3 Breakout Players From NCAA Frozen Four

These three players were the breakout stars at this year's NCAA Frozen Four.

Apr 12, 2025; St. Louis, Missouri, UNITED STATES; Western Michigan Broncos goaltender Hampton Slukynsky (30) defends the net against the Boston University Terriers during the second period of the Frozen Four college ice hockey national championship at Enterprise Center. Mandatory Credit: Jeff Curry-Imagn Images / Jeff Curry-Imagn Images

The 2025 Men's Frozen Four Championship was a thrilling tournament, capped off by Western Michigan University claiming the first national title in school history. The entire tournament featured highlight-reel goals, saves and unforgettable moments.

A few players also had breakout performances in the tournament, elevating their stocks as prospects or putting their names on the map.

Let's dive into the biggest breakout performers from this year's Frozen Four.

Matthew DiMarsico - Penn State University

While PSU fell short in their Frozen Four semi-final matchup, the team impressed in their tournament showing overall. There's a few players with NHL affiliations, but sophomore forward Matthew DiMarsico was a difference-maker for the Nittany Lions. The 21-year-old forward went undrafted in 2023 and 2024, but this season was a huge step forward.

In three tournament games, he recorded three goals. He and linemate Charlie Cerrato formed a deadly duo that generated a ton of PSU's offensive chances. In 39 total games this year, he recorded 17 goals and 15 assists. He's a player that will generate more and more NHL buzz next season, but his breakout performance at the Frozen Four is an excellent first step.

Eric Pohlkamp - University of Denver

The University of Denver was a goal away from returning to the Frozen Four Championship game for the second straight season, but ultimately fell to the eventual title winners in Western Michigan. Minnesota Wild defenseman Zeev Buium was the biggest story for Denver, but Eric Pohlkamp was very impressive in the tournament.

In three games, he recorded a goal to go with an assist and was a +5 in those contests. He was also rolled out just as often as Buium, and his lowest ice time total in the tournament was 23:53 against Providence College.

While his offensive numbers aren't as flashy as Buium, the San Jose Sharks prospect is incredibly physical and has a booming shot. He's also a proficient skater and an elite athlete, which was on display all tournament long. The 21-year-old will have the chance to be the top defender for Denver next season, and he could propel himself to the top of the Sharks' prospect list with another step forward.

Hampton Slukynsky - Western Michigan University

Winning a national title is an excellent way to raise your stock as an NHL prospect, and WMU goalie Hampton Slukynsky will surely benefit from that bump. The Los Angeles Kings draft pick has now collected gold at the World Junior Championships and an NCAA championship in the past six months.

The freshman goalie was phenomenal during the tournament. Over four starts, he allowed six total goals and stopped at least 91% of the shots against him. In the finals against Boston University, he made 24 saves on 26 shots on goal, stonewalling the red-hot BU offense in the biggest game of his young career.

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