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GRAND FORKS 鈥� The National Collegiate Hockey Conference's postseason tournament will soon be headed to home sites.

The league announced Tuesday it will make the change for the 2025-26 season.

The NCHC currently plays its semifinals and championship game at the Xcel Energy Center in St. Paul. Its contract with the Xcel Energy Center ends after the 2025 event.

Then, in 2026, it will shift to an entirely home-site tournament with the top seeds hosting the quarterfinals, semifinals and championship on three different weekends.

The NCHC is following a trend across college hockey.

The Central Collegiate Hockey Association (formerly the Western Collegiate Hockey Association), Big Ten and Atlantic Hockey have all shifted their league tournaments to campus sites in recent years.

Once the NCHC shifts to home sites, only two leagues will have their semifinals and finals at a neutral site 鈥� the ECAC and Hockey East. The ECAC plays its semifinals and championship in Lake Placid, N.Y. Hockey East plays at T.D. Garden.

The NCHC has some experience with playing its tournament at a home site.

Due to the coronavirus pandemic, it shifted the NCHC Frozen Faceoff to Ralph Engelstad Arena in 2021. UND won the tournament that year.

"The NCHC and all member institutions are very much looking forward to the new playoff format starting in 2026," UND coach Brad Berry said. "Home sites will absolutely enhance the student-athlete experience, along with allowing each hockey program to better manage their respective team ahead of the NCAA tournament."

When Arizona State enters the NCHC in 2024-25, the league will have nine members. All nine will play in the league's postseason tournament.

The No. 8 and No. 9 seeds will play a single game at the site of the No. 1 seed. The winner will advance to the quarterfinals, which will continue to be best-of-three series.

The semifinals and championship will be single games.

"As the membership discussed the future of the NCHC in an increasingly competitive NCAA Division-I environment, the rest and recovery available to our student-athletes in the final weeks of the season became of paramount importance," NCHC commissioner Heather Weems said. "The expansion to a three-week playoff immediately preceding NCAA regional play maintains the competitiveness of our Frozen Faceoff Championship while providing our teams with a better schedule for travel and rest. NCHC member institutions are excited to battle for home-site seeding and to play in front of loyal fans and supporters as they chase the Frozen Faceoff Trophy and automatic qualification into the NCAA Tournament."

Due to the extra week for the tournament, the NCHC's conference schedule is expected to begin a week earlier than normal.

CBS Sports Network currently broadcasts the semifinals and championship from the Xcel Energy Center. The NCHC said media rights for the tournament in 2026 and beyond will be announced at a future date.

The immediate reaction from league membership was positive.

"Playoff hockey is meant to be played in front of a home crowd and we are excited to start this new tradition in the NCHC that will greatly benefit our student-athletes and our loyal fans," Western Michigan athletic director Dan Bartholomae said. "The NCHC continues to build upon its brand as the most exciting hockey conference in the country, and we look forward to feeling the electricity in our arenas in the postseason.鈥�

Minnesota Duluth coach Scott Sandelin also said he's pleased with the change.

"We鈥檙e looking forward to the new format," Sandelin said. "It rewards your top seeds with more home games and less travel. It also allows our passionate fans to enjoy championship hockey in their home venues. I鈥檒l certainly miss playing at Xcel Energy Center, but we think the change will be good."