The Wolverines open the season at No. 1, leading a four-team preseason poll that saw every program climb from previously unranked into the spotlight. North Dakota's Fighting Hawks follow at No. 2, with Michigan State's Spartans at No. 3 and Western Michigan's Broncos rounding out the field at No. 4.
What stands out isn't just who made the list — it's that nobody on it was ranked before. This is a clean slate, a fresh canvas, and the poll-makers have drawn a clear line: the Wolverines are the team to beat, but the gap between No. 1 and No. 4 is razor-thin.
The Broncos landing at No. 4 is the quiet headline. Western Michigan hasn't just cracked the conversation — they've been handed a seat at the head table alongside three of college hockey's most storied brands. Every team starts 0-0. What happens next is what matters.
Data via ESPN · Summarized by D1Ball's editorial engine from official statistics.
More from the newsroom