The NCHC and Xcel Energy Center announced Saturday that they have agreed to a three-year extension for the facility to remain the home of the NCHC Frozen Faceoff.
The partnership will keep the NCHC’s championship weekend in Saint Paul through at least 2025.
“We are thrilled to keep the NCHC Frozen Faceoff at Xcel Energy Center in Saint Paul. Xcel Energy Center is one of the finest NHL and hockey arenas in the country, providing our student-athletes a great experience and the perfect venue to crown our postseason champion. We’re proud to have our NCHC student-athletes competing at the highest levels in college hockey,” said Dr. Andy Armacost, president of the University of North Dakota and chair of the NCHC board of directors, in a statement. “Along with that, the city of Saint Paul in the State of Hockey offers our fans a destination location they can plan to attend annually to watch what we believe is the best college hockey in the nation.”
Home to the NHL’s Minnesota Wild, Xcel Energy Center has also been home to the Frozen Faceoff since 2018. However, the 2022 tournament is only the third Frozen Faceoff held in Saint Paul due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
The Frozen Faceoff has traditionally seen four of the best teams in college hockey compete for the NCHC tournament title, including this year’s field, which featured four top-10 teams, all of which will play in the 2022 NCAA tournament. In addition, fan events have been held around the Frozen Faceoff, including a fan skate on Xcel Energy Center ice and fan fest hosted by Visit Saint Paul, which have enhanced the fan experience.
“The NCHC and its member institutions are appreciative of Xcel Energy Center, the Minnesota Wild and city of Saint Paul for their past and now continued great support of the conference and Frozen Faceoff,” said NCHC commissioner Josh Fenton. “Our conference has been focused on providing great experiences for student-athletes and fans since its inception and the experience of the Frozen Faceoff at Xcel Energy Center is one of the best in all of college hockey. We are extremely excited to announce this partnership extension.”
Regarded as one of the finest arenas in the world, Xcel Energy Center is a one-of-a-kind, multi-purpose sports and entertainment facility located in downtown Saint Paul, home to more than 150 sporting and entertainment events and roughly 1.7 million visitors each year.
