NCAA Field Set as Rangers Prospects Head Into Tournament
A rare overlap saw the NCAA announce its tournament field on the same day the Canadian juniors ended their regular season. For New York Rangers fans, the real fun begins now as several prospects enter high‑stakes playoff runs.
Four Prospects on Top Seeds
Four Rangers prospects will skate in the NCAA tournament, and for the first time, all four play for the top four seeds.
Top‑ranked Michigan, led by Malcom Spence, earned the No. 1 overall seed. The Wolverines head to Albany, N.Y., where they will face 16th‑seeded Bentley on Friday at 5:30 p.m. EDT. ESPN‑U and ESPN+ will carry the game.
North Dakota and defenseman E. J. Emery secured the No. 2 overall seed. They will play Merrimack in Sioux Falls, S.D., on Thursday at 8:30 p.m. EDT. The Warriors stunned Hockey East by winning the conference tournament. ESPN2 and ESPN+ will broadcast the matchup.
Freshman Sean Barnhill and Michigan State are the No. 3 seed. They open the Worcester Regional against UConn on Thursday at 1:30 p.m. EDT. ESPN2 and ESPN+ will show the game.
Rounding out the top four, Ty Henricks and defending national champion Western Michigan earned the No. 4 seed. They travel to Loveland, Colo., to face Minnesota State on Friday at 2:30 p.m. EDT on ESPN‑U and ESPN+.
It shapes up as a tournament worth clearing time to watch.
Greentree Leads Windsor to West Division Title
Liam Greentree delivered when it mattered most. His Windsor Spitfires needed one point to clinch the OHL’s West Division title. A loss would have dropped them to third place.
The captain made sure that didn’t happen. Greentree posted a 1‑3‑4 night as Windsor beat the Soo Greyhounds 5‑3. It marked the Spitfires’ third division crown in four years.
Greentree opened the scoring at 4:40 of the first period, finishing a two‑on‑one for his 38th goal.
Top shelf tuck from the captain 🔝
Liam Greentree opens the scoring for the @SpitsHockey with his 38th of the season!#NYR pic.twitter.com/kbXQT2Vppl
— Ontario Hockey League (@OHLHockey) March 22, 2026
Windsor pushed the lead to 2‑0 before the Greyhounds tied the game in the second. Greentree earned his second point on a power‑play sequence at 18:34, firing a shot that Jack Nesbit buried on the rebound.
Soo tied it again early in the third. Greentree added a secondary assist on the go‑ahead power‑play goal at 10:00, then capped his regular‑season scoring with another secondary assist on an empty‑netter at 19:00.
Greentree led the game with seven shots. He finished the season with 38‑36‑74 and a +19 rating, including seven power‑play goals, two shorthanded goals, and four game‑winners.
Since the Rangers acquired his rights, Greentree produced 15‑14‑29 in 18 games. His OHL career totals stand at 148‑180‑328 in 248 games with a +61 rating.
Windsor opens the playoffs Thursday at home against Guelph.
Did Not Play: Gonchar Rested Ahead of Playoffs
Artem Gonchar sat out Sudbury’s regular‑season finale. The Wolves were locked into the eighth seed, and resting the rookie defenseman was a smart move.
Sudbury will face the OHL’s regular‑season champions in a likely uphill series. A quick exit would benefit the Rangers, who could bring Gonchar to Hartford on an ATO for AHL experience. Because he was drafted out of Russia, he is eligible to play in the AHL before turning 20.
Gonchar posted 15‑36‑51 in 65 games. His ‑23 rating reflected team struggles, but he added three power‑play goals and two game‑winners. He finished ninth in scoring among OHL defensemen.
