The Northern Collegiate Hockey League was dreamt in the summer of 2013 by 4 teams; 3 that wanted to be a part of the conference but couldn't find the right fit and 1 that wanted to reduce their travel load. With a mission in hand these 4 teams were able to recruit 3 other top quality programs that saw the potential in the NCHL. In December of 2013 the 7 inaugural teams approved the league by-laws, and the NCHL was officially born. The 2014-2015 season served as the inaugural season for the league.
The 2015-2016 season brought the addition of Lewis University.
The 2016-2017 season saw the addition of Marian University JV as well as the departure of Michigan Tech University and the University of Minnesota-Duluth.
The 2017-2018 brought in Aurora University, DePaul University, and Marquette University. Waldorf University departed the league as they moved up to the NAIA division of the ACHA.
