Opening Faceoff
Inside this edition of College Hockey Insider …
(1) Our preseason power rankings continue with an in-depth look at the Long Island Sharks.
LIU has a solid roster of forwards, even if there isn’t necessarily a high-end scorer on the roster. The depth in that group should be more than adequate. Defensively the team is built on a clear-cut No. 1 and No. 2 option, and Daniel Duris showed the ability last season to outplay his projection, which is largely based on last season’s .900 overall save percentage.
(2) Additionally, we have some new information on Arizona State defenseman Matthew Mayich, who remained hospitalized on Tuesday after collapsing last week during an outdoor workout. There was a virtual prayer service held on Tuesday for Mayich, and an ASU spokesperson said that the university is investigating the circumstances of the workout where Mayich suffered a medical emergency.
According to the deacon who led the prayer service for Mayich, he is currently in a coma.
Preseason Power Rankings: No. 54 Long Island
Storylines
— Long Island, the New York Islanders, and UBS Arena announced a five-year partnership this past spring. The centerpiece of the agreement is the creation of the Empire State Holiday Invitational, an annual holiday tournament hosted by LIU and the Islanders at UBS Arena.
The inaugural tournament will take place Dec. 28-29 and feature LIU, Army, Ferris State, and St. Lawrence.
As part of the broader partnership, LIU’s rink at Northwell Health Ice Center — the Islanders’ practice facility — will also feature branded arena elements.
— The Sharks were limited in the number of home games they played last season, but that will change in 2026-27. LIU is scheduled to play 15 home games this season.
— Brendan Riley enters his second season behind the LIU bench after leading the Sharks to a 14-18-1 record last year. Over the past two seasons, LIU has gone 34-30-3.
