The NCAA men's Division I hockey tournament begins Friday, and the 16-team field is rife with traditional rivalries. Some of that enmity extends to the pros, as college hockey has become a major pipeline to the NHL. We asked a handful of players who are alumni of top NCAA programs to sell us on their alma mater's virtues, talk some trash about their rivals (including some current teammates) and predict who will win this year's tourney. (Spoiler alert: They didn't all pick their own team.)
Why their alma mater is the best program in college hockey
Minnesota Wild center Matt Cullen, St.