The Harvard men's hockey program took a step forward during the 2025-26 season thanks in part to a first-year class that made an immediate impact on the ice. A team that returned most of its key pieces from the year before, the additions of Richard Gallant, Heikki Ruohonen, Chase Stefanek, and Aidan Lane helped push the Crimson to a hot start to begin the season.

Harvard opened the year with a 1-1 tie on the road in Storrs against the No. 9 UConn Huskies, backed by a career-best performance from goaltender Ben Charette. The Crimson entered the holiday break at 7-3-1, sweeping Yale and Brown in its final two games before the break. Harvard's 7-3 win over Brown marked Ted Donato's 325th career victory, as he passed Bill Cleary to become the winningest coach in program history.

After some trouble coming out of the break, Harvard won four straight games for the second time that season heading into Beanpot play, later earning a win over Northeastern in the third-place game at TD Garden. In a major test against Princeton, Harvard came out firing in the third period, storming back to beat its Ivy rival and help clinch home ice in the opening round of the ECAC playoffs.

Down three separate times against St. Lawrence, the Crimson responded with goals from Aidan Lane, a shorthanded tally from Heikki Ruohonen, and a late goal from Michael Callow to force overtime. Harvard then defeated St. Lawrence on an overtime goal from Mick Thompson to advance to the quarterfinals and set up a meeting with its historic rival in Ithaca.

The Crimson took Game 1 against the nationally ranked Big Red thanks to goals from Ben MacDonald and Michael Callow before dropping Games 2 and 3 on the road in two tight meetings with the back-to-back ECAC champions.

All-Ivy honorees Mick Thompson and Matthew Morden are set to return next season alongside a young, talented core and Ben Charette, who started every game of the 2025-26 season in goal.