SEPTEMBER 5, 2025 | SPORTS | By Miles Katzen (Staff Writer)
At the start of the 2024-25 season, Colorado College Hockey was ranked as high as sixth nationally. The team boasted a strong roster featuring All-National Collegiate Hockey Conference (NCHC) players such as goaltender Kaidan Mbereko ‘26 and forward Noah Laba ‘26. An 8-0 start catapulted the Tigers towards the top of the national rankings, eliciting optimism from fans. However, injuries and inconsistent play brought the team back to earth with an 18-18-1 season and a first-round exit at the hands of the University of Denver in the NCHC quarterfinals.
Following the season, Laba, Gleb Veremyev ‘26 and graduate student Ty Gallagher departed to play professional hockey. Forwards Zaccharya Wisdom ‘27 and Ryan Beck ‘26, defensemen Ethan Straky ‘26, Tyler Dunbar ‘27 and goaltender Carsen Musser ‘28 transferred to other programs. These departures, in addition to a number of graduating seniors, left the Tigers without three of their top five scorers.
Head coach Kris Mayotte and his staff were undeterred heading into the offseason, though. The Tigers signed 12 freshmen as well as two players from the transfer portal, making up a class which has been ranked as high as third nationally. The class consists of nine forwards, three defensemen, and two goaltenders. Six of the 12 freshmen have already been drafted by NHL teams. In tandem with three returners, the squad is projected to be eighth in the nation.
When asked about why the team focused on incoming freshmen rather than transfers, Mayotte spoke to the importance of building up a team culture rather than relying on older players from the portal, saying “We don’t want to be a transactional program. We want guys to see a vision … and then commit to it.”
Mayotte and assistant coach John Lidgett had a special opportunity to pursue quality freshmen this offseason, as the NCAA changed recruitment rules to allow the signing of Canadian Hockey League players. The rule change allows schools to cast a wider net for Canadian players with experience in a professional development league. The coaching team had prepared for this rule change and pounced at the opportunity to “dial in the type of person and player that we […] want to bring to CC.”
Despite having lost some talented players over the offseason, the Tigers retained much of their core heading into the 2025-26 season. All-American goaltender Mbereko will return to CC for his senior season, having started at least 29 games in the past three seasons. The Tigers also have returners in top point-scorer Owen Beckner ‘28 and top-scoring defenseman Max Burkholder ‘27.
In regards to the talent lost, Mayotte said, “That’s the nature of college athletics… You generally lose your captain every single year.” He expressed faith in the team’s ability to find new leadership both on and off the ice.
The NCHC is home to 2024-25 national champions Western Michigan University, as well as perennial powerhouse University of Denver, but Mayotte and the Tigers hope their strong recruiting class and core of returners can make a push for both a conference championship and a national title in the 2025-26 season. The first games of the season are scheduled for Oct. 3 and 4, against the University of Connecticut at Ed Robson Arena.