Where MSU Hockey Stands in B1G Preseason Poll

It's a big season coming up for Michigan State hockey and head coach Adam Nightingale. The Spartans have won at least a share of the Big Ten regular season title in each of the last two seasons and have won back-to-back conference tournaments, but haven't been able to parlay it into a Frozen Four appearance. They're also No. 3 in USCHO.com's national preseason poll.

There's still a long, long way to go before it's time to worry about the NCAA Tournament, but for now, expectations remain high in both East Lansing and around the Big Ten for the 2025-26 Michigan State hockey squad.

On Thursday, the conference released its preseason hockey honors and poll, which is voted on by the coaches. Michigan State is, in fact being projected to three-peat as Big Ten champions, being selected to finish first out of the seven teams in the conference.

Big Ten Preseason Poll

Michigan State's head coach Adam Nightingale talks with players on the bench during the second period in the game against Michigan on Friday, Jan. 19, 2024, at Munn Arena in East Lansing. | Nick King/Lansing State Journal / USA TODAY NETWORK

1. Michigan State

2. Penn State

3. Minnesota

4. Michigan

5. Wisconsin

6. Ohio State

7. Wisconsin

Other Honors

Two different Spartans were also named to the Big Ten's preseason first-team all-conference team.

Trey Augustine

One such player was returning goaltender Trey Augustine, who enters his third year behind the net for the Spartans. Augustine was named as the Big Ten's top goalie last year and was a First Team AHCA All-American, so there's no surprise that he's on the first team and essentially named the preseason favorite to win the award for a second straight year.

Augustine's stats last year consisted of a 28-10-7 record with a stellar .929 save percentage and allowed a little less than two goals for every 60 minutes that he was on the ice.

Matt Basgall

MSU's other individual preseason honoree was defenseman Matt Basgall, who also made the conference's first team. He's already been chosen as the team's captain and will get to wear the "C" patch on his uniform this season.

Last year, Basgall was one of the best at his position in both the Big Ten and the country. He was First Team All-Big Ten, a Second Team AHCA All-American, and a finalist to be Big Ten Defensive Player of the Year.

Basgall was also fourth on the team in points (26), netting six goals and assisting on another 20.

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