Key Dates to Know on MSU Hockey's 2026-27 Schedule
Michigan State hockey's full schedule is nearly set.
The Spartans formally announced their complete non-conference schedule on Friday. Except for a road game against RIT, Spartan Nation had the entire non-con slate for you back in April, though some of the agreed-upon dates were tweaked or moved around slightly.
Spartan Nation is also in possession of an agreed-to contract between MSU and Boston College to play an exhibition game at Munn Ice Arena in East Lansing on either Oct. 2 or 3. That game hasn't been formally announced by the program yet.
The dates are set for the non-conference games, and the order of the series during Big Ten play is set, too. These are the biggest games or series that Michigan State will play this season.
Key Games, Series
HOF Game on Halloween vs. North Dakota
The early non-conference highlight is a game in Austin, Texas, against North Dakota during the 2026 U.S. Hockey Hall of Fame Game. This one has been publicly on the books since November 2024, and MSU will actually get a $50,000 guarantee for playing the game.
Michigan State and North Dakota are two teams that are expected to be rated pretty highly in this coming season's preseason polls. The Fighting Hawks are probably the strongest squad on the non-conference slate this season. Other interesting games are ahead of it, including a road trip to New Hampshire, but this will be the first truly big test.
Boston University
Another big-name program on the non-conference schedule is Boston University. The Terriers are making a return trip to East Lansing after the Spartans went to BU for a series last year. MSU has set the games at Munn for Nov. 6 and 7.
Boston University is another program that normally will get high preseason expectations. The series between the Terriers and MSU last season got a lot of hype, with the first game getting moved to national television on ESPN2. BU fell short of expectations last year and missed the NCAA Tournament, though.
Michigan Series 1.0
One mildly surprising part about the Big Ten schedule is just how early on the Spartans' first of two series against Michigan is. The two games between the bitter rivals will take place at some point between Thursday, Nov. 19, and Sunday, Nov. 22. It's only the second Big Ten series of the season for MSU, with the conference opener being a trip to Notre Dame.
The first game of this series will be at Yost Ice Arena in Ann Arbor. Game 2 then shifts to Munn Ice Arena. This is pretty customary for the Michigan-Michigan State hockey rivalry.
Great Lakes Invitational
MSU is also continuing to participate in the annual Great Lakes Invitational, now located in Grand Rapids at Van Andel Arena. The other participants this coming season are Western Michigan, Michigan Tech, and a wild-card in Lindenwood (a school located in Missouri). This coming year will be Lindenwood's first appearance.
The bracket isn't yet set for the event, it seems. What is known is that Michigan State will play on both Dec. 29 and 30. If the Spartans win the semifinal on Day 1, it moves onto the final the next day. If Michigan State loses its first game, it plays for third place on Day 2.
Michigan Series 2.0
The second series against Michigan is set for early February, with games going on between Thursday, Feb. 4, and Sunday, Feb. 7. This time, the first game goes to Munn and East Lansing. It's Michigan's turn this year to lose a home game in favor of a big neutral-site game.
That's usually to have the annual "Duel in the D" at Little Caesars Arena. Both teams' schedules have the location as "TBA" and "To Be Determined" for now. It's probably because the date isn't firm yet, as the Red Wings' and Pistons' next schedules aren't out yet.
Wisconsin
The atmosphere when Michigan State plays Wisconsin will also be pretty interesting. The Spartans blew a 3-1 lead late in the third period to the Badgers this March to let a Frozen Four spot slip away. Wisconsin wound up reaching the national title game, losing to Denver there despite outshooting the Pioneers 30-15.
MSU goes to play at Madison first in early January, but the Badgers come to East Lansing at some point between February 11-14, the week after the second Michigan series. Wisconsin's Frozen Four run gave its program some new energy, plus Michigan State will have some mental adversity to deal with, since everyone is going to know what happened when these two teams faced off in the regional final last season, whether they admit it or not.
Add us as a preferred source on Google
A 2025 graduate from Michigan State University, Cotsonika brings a wealth of experience covering the Spartans from Rivals and On3 to his role as Michigan State Spartans Beat Writer on SI. At Michigan State, he was also a member of the world-renowned Spartan marching band for two seasons.
Follow jacobcotsonika