Defending champion Spud Kings awarded automatic berth into next year’s Dineen Cup Championships
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IDAHO FALLS — Not only is Mountain America Center hosting next year’s Dineen Cup Championship, the Spud Kings get an automatic berth to participate in the tournament.
The following is a press release from the National Collegiate Development Conference
The National Collegiate Development Conference (NCDC) is proud to announce that the Idaho Falls Spud Kings will receive an automatic bid to compete in the 2026 Dineen Cup Championship series as hosts of the Dineen Cup Championships, which will run April 24-28, 2026.
The Spud Kings were announced as the 2026 Dineen Cup Championships host in January 2025, months before they won both the Mountain Division and Dineen Cup Championships.
“When we awarded the 2026 Dineen Cup Championship to Idaho Falls and the Mountain America Center back in January, we knew it would be a special event. By granting a host bid to the Idaho Falls team, we’re not only recognizing their incredible 2024-25 championship season and league-leading attendance, but also ensuring their passionate fan base gets to experience the excitement firsthand. We’re looking forward to delivering a first-class championship and showcasing everything the city and this outstanding venue have to offer,” said NCDC Deputy Commissioner Tony Zasowski.
The Spud Kings are not only gearing up their 2025-26 team to have a great opportunity to repeat as champions, but they are also going to be working, in conjunction with league staff, to make the 2026 Dineen Cup Championships truly a first class event in which all of Idaho Falls can take pride.
“It’s an honor to be able to show off our city and our building to the entire NCDC,” said Spud Kings Head Coach Anthony Bohn. “It’s a great spot with unreal people, and for them to get to experience [the Championships] firsthand is something special.”
“Our goal on a management side is to give the teams coming in and the league the best experience possible. Treat them like pros,” added General Manager Erik Hudson. “We want to make this a spectacle and make this a world class event for the fans and the teams that are attending. We want to put a product on the ice that we’re proud of and can compete to defend. I think when the rest of the league and the junior world sees what Idaho Falls is capable of, it’ll be a really special five days.
The Format
The 2025-26 Dineen Cup Championships will use a double elimination format, as in 2024-25. Three Division champions will qualify. Idaho Falls will enter as either the host or Mountain Division champion. If they win their division, the Mountain runner-up will also advance.
“It’s a natural progression and the next step for the NCDC,” said Spud Kings General Manager Erik Hudson. “The best junior hockey league in the world, the Tier I Canadian Hockey League, does a Memorial Cup format just like this, and that has been successful for years. Being an autobid entry is a great honor for us as an organization, but the fact that Coach Bohn and our team won the National Championship this year proves that we deserve to be there. It’s not a fluke, it’s not a gift. We take this honor very seriously. We are going to defend the championship on home ice, in my opinion.”