Making the Case For Michigan as the Team to Beat in College Hockey in 2026-27: Puck Drop
Anyone who was closely watching college hockey last season already has good grasp on Michigan’s potential for the 2026-27 season.
The Wolverines were No. 1 in the national rankings more than any other team. They led the nation in goals scored (181), shot percentage (13.3), power-play percentage (31.9), were tied for first in shorthanded goals (11), and third in shots (1,365).
Michigan missed out on the Big Ten regular-season title by two points, but came back and won the postseason tournament to secure the league’s automatic bid to the NCAA Tournament. The Wolverines edged Minnesota Duluth in overtime to reach the Frozen Four, only to get bounced from the semifinals by Denver 4-3.
Here’s the thing: This year’s Michigan team could be better.
Granted, replacing someone like T.J. Hughes isn’t easy. The four-year player capped his collegiate career by being named the Big Ten Player of the Year and a finalist for the 2026 Hobey Baker Award, and finished second in national scoring with 57 points in 40 games last season.
But junior Michael Hage (52 points) is back in Ann Arbor, along with senior Jayden Perron (41) and junior Will Horcoff (39), senior Nick Moldenhauer (31), and senior Garrett Schifsky (27). What does it say when that list doesn’t include sophomore forward Adam Valentini (27), who was an alternate captain for Canada in the U18 World Championships?
In net is Jack Ivankovic, who as a freshman last season was a Mike Richter Award semifinalist and MVP of the NCAA Albany Regional.
Plus, head coach Brandon Naurato added a monster recruiting class that included three players who have already been first-round NHL Draft selections (forwards Jack Nesbitt an J.P. Hurlbert, and defenseman Cam Reid), and the player expected to go first overall in 2027, defensemen Landon Dupont.
Consequently, on Wednesday, Michigan was picked by league coaches to finish first in the 2026-27 Big Ten Preseason Poll, with Hage (first-round draft pick in 2024), Ivankovic (second-round selection 2025), and DuPont earning first-team honors, and Perron named second team.
Having a top-level player with each position group (forwards, defense, in net) is a clearcut mark of a team with real potential. Add in talented depth, and even though the Big Ten has yet to secure its first national championship in hockey, Michigan may not be just the team to beat in the Big Ten, but the entire nation.
2026-27 Preseason All-Big Ten
First Team
F: Michael Hage, Jr., Michigan +
F: Brodie Ziemer, Jr., Minnesota
F: Danny Nelson, Sr., Notre Dame
D: Landon DuPont, Fr., Michigan
D: Luke Osburn, So., Wisconsin
G: Jack Ivankovic, So., Michigan
+ unanimous selection
Second Team
F: Jayden Perron, Sr., Michigan
F: Ryker Lee, So., Michigan State
F: Gavin Morrissey, Jr., Wisconsin
D: Evan Murr, Sr., Minnesota
D: Jackson Smith, So., Penn State
G: Luca Di Pasquo, Sr., Minnesota
2026-27 Big Ten Preseason Poll
As voted by league coaches
1) Michigan
2) Michigan State
3) Wisconsin
4) Minnesota
5) Ohio State
6) Notre Dame
7) Penn State
No camera is safe with Mason Moe around 🤣
— Big Ten Hockey (@B1GHockey) September 23, 2026
He takes us behind the scenes at @GopherHockey media day 🎥 pic.twitter.com/vTyWWhmLuI
Puck Drop: Thursday, September 24, 2026
- Arizona State coach Greg Powers spoke publicly for the first time since Matthew Mayich collapsed during an Aug. 20 team workout that remains under university and police review. Check out the report from NCHC media day on Arizona State On SI.
- Colorado Avalanche coach Jared Bednar told reporters that defenseman Cale Makar (UMass) is on track to play against the Winnipeg Jets on Friday and be ready for the season opener. He’s been dealing with a lower-body injury. Makar recently signed a record-setting eight-year, $163.2 million contract that will kick in next year.
