlete in Philadelphia these days after forcing a trade in January from Philadelphia. He was dealt to Anaheim, which landed the Flyers skilled defenseman Jamie Drysdale and a 2025 second-round pick. Once viewed as the future of the Flyers alongside 2023 first-rounder Matvei Michkov, Gauthier might as well be Benedict Arnold to fans around the South Philadelphia Sports Complex.

But while Gauthier’s refusal to play for the Flyers and the way he handled it can be debated, his talent cannot. One of 10 finalists for the Hobey Baker Award, presented annually to the top men’s college hockey player, Gauthier is in the midst of a dominant sophomore season at Boston College. His 35 goals in 37 games are the most by a college player since Kyle Connor potted the same number in 2015-16 with Michigan. In short, the Flyers are missing out on an elite prospect whose size, skill, and high-end shot projects to be a 30- to 40-goal scorer at the next level. Freshmen Ryan Leonard and Gabe Perreault, whom the Flyers passed on for Michkov and Oliver Bonk, respectively, also have had big years in Chestnut Hill. BC may be the favorite to win the national title, but for once, fans in Philly won’t be singing “Fly, Eagles Fly.”

» READ MORE: Trading Cutter Gauthier is the Flyers’ first big setback in their rebuild

With Denver’s Rizzo, who tallied 44 points in 28 games (1.57 ppg) before suffering an injury in mid-February, unlikely to play this weekend, the Flyers have four other prospects vying to reach the Frozen Four. They are Boston University’s Devin Kaplan, Minnesota’s Bryce Brodzinski, North Dakota’s Owen McLaughlin, and Western Michigan’s Alex Bump.

Brodzinski, who turns 24 in August, has one more chance to convince the Flyers’ brass to sign him before he becomes a free agent. A seventh-round pick in 2019, the fifth-year player was honorable mention All-Big Ten after posting 13 goals and 32 points in 37 games.

Kaplan is looking to return to the Frozen Four for the second time in two seasons. While not a huge point producer, Kaplan’s size (6-foot-2, 198 pounds), strength, and versatility are all tools that make him an important player for BU and a prospect the Flyers remain high on.

Finally, McLaughlin and Bump are two intriguing prospects for different reasons. McLaughlin, a native of Phoenixville, has made a major jump as a sophomore at North Dakota. After scoring just two goals last season, he has 13 this year and has been a point-per-game player this year for the National Collegiate Hockey Conference regular-season champs. Bump, 20, was previously a standout at development camp and having a great season with 13 goals and 34 points for Western Michigan. Flyers assistant GM Brent Flahr recently singled out Bump when asked by The Inquirer for an under-the-radar prospect to watch.

“[Bump’s] had a really strong second half. They do a really good job there at Western Michigan as far as developing young guys,” said Flahr. “Probably since December, he’s been moved up to the top line, power play, and he’s been scoring at a pretty good pace. So a prospect that we’re very high on and is in a really good spot.”

There are also a few familiar last names at this year’s tournament, as former Flyers Mike Knuble and Tony Amonte will have sons playing in the Frozen Four.

While Flyers draft pick Cole Knuble missed out on the tournament with Notre Dame, his older brother Cam is a depth forward with Western Michigan. Meanwhile, Amonte’s son Tristan is a junior forward at Boston University. Knuble played for the Flyers from 2005-09, and again in 2012-13, tallying 118 goals and 229 points in 338 games with the Orange and Black. Amonte, a five-time NHL All-Star, played two seasons near the end of his career for the Flyers (2002-04), notching 20 goals in 2003-04.

Finally, former Flyer Matt Carle’s younger brother, David Carle, is the head coach of Denver, while North Dakota blueliner Bennett Zmolek’s older brother is Flyers prospect Will Zmolek.

While Philly is known for producing its fair share of basketball and football players, hockey is slowly catching up. This year’s tournament is proof of that with several local products, even one from Delco, spread across the 16 qualified teams.

Sam Lipkin, a sophomore at Quinnipiac, is probably the cream of the local crop. The Philly native, who played for La Salle College High and the Jr. Flyers, assisted on the overtime winner in the title game last year against Minnesota. He is a key cog for the Bobcats again this season and is tied for second on the team with 15 goals.

» READ MORE: Quinnipiac’s Sam Lipkin hasn’t forgotten his Philly hockey roots

UMass’ Kenny Connors (Glen Mills) and Michael Cameron (Berwyn) also both played for the Jr. Flyers, with Connors spending time at Malvern Prep and Cameron at Conestoga High. Rounding out the locals are Cornell’s Nick DeSantis of Collegeville (Jr. Flyers and Malvern Prep) and Boston University defenseman Jack Page of West Chester (West Bayard Rustin High and Jr. Flyers).