These 11 teams are locks:
North Dakota
Quinnipiac
St Cloud St
Providence
Boston College
Denver
Michigan
Mass.-Lowell
Boston University
Harvard
Notre Dame
These teams are hoping for at-large bids:
Yale (idle)
Minnesota-Duluth
Northeastern
These teams can claim a spot by winning their conference tournament:
Minnesota
Robert Morris or RIT
Minnesota State or Ferris State
Each of Minnesota-Duluth and Northeastern is also in if they win their conference tournament.
So, given that the Big Ten is the only remaining conference in which it’s unknown whether the winner will consume an at-large spot or not, Minnesota is the wildcard. If they win, they will take a slot, denying one of Yale, Minnesota-Duluth, or Northeastern. If Michigan wins, all three get in regardless of their own outcome.
If I’ve got this right, Minnesota, Minnesota-Duluth, Northeastern and Quinnipiac all have to win to knock Yale out. Is that right?
Looking at Michigan—->You know your duty, do not fail college hockey on Sunday.