- With Gavin McKenna (Penn State) recording his first preseason point with the Maple Leafs, NHL Stats noted that he can become just the second 18-year-old in the NHL's expansion era (since 1967-68) to record a point in his regular-season career debut with Toronto, following Vincent Damphousse (Oct. 9, 1986). The Leads open the season at home against Montreal on Tuesday.
- Defenseman Rhys Medved, who played last season for Danbury Jr. (NAHL) committed to Maine for the 2027-28 season.
- Jen Lee (Texas), Kevin McKee (Wilbur Wright College) and Josh Pauls (Lindenwood) announced their retirements from the U.S. National Sled Hockey Team.
After 14 years & nine gold medals with the U.S. Sled National Team, Jen Lee has announced his retirement 🇺🇸
— USA Hockey (@usahockey) September 23, 2026
A four-time Paralympic gold medalist & five-time World Champion, Lee leaves behind a legacy as one of Team USA’s all-time greats in net.
Read on: https://t.co/xyuq0IL4AU pic.twitter.com/orBd4nxHrp
College Hockey Schedule
WOMEN
Thursday’s Games
Non-Conference
Lindenwood at Merrimack, 5 p.m. ET
Ohio State at Penn State, 6 p.m. ET
Countdown to the 2026-27 Men’s Season
… 8 days
This Date in Hockey History
September 24, 1927: The Toronto St. Patricks were renamed the Maple Leafs. They were actually the third and fourth nicknames of the franchise, which was originally called the Toronto Hockey Club prior to joining the NHL in 1919.
September 24, 1954: Michigan forward Kris Manery was born in Leamington, Ontario.
September 24, 1970: Michigan Tech left wing Davis Payne was born in Port Alberni, British Columbia.
September 24, 1972: Game 6 of the Summit Series saw Canada tally 31 penalty minutes, some from Bobby Clarke’s controversial two-handed slash breaking Valeri Kharlamov’s ankle, and still defeated the Soviet Union in Moscow, 3-2.
September 24, 1978: Harvard left wing Chris Bala was born Alexandria, Va.
September 29, 1979: The Miracle on Ice team held open tryouts at the Met Center in Bloomington, Minn.
September 24, 1984: Maine defenseman Mike Lundin was born in Burnsville, Minn.
September 24, 1988: Boston College center Paul Carey was born in Boston.
September 24, 1988: Michigan defenseman Steven Kampfer was born in Ann Arbor, Mich.
September 24, 1990: The Hockey Hall of Fame inducted Bill Barber, Fern Flaman, Gilbert Perreault and Bud Poile.
September 24, 2009: Former North Dakota left wing Dave Tippett was named head coach of the Phoenix Coyotes, replacing Wayne Gretzky.
September 24, 2018: The new mascot of the Philadelphia Flyers was introduced, Gritty.
Hockey Quote of the Day
'[Hobey] Baker stands out so far above your other American players as to make comparisons ridiculous.''Harry Hyland
We'll Leave You With This ...
Mike "Doc" Emrick began his broadcasting journey at Komets games at the Coliseum, talking into a tape recorder. Komets broadcaster, Bob Chase, took on a mentor role to Emrick, who later was behind the microphone for some of the most memorable NHL games in modern hockey history… pic.twitter.com/ie6DTNFXhl
— Fort Wayne Komets (@FWKomets) September 23, 2026
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Christopher Walsh is the founder and publisher of Alabama Crimson Tide On SI, which first published as BamaCentral in 2018, and is also the publisher of the Boston College, Missouri and Vanderbilt sites . He's covered the Crimson Tide since 2004 and is the author of 27 books including “100 Things Crimson Tide Fans Should Know and Do Before They Die” and “Nick Saban vs. College Football.” He's an eight-time honoree of Football Writers Association of America awards and three-time winner of the Herby Kirby Memorial Award, the Alabama Sports Writers Association’s highest writing honor for story of the year. In 2022, he was named one of the 50 Legends of the ASWA. Previous beats include the Green Bay Packers, Arizona Cardinals and Tampa Bay Buccaneers, along with Major League Baseball’s Arizona Diamondbacks. Originally from Minnesota and a graduate of the University of New Hampshire, he currently resides in Tuscaloosa.
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