Just three years after hosting college hockey’s season-opening showcase for the first time, Minnesota Duluth and Amsoil Arena are set to host the 2020 Ice Breaker Tournament.

A UMD official, who couldn’t speak on the record, confirmed the news Monday. An official announcement from UMD and the tournament’s organizers, College Hockey Inc. and the Hockey Commissioners Association, will come at a later date.

Exact dates and participants have not yet been locked down, though it will feature the Bulldogs. One participant will come from Hockey East as it will be that league’s turn in the rotation to have a guaranteed spot. The other two teams likely will be from the Big Ten and/or WCHA.

Like past Ice Breakers, the tournament will take place in early October.

Amsoil Arena hosted the 21st edition of the Ice Breaker in October 2017 featuring UMD, Minnesota, Michigan Tech and Union. Tech beat the Bulldogs in the championship.

The 2017 tournament drew 13,083 fans for the four games, including 7,203 for the opening day when the Bulldogs beat the Gophers 4-3 in overtime in the nightcap. Financially, the university grossed approximately $300,000 in ticket sales, according to preliminary numbers provided to the News Tribune after the event.

"The institution does see a financial benefit - we're not in a position to do events that don't at least break even - and this certainly did better than break even," UMD athletic director Josh Berlo said in October 2017. "It's exciting. It's fun. It gives us a chance to showcase our great facility, our great program, our great university and our amazing community."

Mercyhurst hosted the 2018 Ice Breaker in Erie, Pa., and the 2019 Ice Breaker will be hosted by Bowling Green in Toledo, Ohio.

Amsoil Arena will be the third venue to host the Ice Breaker twice along with Mariucci Arena in Minneapolis (1998, 2013) and Magness Arena in Denver (1999, 2017). Wisconsin has hosted twice in 1997 and 2002 in two different venues. In addition to hosting at Mariucci twice, Minnesota also hosted the 2007 Ice Breaker at Xcel Energy Center in St. Paul.