Winning is a habit at the University of Denver. But honestly, keeping up with the du ice hockey schedule this year feels like a full-time job. With conference realignments, weird non-conference scheduling quirks, and the sheer weight of expectations on David Carle's squad, things are... busy.
You've probably noticed that Magness Arena isn't just a rink; it's a pressure cooker. After the Pioneers secured their record-breaking 10th national title, every single team on the calendar circled their dates against Denver in bright red ink.
The Grind of the 2025-26 NCHC Slate
The National Collegiate Hockey Conference (NCHC) is a meat grinder. Period. If you look at the du ice hockey schedule, the stretch through January and February is where seasons go to die—or where championships are born. This year, the addition of Arizona State to the conference has changed the travel math for everyone.
Denver’s schedule features a heavy dose of familiar foes, but the timing is what makes it tricky. We’re talking about back-to-back weekends against Top-10 programs.
Take the mid-January trip to Grand Forks. Heading into North Dakota on January 16-17 is never just "another game." It’s a literal battle for first place in the NCHC. The Pioneers follow that up by returning home for a brutal four-game homestand against St. Cloud State (Jan 23-24) and Minnesota Duluth (Jan 30-31).
If they come out of that stretch with six or seven points? They're golden. If they stumble? The PairWise rankings will be a nightmare come March.
Key Matchups You Can't Miss
- The Gold Pan Series: It's the best rivalry in college hockey. No debate. DU faces Colorado College in a home-and-home split on February 6 and 7. Ed Robson Arena will be hostile, and Magness will be rocking the next night.
- The Arizona State Finale: The regular season actually wraps up at home against the Sun Devils on February 27-28. It's a weird feeling having a non-traditional hockey school as a final conference series, but ASU is legit.
- The Battle for the Iron: Western Michigan has become a massive thorn in Denver's side lately. Those games earlier in January already showed that the Broncos aren't scared of the 10-time champs.
Why This Schedule is Harder Than Last Year
Last season, the Pioneers had a veteran core that could sleepwalk through a Friday night and still win 4-2. This year? It’s different. The departures of Jack Devine and Aidan Thompson to the AHL, plus Zeev Buium jumping to the Minnesota Wild, left some massive holes.
When you look at the du ice hockey schedule, you have to factor in the "youth tax." Freshmen like Clarke Caswell and Kristian Epperson are incredible talents, but they’re learning the hard way that a Tuesday night practice in Denver is harder than most junior hockey games.
Coach Carle didn't do these kids any favors with the non-conference schedule, either. Playing Maine and Boston College early on was a "sink or swim" moment. Most teams would schedule some "cupcakes" to build confidence. Not Denver. They want to be tested.
The Goaltending Question
Paxton Geisel and Quentin Miller have been splitting time, and honestly, it’s been a bit of a rollercoaster. When you’re looking at the upcoming games on the du ice hockey schedule, the defense has to be better. You can't give up 35 shots to a team like Omaha and expect to win consistently in this league.
Miller, the Montreal Canadiens prospect, has shown flashes of brilliance, especially in December. But consistency is the name of the game when the playoffs roll around.
Navigating the Postseason Path
The NCHC tournament is changing this year. For the first time, the entire thing is moving to campus sites for the higher seeds. This makes the regular season du ice hockey schedule even more critical. If Denver doesn't finish in the top four, they lose home-ice advantage for the quarterfinals (March 6-8).
Nobody wants to travel to St. Cloud or Duluth for a best-of-three series.
If they survive the NCHC gauntlet, the NCAA Regionals are looming from March 26-29. This year, Loveland, Colorado, is a host site at the Blue Arena. If DU handles their business, they could essentially play a "road" game that feels like a home game just an hour north of campus.
Actionable Steps for Pios Fans
- Check the Altitude: If you aren't at Magness, make sure your Altitude Sports subscription is active. A lot of these NCHC games are also streaming on NCHC.tv, but the blackout rules are sort of a mess.
- Buy Early for the CC Game: Seriously. The February 7th game against Colorado College will sell out weeks in advance. Don't be the person paying 4x on a resale site.
- Watch the PairWise: Start tracking the PairWise rankings in late January. Because the NCHC is so strong, even a loss to a team like North Dakota doesn't hurt as much as a loss to a lower-ranked non-conference opponent.
- Student Tickets: If you're a DU student, the "Crimson Crew" section fills up fast. Get there at least 45 minutes before puck drop for the big rivalry nights.
The road to the 2026 Frozen Four in Las Vegas is long. The du ice hockey schedule is designed to break a team down so they can be rebuilt stronger for April. It's stressful, it's loud, and it's exactly why Denver is the most successful program in the country.
Stay on top of the dates, keep an eye on the injury report for guys like Sam Harris, and get ready for a wild ride into the spring.