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NHL prospects to watch in the 2023 NCAA hockey tournament

The 16-team field is set. The 2023 NCAA men's hockey tournament will drop the puck on Thursday for opening-round games, with the national championship final set for April 8 in Tampa.

It's a chance to see yesterday's draft picks, today's amateur free agents and, in the case of Michigan center Adam Fantilli, tomorrow's franchise players.

Here's a look at some of the names in the NCAA tournament with current and future NHL connections, from draft prospects to previous selections to the free agents pro teams will be chasing.