Is the Best Team in College Hockey Really from the State of Michigan? Power Rankings

As the regular season wraps up, the focus now shifts to momentum, seeding, and who is peaking at the right time.

North Dakota has already clinched the 2026 NCHC regular-season title. Can the host of the Frozen Four in Las Vegas win the whole thing? | Leighton Chamblee/North Dakota Athletics

So Michigan and Michigan State have been ranked 1-2 for most of the college hockey season, and reigning national champion Western Michigan is No. 4, which means that when the NCAA Tournament brackets are set in a couple of weeks the top seeded team in three of the four regions will hail from the Great Lakes State.

But do any over them look like they're truly posed to make a title run? The Wolverines didn't have a sweep in February. Michigan State had a loss and a tie at home to Ohio State over the weekend to fall out of the top spot in the Men's National Collegiate Percentage (NPI) Index. Western Michigan had recent losses to Miami and Omaha to snap a 10-game winning streak, and finished the regular season third in the NCHC standings.

Then there's North Dakota, which won at Western Michigan to clinch the Penrose Cup, and appears to be looking more dangerous the closer we get to the postseason. While the race in the Big Ten has gotten the most attention, and deservingly so, it's the only league that hasn't crowed a regular-season champion yet as Michigan State just needs three points in two games at Minnesota to overtake rival Michigan in the standings and maybe move back up to No. 1 in NPI.

But quite frankly, the NCHC has been the hotter conference of late, at least with the teams at the top. Denver has been dominant, having gone nine games without losing and looking like a dangerous foe in postseason. It's also be a host team in the NCAA Tournament, while North Dakota is hoping to play in nearly Sioux Falls, S.D.

With conference titles claimed, the race for at-large NCAA spots tightening, and momentum shifting across the country, the final stretch of the college hockey season is set to deliver high-stakes matchups every weekend. Here's how it plays out in this week's power rankings:

1. North Dakota

The Fighting Hawks earned four of six points in a weekend series at No. 4 Western Michigan. UND won game one 5-3 and captured the Penrose Cup, earning the top seed for the NCHC Frozen Faceoff, before falling in overtime 4-3 on Saturday. North Dakota will host Omaha in a three-game series starting Friday, with the winner advancing to the semifinals, but won't have to face either Denver or Western Michigan until the finals if it gets that far.

Champs wear green #UNDproud | #LGH pic.twitter.com/7xciEfog81

— North Dakota Hockey (@UNDmhockey) February 28, 2026

2. Michigan State

Michigan State celebrates Porter Martone's empty net goal against Notre Dame during the third period on Thursday, Feb. 19, 2026, at the Munn Ice Arena in East Lansing. | Nick King/Lansing State Journal / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

The Spartans struggled last weekend, losing game one to the Buckeyes 5-1 and earning only two points in a 3-3 shootout victory the following night. Fortunately for them, in-state rival Michigan split with Minnesota, keeping Michigan State in the driver's seat for the Big Ten regular season title. Should it get just one regulation win at Minnesota this weekend, or any combination of three points they win the league title.

3. Western Michigan 

Apr 12, 2025; St. Louis, Missouri, UNITED STATES; Western Michigan Broncos celebrate after defeating the Boston University Terriers to win the Frozen Four college ice hockey national championship at Enterprise Center. | Jeff Curry-Imagn Images

The Broncos split with North Dakota, earning only two points on the weekend and finishing third in the NCHC. Western Michigan hosts Colorado College in a three-game playoff series starting Friday. The Broncos likely don’t have to win the NCHC tournament to get a bid, but this experienced squad understands how important carrying momentum into the NCAA tournament will be. 

4. Michigan 

Mar 7, 2025; Ann Arbor, MI, USA; Michigan Wolverines forward Garrett Schifsky (17) skates with the puck against Penn State during a Big Ten Tournament quarter final game at Yost Arena. | Rick Osentoski-Imagn Images

The Wolverines have gone just 4-3-1 over their last eight games, including a split with Minnesota last weekend. Michigan still holds a slim two-point lead on rival Michigan State and is finished with the regular season. It does, however, host Simon Fraser on Thursday in an exhibition game to prepare for the Big Ten Tournament starting March 11.

5. Providence

Providence players pose after winning the Hockey East regular season championship. | Providence Athletics

Providence was stunned by New Hampshire on Friday, getting shut out 1-0, before bouncing back in a 3-2 victory the following night. With their win on Saturday, the Friars earned the outright Hockey East regular-season championship for the first time in program history. 

6. Denver

Apr 10, 2025; St. Louis, Missouri, UNITED STATES; Denver Pioneers defenseman Zeev Buium (28) controls the puck against the Western Michigan Broncos during the first period of the Frozen Four college ice hockey national semifinals at Enterprise Center. | Jeff Curry-Imagn Images

The Pioneers have been one of the hottest teams in the country, going 8-0-1 over their last nine games, including a sweep of Arizona State last weekend. Denver finished the regular season second in the NCHC standings and hosts Miami of Ohio in a three-game series to open the conference tournament.

7. Penn State

Jan 31, 2026; State College, PA, USA; Penn State Nittany Lions goaltender Kevin Reidler (35) stretches prior to the start of overtime against the Michigan State Spartans at Beaver Stadium. | Matthew O'Haren-Imagn Images

The Nittany Lions will finish third in the Big Ten standings after going 0-1-1 at Notre Dame Last weekend. Penn Statee can’t change its seeding for the Big Ten tournament, but a series against Wisconsin still holds major weight in the national conversation, as the Badgers on the bubble for making the NCAA Tournament.

8. Quinnipiac

Quinnipiac Bobcats Victor Czerneckianair, goalie Vinny Duplessis, Cristophe Tellier and CJ McGee watch as a shot from Boston College forward Jack Malone heads into the net to win the NCAA Regional Hockey Final 5-4 in overtime for the Eagles. | Kris Craig/Providence Journal / USA TODAY NETWORK

The Bobcats split on the weekend, losing to Dartmouth on Friday 7-4, before beating Harvard 4-1 on Saturday. Quinnipiac won the ECAC regular-season title, earning a bye and the top-overall seed in the tournament. The conference tournament will be crucial to gaining some momentum going into the NCAA Tournament.

9. Cornell

Mar 29, 2025; Toledo, OH, USA; Cornell goaltender Ian Shane (30) forward Kyler Kovich (18) and defenseman Hoyt Stanley (5) reacts after the game against the Boston University at Huntington Center. | Rick Osentoski-Imagn Images

 The Big Red finished third in the ECAC standings, earning a bye to the quarterfinals after going 2-0-0 on the weekend. Cornell won’t play again until the quarterfinals on March 13. A strong conference run is all it needs to lock down an NCAA bid. 

10. Dartmouth

Dartmouth players celebrate with the fans after scoring. | Dartmouth Athletics

The Big Green finished the season with an emphatic 7-4 win over Quinnipiac on Friday, before tying 2-2 with Princeton. Dartmouth ends the season second in the ECAC, advancing to the quarterfinals on March 13. At No. 11 in NPI, Dartmouth can't afford to stumble in the conference tournament, while reaching the finals would probably guarantee an at-large bid.