12 Schools•Division I•Est. 1984
Hockey East was chartered on July 11, 1983, when athletic directors from Boston College, Boston University, New Hampshire, Northeastern and Providence left the ECAC to build their own Division I men's ice hockey conference. Maine and Lowell joined before the summer ended, play began in 1984 under first commissioner Lou Lamoriello, and the league office sits in Amesbury, Massachusetts.
The men's game built the reputation. Maine won national titles in 1993 and 1999, Boston University in 1995 and 2009, Boston College in 2001, 2008, 2010 and 2012, Providence in 2015 and Massachusetts in 2021. Three of the four Frozen Four teams came from the league in 1999, when Maine beat New Hampshire 3 to 2 in overtime for the crown.
The women's side grew just as fast. Approved by the athletic directors in September 2001, it opened play in 2002 under founding commissioner Joe Bertagna. Patty Kazmaier Award winners include Northeastern's Brooke Whitney in 2002, Boston College's Alex Carpenter in 2015 and Northeastern's Aerin Frankel in 2021.
The Olympic pipeline runs through New England. Cale Makar won the Hobey Baker Award at Massachusetts in 2019, and alumni of all twelve member schools reached the 2026 Winter Olympics in Milan and Cortina.
Rivalries give the calendar its shape. Boston College, Boston University and Northeastern meet Harvard each year at the Beanpot, Maine and New Hampshire contest the Border War, and the two Commonwealth Avenue schools have played each other since 1918. Men's champions lift the Lamoriello Trophy, women's champions the Bertagna Trophy.
Official Website
Hockey East was chartered on July 11, 1983, when athletic directors from Boston College, Boston University, New Hampshire, Northeastern and Providence left the ECAC to build their own Division I men's ice hockey conference. Maine and Lowell joined before the summer ended, play began in 1984 under first commissioner Lou Lamoriello, and the league office sits in Amesbury, Massachusetts.
The men's game built the reputation. Maine won national titles in 1993 and 1999, Boston University in 1995 and 2009, Boston College in 2001, 2008, 2010 and 2012, Providence in 2015 and Massachusetts in 2021. Three of the four Frozen Four teams came from the league in 1999, when Maine beat New Hampshire 3 to 2 in overtime for the crown.
The women's side grew just as fast. Approved by the athletic directors in September 2001, it opened play in 2002 under founding commissioner Joe Bertagna. Patty Kazmaier Award winners include Northeastern's Brooke Whitney in 2002, Boston College's Alex Carpenter in 2015 and Northeastern's Aerin Frankel in 2021.
The Olympic pipeline runs through New England. Cale Makar won the Hobey Baker Award at Massachusetts in 2019, and alumni of all twelve member schools reached the 2026 Winter Olympics in Milan and Cortina.
Rivalries give the calendar its shape. Boston College, Boston University and Northeastern meet Harvard each year at the Beanpot, Maine and New Hampshire contest the Border War, and the two Commonwealth Avenue schools have played each other since 1918. Men's champions lift the Lamoriello Trophy, women's champions the Bertagna Trophy.
Official Website