The Ice Breaker Tournament, the traditional start to the college hockey season, will be held at Magness Arena on the campus of the University of Denver from Oct. 7-8, 2016.
“Magness Arena and the University of Denver will be fantastic hosts for the 2016 Ice Breaker Tournament,” said Mike Snee, Executive Director of College Hockey Inc. “We are thrilled to showcase our sport and celebrate the start of the 2016 season in such a great venue.”
Air Force, Boston College and Ohio State will join Denver for the tournament.
“We’re very excited to be hosting the Ice Breaker Tournament in partnership with College Hockey Inc. in 2016 and we’re honored that the 20th edition of this fantastic event will be staged at Magness Arena,” said Pioneers head coach Jim Montgomery.
“This tournament is one of the top showcase events for college hockey in the country and we’re thrilled that our great fans will again have the opportunity to experience it firsthand. Denver won this tournament the last time it was at Magness and we’re looking forward to kicking off the 2016-17 college hockey season by taking on some great competition.”
College Hockey Inc., which manages the Ice Breaker Tournament on behalf of the Hockey Commissioners Association, also announced the field for the 2015 tournament, which will be held Oct. 9-10 at the Cross Insurance Arena in Portland, Maine. That event will feature Lake Superior State, Michigan State, North Dakota and the host institution, Maine.
The 2016 Ice Breaker Tournament will mark the 20th anniversary of the event as it returns to Magness Arena for the second time. The first visit, in 1999, saw host Denver win the tournament in the year Magness Arena opened. The Pioneers have only made one other appearance in the Ice Breaker (2006).
Ticket packages and other information about the 2016 Ice Breaker Tournament will be announced by the University of Denver as the event approaches.
Tournament History
Year Host Site Field (Champion in Bold)
1997 University of Wisconsin Dane County Coliseum (Madison) BU, Clarkson, Michigan State, Wisconsin
1998 University of Minnesota Mariucci Arena (Minneapolis) BC, Minnesota, Ohio State, St. Lawrence
1999 University of Denver Magness Arena (Denver) Denver, Notre Dame, Providence, Union
2000 University of Michigan Yost Arena (Ann Arbor) Colgate, Michigan, New Hampshire, North Dakota
2001 University of Maine Alfond Arena (Orono) Bowling Green, Clarkson, Maine, St. Cloud
2002 University of Wisconsin Kohl Center (Madison) BU, Northern Michigan, Rensselaer, Wisconsin
2003 Michigan State University Munn Arena (East Lansing) BC, Findlay, Minnesota Duluth, Michigan State
2004 University of New Hampshire Whittemore Center (Durham) New Hampshire, Ohio St., St. Cloud, St. Lawrence
2005 Colorado College World Arena (Colorado Springs) Air Force, Colorado College, Maine, Union
2006 Miami University Goggin Ice Arena (Oxford) Colgate, Denver, Miami, Vermont
2007 University of Minnesota Xcel Energy Center (St. Paul) BC, Michigan, Minnesota, Rensselaer
2008 Boston University Agganis Arena (Boston) BU, Massachusetts, Michigan State, North Dakota
2009 University of Nebraska Omaha Qwest Center (Omaha) Army, UMass Lowell, Nebraska Omaha, St. Lawrence
2010 St. Louis Sports Commission Scottrade Center (St. Louis) BU, Holy Cross, Notre Dame, Wisconsin
2011 University of North Dakota Ralph Engelstad Arena (Grand Forks) Air Force, BC, Michigan State, North Dakota
2012 Kansas City Sports Commission Sprint Center (Kansas City) Army, Maine, Nebraska Omaha, Notre Dame
2013 University of Minnesota Mariucci Arena (Minneapolis) Clarkson, Mercyhurst, Minnesota, New Hampshire
2014 University of Notre Dame Compton Family Ice Arena (Notre Dame) Minnesota, Minnesota Duluth, Notre Dame, Rensselaer
2015 University of Maine Cross Insurance Arena (Portland) Lake Superior St., Maine, Michigan State, North Dakota
2016 University of Denver Magness Arena (Denver) Air Force, Boston College, Denver, Ohio State
