How History, Rankings Point to Another Non-Big Ten National Champion in 2026-27: Puck Drop

There have been 13 college seasons, 14 if you include the Covid year in which the postseason was cancelled, since the Big Ten officially began sponsoring men's hockey in 2013–14. It has had talent-ridden teams, star players and featured some of the sport’s biggest name programs.

Moreover, all but one team in the league has been to the Frozen Four during that time period, which is both remarkable (and also a great trivia question, so we’ll hold off for a moment on revealing which program is the holdout), but also stunning considering the one overriding thing hanging over this proud and powerful conference.

It still hasn’t enjoyed winning its first national championship in hockey. Not even during the year it had three teams in the semifinals, 2018, and was also hosting the Frozen Four which was won by Minnesota Duluth.

We bring this up because on Monday the USCHO.com preseason rankings were announced and the Big Ten was well represented with Michigan, the team that spent most of last season at No. 1, listed second behind reigning champion Denver, and just ahead of Michigan State. Wisconsin, which reached the title game last season, was No. 6, with Minnesota at No. 14 and Penn State at No. 17. Ohio State and Notre Dame both received votes.

The Big Ten would love to loudly boast that it’s the toughest conference from top to bottom, but it’s difficult to do so when the NCHC has won eight national championships during the same time period, including the last three, and four out of five.

Could this be the year that the Big Ten breaks through? Sure, until the Hockey Gods show up and start messing with things like usual. But history sure doesn’t appear to be on the league’s side, either. Consider some of the following:

Yes the top six teams in the preseason poll are from Western-based conferences. However, there’s just 11 teams from them in the rankings (including Penn State, which is geographically located in the East). Overall, we could have a more balanced season in terms of East and West.

With NCHC having won eight of the last 10 national titles, Western teams have won 15 of the last 25 national championships (60 percent).

Again among the last 25 national championships, nine times the conference with the team at No. 1 in the preseason rankings ended up winning the crown, although it may not have been the same team. Last season was a perfect example, Western Michigan was preseason No. 1 but Denver won the national championship.

It all brings us to this strange conclusion about which team to call the favorite based on the conferences and recent history of the sport, and it’s not reigning champion Denver, or Michigan and Michigan State, which on paper again look absolutely top-notch.

Only three programs have successfully defended their titles during the past 25 championship seasons, but just one managed it over the past 20 years, UMD (2018-19). The other two were Denver in (2004-05) and Minnesota (2002-03), but with roster turnover accelerating in the transfer-portal era it’s a different game now.

As we noted yesterday, the preseason rankings slot that has gone on and won the most national titles is No. 4, which means North Dakota. The Fighting Hawks are also extremely talented, hungry and don't have to deal with some of the same distractions and pressures building with those other teams. The combination might make UND the real team to beat.

Regardless, all four of the top overall teams in the rankings have a good chance to win it all this season, and that’s why they all received first-place votes. But we've gotten to the point that until one of the Big Ten teams step up and break through at a Frozen Four, history dictates the assumption that this won't be their year again.

USA Hockey Women's College Poll

Even though there were only two weekend series as the women's college hockey season officially opened, the USA Hockey Poll held Week 2 voting. The only movement was Quinnipiac moving up a slot ahead of Penn State to No. 5 after defeating No. 7 UConn in an exhibition.

Most women's teams outside of the Ivy League are on the ice this weekend.

Rank	Team	Points	Record	Prev.
1	Wisconsin (12)	275	0-0-0	1
2	Ohio State (7)	273	0-0-0	2
3	Minnesota	221	0-0-0	3
4	Northeastern	214	0-0-0	4
5	Quinnipiac	206	0-0-0	6
6	Penn State	205	0-0-0	5
7	Connecticut	160	0-0-0	7
8	Princeton	156	0-0-0	8
9	Minnesota Duluth	139	0-0-0	9
10	Cornell	113	0-0-0	10
11	Yale	100	0-0-0	11
12	Clarkson	76	0-0-0	12
13	Minnesota State	52	0-0-0	13
14	Mercyhurst	48	2-0-0	14
15	Colgate	29	0-0-0	15

