2017-18 Big Ten Season

This is the 2017-18 Big Ten Conference men's ice hockey season. This is the conference's 5th season.

Change in Conference Tournament Format
Due to the poor attendance of the neutral site tournaments, and the addition of Notre Dame as a Big Ten team in hockey, the 2018 tournament will introduce a new three-week playoff format. In the first round, the No. 1 team in the regular season conference standings receives a bye, and the remaining six play in a set of best-of-three series. The winners of these three playoff series, along with the No. 1 team, will then participate in two semifinal games. Their winners will advance to the Big Ten championship game.

All games will be held at the home arena of the highest seed in each match-up, rather than a neutral site. Unlike other playoff-style conference tournaments in college hockey, the Big Ten will only use single-game semifinals and finals to reduce the likelihood of conflicts with other events that may be scheduled at team arenas.

Membership changes

 * The University of Notre Dame announced that the men's hockey program will leave Hockey East after the 2016-17 season and join the Big Ten Conference as an associate member for men's ice hockey only.

Format
See Above

Quarterfinals

 * Ohio State Buckeyes defeated Michigan State Spartans 2 games to none
 * Michigan Wolverines defeated Wisconsin Badgers 2 games to none
 * Penn State Nittany Lions defeated Minnesota Golden Gophers 2 games to none

Semifinals

 * Notre Dame Fighting Irish defeated Penn State Nittany Lions 3-2
 * Ohio State Buckeyes defeated Michigan Wolverines 3-2

Final

 * Notre Dame Fighting Irish defeated Ohio State Buckeyes 3-2 (ot)