2016-17 Big Ten Season

This is the 2016-17 Big Ten Conference men's ice hockey season.  This is the conference's 4th season.

Membership changes

• None, however 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.

Membership

Institution	Location	Nickname	Arena
University of Michigan	Ann Arbor, Michigan	Wolverines	Yost Ice Arena
Michigan State University	East Lansing, Michigan	Spartans	Munn Ice Arena
The Ohio State University	Columbus, Ohio	Buckeyes	Jerome Schottenstein Center
Pennsylvania State University	University Park, Pennsylvania	Nittany Lions	Pegula Ice Arena
University of Minnesota	Minneapolis and St. Paul, Minnesota	Golden Gophers	Mariucci Arena
University of Wisconsin–Madison	Madison, Wisconsin	Badgers	Kohl Center
2017 Conference Tournament	Detroit, Michigan	---	Joe Louis Arena

Future Member

Institution	Location	Nickname	Arena
University of Notre Dame	South Bend, Indiana	Fighting Irish	Compton Family Ice Arena (Charles W. "Lefty" Smith Jr. Rink)

Conference Standings

Big Ten Conference								Overall Record
Team	GP	W	L	T	GF	GA	Pts	GP	W	L	T	GF	GA
Minnesota Golden Gophers	20	14	5	1	79	58	43	38	23	12	3	141	104
Wisconsin Badgers	20	12	8	0	72	66	36	36	20	15	1	122	118
Ohio State Buckeyes	20	11	8	2	76	62	35	39	21	12	6	153	113
Penn State Nittany Lions	20	10	9	1	71	63	31	39	25	12	2	160	108
Michigan Wolverines	20	6	12	4	53	75	22	35	13	19	3	92	111
Michigan State Spartans	20	3	14	4	47	74	13	35	7	24	4	84	134

Conference Tournament

Format

All teams qualify. All rounds are single game "sudden death" The top two seeds draw a first round bye and 3 plays 6 and 4 plays five in the quarterfinals at the home rink of the higher seed. The top seed plays the lowest seeded first round winner and the second seed plays the other quarterfinal winner in the semifinals. The semifinal winners meet for the conference championship and the conference's automatic bid to the 2017 NCAA Division I Men's Ice Hockey Tournament.

Quarterfinals

• Ohio State Buckeyes defeated Michigan State Spartans 6-3
• Penn State Nittany Lions defeated Michigan Wolverines 4-1

Semifinals

• Penn State Nittany Lions defeated Minnesota Golden Gophers 4-3 (2ot)
• Wisconsin Badgers defeated Ohio State Buckeyes 2-1

Final

• Penn State Nittany Lions defeated Wisconsin Badgers 2-1 (2ot)

2017 Big Ten champions Penn State