Michigan State's 2026-27 Roster Reads Like an NHL Draft Board
Nine former first round picks, a shot stopper drafted in the opening round, and one big departure before the season even started. Michigan State's incoming hockey class is the deepest in the sport, and it is exactly the kind of program the desert crowd loves to watch.
Key takeaways
- Michigan State's 2026-27 hockey roster carries 17 total NHL draft picks, the most of any college program, after starting the summer at 18.
- Nine of those picks are first round selections, spanning four different draft classes from 2024 through 2026.
- Nikita Klepov, the Spartans' 15th overall pick in June, signed a three year entry level contract with the Anaheim Ducks in late July and never suited up in East Lansing.
- Goaltender Joshua Ravensbergen, a 2025 first rounder to San Jose, posted a .919 save percentage in the WHL last season and heads into college as a rare first round pick between the pipes.
Figures drawn from Michigan State's July 2026 roster release and subsequent reporting on Nikita Klepov's departure to the Anaheim Ducks.
A recruiting class stacked like a draft board
Michigan State opened the summer of 2026 with a roster line that reads more like an NHL draft ledger than a college hockey lineup. The Spartans landed commitments from four players who heard their names called in the first round of the 2026 NHL Entry Draft, a haul no other Division I program matched. Chase Reid went seventh overall to the Seattle Kraken, Ethan Belchetz went 17th to the Utah Mammoth, and Jack Hextall and Tommy Bleyl came off the board in the back half of round one to Calgary and Nashville.
That incoming group did not arrive to an empty cupboard. Cayden Lindstrom, taken fourth overall by Columbus in 2024, and goaltender Joshua Ravensbergen, a 2025 first rounder to San Jose, were already wearing green and white, and Ryker Lee, a 2025 pick of the Nashville Predators, gives the forward group another NHL caliber returner. Add it up and the program opens 2026-27 with nine first round picks on its roster, a number that would look right at home on a mock draft rather than a college depth chart.
The one who got away before he arrived
Not every name on that list will actually play in East Lansing. Nikita Klepov, the 15th overall pick of the Anaheim Ducks in June, was still listed on Michigan State's newly released roster in late July when word broke that he had signed a three year entry level contract with the Ducks organization. Under NCAA rules, signing a professional contract ends college eligibility immediately, so Klepov's Michigan State career closed before he ever pulled on a Spartans sweater.
The move trimmed the Spartans' total draft pick count from 18 to 17, still the deepest collection of NHL drafted talent in college hockey heading into the season. It is also a reminder of how thin the line has become between college hockey prospect and NHL roster piece for players taken in the draft's first round, several of whom now weigh an entry level contract against a season or more of college development before turning pro.
A crease worth watching too
While the forward and defense corps have drawn most of the attention, the goaltending story is just as notable. Joshua Ravensbergen, the 30th overall pick by the San Jose Sharks in 2025, is walking into East Lansing off a strong junior season, one where his 2.51 goals against mark and a stingy .919 save rate came across 46 WHL appearances. First round goaltenders are rare in any draft class, let alone one who is about to anchor a college crease.
Pair that kind of shot stopping with a blue line and forward group littered with first round pedigree, and Michigan State's 2026-27 roster has the look of a program built for a deep postseason run, at least on paper. The Spartans will still have to prove it on the ice against a Big Ten slate that has only gotten tougher year over year.
Why the desert crowd should be watching
Rosters like this one are exactly why college hockey has found such an enthusiastic audience out west. Big Ten programs stacked with future NHL talent are the same caliber of team that has made its way to Las Vegas for marquee events, and every name on Michigan State's draft pick list is a reminder that the sport's biggest stars often spend a season or two in a college sweater before the pros.
If storylines like a nine deep first round roster catch your attention, keep tracking how the desert's own college hockey calendar shapes up this season. Grab tickets, catch a game, and watch for the next wave of draft picks the way Michigan State fans are already watching Ravensbergen and company right now.
Eight of Michigan State's first round picks heading into 2026-27
The Spartans' roster is loaded with NHL draft pedigree across four draft classes. Here are eight of the names carrying that label into the season.
- Cayden Lindstrom: Forward, taken 4th overall by the Columbus Blue Jackets in 2024, the highest pick on the roster.
- Ryker Lee: Forward, drafted 25th overall by the Nashville Predators in 2025, a returning offensive piece.
- Joshua Ravensbergen: Goaltender, drafted 30th overall by the San Jose Sharks in 2025 after a .919 save percentage season in the WHL.
- Mason West: Forward, taken 29th overall by the Chicago Blackhawks in 2025, joining the roster this fall.
- Chase Reid: Defenseman, drafted 7th overall by the Seattle Kraken in 2026, the top newcomer in the class.
- Ethan Belchetz: Forward, selected 17th overall by the Utah Mammoth in the 2026 draft.
- Jack Hextall: Forward, taken 30th overall by the Calgary Flames in 2026.
- Tommy Bleyl: Defenseman, drafted 31st overall by the Nashville Predators in 2026, rounding out the incoming blue line.
Frequently Asked Questions
How many NHL draft picks are on Michigan State's 2026-27 hockey roster?
Seventeen, after the roster briefly carried eighteen before first rounder Nikita Klepov signed a pro contract and left the program before playing a game.
Why isn't Nikita Klepov playing for Michigan State this season?
He signed a three year entry level contract with the Anaheim Ducks in late July 2026, and NCAA rules make signing a professional contract immediately end college eligibility.
Who is Michigan State's projected starting goaltender?
Joshua Ravensbergen, a 2025 first round pick of the San Jose Sharks who posted a .919 save percentage in the WHL last season, is the headline name in net.
Does this kind of NHL pedigree connect to hockey events in Las Vegas?
Yes. Big Ten programs with rosters this deep in NHL draft talent are the same caliber of team that has drawn crowds to college hockey events on the Strip, which is exactly the audience the Ice Vegas Invitational was built for.
Sources
- MSU hockey announces 26-man roster for upcoming season — The State News
- Inside MSU Hockey's Plethora of First-Round Talent — Sports Illustrated
- First-round pick's Michigan State hockey career is over before it even started — Spartan Avenue