Penn State men’s hockey prepares for 2026-27 season opener

Penn State men’s hockey is preparing for the 2026-27 season, beginning with the Ice Breaker Tournament. The Nittany Lions are scheduled to face UConn on Friday, October 9, followed by a game against Sacred Heart on Saturday.

Head coach Guy Gadowsky noted that the team faces the challenge of replacing significant offensive production following the departure of players like Gavin McKenna, who was selected first overall in the 2026 NHL Draft. To address this, Gadowsky intends to implement a ‘scoring by committee’ approach, focusing on depth and tempo rather than relying on two dominant lines.

The roster is notably young, with 18 of the 25 players being freshmen or sophomores. The team will be led by two primary captains, senior forward Dane Dowiak and Reese Laubach. Dowiak emphasized that the program will maintain its identity of playing fast on the rush and utilizing transition play to drive offense.