Others Receiving Votes: Harvard 4; St. Cloud State 4; Boston College 3; St. Lawrence 2

Puck Drop: Wednesday, September 23, 2026

Arizona State's internal review on the August 20 workout that resulted in transfer forward Matthew Mayich collapsing and being on life support did not assign responsibility for what happened, only promising that the investigation could continue. "ASU will engage a multi-disciplinary panel of experts to provide recommendations regarding best practices for" four items: Planning and approval of outdoor athletic activities; staffing, monitoring and conduct of outdoor athletic activities; preparation for and response to adverse events or reactions occurring during outdoor athletic activities; and use of outside consultants in the planning and delivery of strength and conditioning and practice activities." The initial review drew quick criticism from Mayich family attorney Rob Carey, who told The Athletic: “This report, it’s more advocacy than fact-finding. It completely misses the point.” Arizona State coach Greg Powers is expected to attend NCHC Media Day on Wednesday.

Bill Guerin (Boston College) signed a multi-year contract extension as GM of the Minnesota Wild. Details were not available yet.

Recruiting update: Forward Eric Lund of the Amarillo Wranglers (NAHL) committed to Northeastern for 2027-28. Center Caden Bell of the Bismarck Bobcats (NAHL) is heading to Brown, and right wing Ryan Shanahan from the Tilton School Rams (NEPS) will play for Air Force.

Countdown to the 2026-27 Season

… 9 days

This Date in Hockey History

September 23, 1957: Union defenseman Mario Giallonardo was born in Toronto.

September 23, 1968: North Dakota right wing Dixon Ward was born in Leduc, Alberta.

September 23, 1991: The Hockey Hall of Fame inducted Mike Bossy, Denis Potvin, Bob Pulford, Clint Smith, Scotty Bowman and official Neil Armstrong.

September 23, 1992: Manon Rheaume became the first woman to play in any of the major North American professional sports league when she was in net for one period in a home preseason game for the expansion Tampa Bay Lightning against the St. Louis Blues. She faced nine shots and yielded goals to Brendan Shanahan and Jeff Brown.

September 23, 1997: Bemidji State forward Owen Sillinger was born in Regina, Saskatchewan.

September 23, 1999: Providence defenseman Michael Callahan was born in Frnaklin, Mass.

September 23, 2001: Wisconsin center Dylan Holloway was born in Calgary.

September 23, 2011: The last active player to have been with the Minnesota North Stars, Hall of Fame center Mike Modano, signed a one-day contract with the Dallas Stars and announced his retirement from the NHL. After 21 seasons he’s the all-time leader among American-born players with 561 goals and 1,374 points.

September 23, 2014: Al Suomi, believed to be the first former NHL player to reach the age of 100, died in LaGrange, Ill. Originally from Eveleth, Minn., he played five games in the league as part of an all-American Chicago Black Hawks promotion.

September 23, 2023: Minnesota and Team USA center Logan Cooley scored a jaw-dropping goal for the Phoenix Coyotes against the Los Angeles Kings in the debut of the NHL’s Global Series. The 5-3 victory for the Coyotes was played in Australia.

Hockey Quote of the Day

“I remember very clearly coming to visit the campus on my official recruiting trip. I called my parents from Harvard Square, and with an excited joy in my voice, I told them that I thought I could be really happy here!”
Jennifer Botterill (Harvard)

Trivia Answer

Incredibly, Michigan State is the only Big Ten team that hasn’t been to the Frozen Four since the conference was created in 2013. The Spartans’ last appearance was 2007:

Michigan 2018, 2022, 2023, 2024, 2026
Minnesota 2014, 2022, 2023
Notre Dame 2017, 2018
Wisconsin 2026
Penn State 2025
Ohio State 2018
Michigan State none

We'll Leave You With This ...

Former Connecticut and Minnesota forward Matthew Cook with the Nashville Predators:

LET HIM COOK pic.twitter.com/5fR0i3vKtR
— Nashville Predators (@PredsNHL) September 23, 2026

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