MSU Hockey Set To Add First-Rounder Earlier Than Expected
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Michigan State's 2026-27 roster was already considered loaded. It just got a little bit better.
The Spartans recently saw five future recruits selected in the first round of the 2026 NHL Draft last weekend. Four of those selections were expected to join MSU this fall. Defenseman Tommy Bleyl, who went 31st overall to the Nashville Predators, was considered to be committed to join Michigan State in 2027-28.
Bleyl seems to have had a change of plans. On Monday, Predators beat reporter Alex Daugherty reported that Bleyl would actually play in East Lansing during the 2026-27 season. Bleyl had previously been expected to spend another year in the QMJHL with the Moncton Wildcats.
The news is certainly a pleasant surprise for Michigan State. Adam Nightingale and his staff had seemed to be on the hunt for another defenseman to add to the 2026-27 roster. Their solution just advanced the timeline of one of their top recruits.
Contextualizing Bleyl's Decision
MSU wasn't that shy about its desire to add another elite defenseman. The Spartans had reported interest in both Daxon Rudolph and Landon DuPont. Rudolph went fourth overall in this year's draft to the Buffalo Sabres, and DuPont is the current favorite to go No. 1 overall in the 2027 draft. Those were both recruiting misses for Michigan State, though, as Rudolph picked Denver and DuPont committed to arch-rival Michigan.
There is a fair amount of production to replace on defense for Michigan State. Top defenseman Matt Basgall ran out of eligibility. Colin Ralph and Maxim Strbak both signed NHL deals with the St. Louis Blues and the Sabres, respectively. Patrick Geary is the only returning defenseman from the top two lines.
Bleyl won't be the only big name added to replace those who have gone elsewhere. Chase Reid is the highest draft pick in the Spartans' most recent class. He was selected seventh overall by the Seattle Kraken, which was later than where he was expected to go.
MSU's other three first-round picks from this season are all forwards or centers. Nikita Klepov went 15th overall to the Anaheim Ducks, Ethan Belchetz went 17th to the Utah Mammoth, and Jack Hextall went 30th to the Calgary Flames.
Crazy Talent on Spartans' Roster
Bleyl will also be one of two Nashville first-round picks on next season's roster. The Spartans are bringing back Ryker Lee for another year. Lee became a fan favorite last year with his offensive creativity and stick-handling. His 15 goals are the most among returning players for Michigan State, and he also tallied 15 assists last season -- that's also first among returners.
"I'm not going to take much credit for that," Lee said about Bleyl's decision to come to MSU in a post by Daugherty. "I went up and said hi to him, and he actually said he was going to come in. It's been great getting to know him. He's been asking me questions, and I'm excited to get him on campus, and we're going to have a great group next year."
Bleyl joining the Spartans now means they'll have a whopping 10 total first-rounders on their roster next season. Michigan State is bringing back Lee and Cayden Lindstrom from last season. It is bringing along Cullen Potter (32nd overall in 2025) from the transfer portal. There are the five first-round picks this year, and then Mason West (29th overall in '25) and Joshua Ravensbergen (30th overall in '25) are also set to join in for 2026-27.
That means 38.5% of MSU's players this season will be first-round picks, assuming the Spartans reach the NCAA hard cap of 26 total players. It's a roster that college hockey has never really seen before.
What is also interesting is that Michigan State probably won't be the preseason No. 1 team in college hockey. MSU will undoubtedly have the most talented roster in the sport, but it will also be quite young. There is still a need for experienced upperclassmen who are more developed physically. Daniel Russell and Basgall were still top-line guys last season as seniors, even though they weren't drafted at all.
However, the roster is constructed, and the bar next season is the Frozen Four. The Spartans have been a top-four national seed three years in a row in the NCAA Tournament, but they've wound up suffering two regional final losses to Big Ten foes (Michigan and Wisconsin) and a first-round upset to Cornell. The single-elimination format is ridiculous, but at some point, Michigan State has to adapt and find success within it.
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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.
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