Where does John Buccigross have the Gophers in his preseason top 10?

Bucci doesn't see Minnesota taking a big step back in 2025-26.

ESPN commentator John Buccigross, center, joins Abington CAM's Matt Nelson, left, on the call of the Abington vs. Cohasset/Hull boys high school hockey game at the Rockland Ice Rink, Monday, Feb. 12, 2024. | Tom Gorman/For The Patriot Ledger / USA TODAY NETWORK

The Gophers are replacing their top-five point scorers from a season ago, but longtime ESPN hockey personality John Buccigross views Minnesota as a top-10 team heading into the 2025-26 season. In his preseason top 10 unveiled Thursday, Buccigross has the Gophers at No. 7.

https://t.co/sCULBRMazP #CawlidgeHawkey Preseason Top 16. LET'S GO!!
1 Michigan St
2 Denver
3 Boston University
4 Penn St
5 North Dakota
6 Maine
7 Minnesota
8 Western Michigan
9 Arizona St
10 Quinnipiac
11 Boston College
12 UConn
13 Providence
14 Michigan
15 UMass
16 St. Thomas pic.twitter.com/UY4ae9l41e

— BucciOT.Com (@Buccigross) September 18, 2025

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After getting knocked out of the first round of last season's NCAA Tournament, Minnesota lost Jimmy Snuggerud, Connor Kurth, Matthew Wood, Oliver Moore and Sam Rinzel to the NHL. They were Minnesota's leading scorers on the team in 2024-25.

Minnesota did its best to reload, adding Omaha transfer Tanner Ludtke alongside notable incoming freshmen LJ Mooney, Mason Moe and Jacob Rombach, among others. Expectations for the Gophers in a loaded Big Ten conference are all over the place, but Buccigross doesn't see them taking a huge step back.

Michigan State at No. 1, Penn State at No. 4 and Michigan at No. 14 are the only other Big Ten teams to make Bucci's preseason list. The Gophers will have nonconference tests against three teams in his rankings: No. 2 Denver, No. 5 North Dakota and No. 11 Boston College.

St. Thomas is the only other team located in Minnesota to make Bucci's rankings.

The more recognized USCHO preseason poll will likely be released in the coming days. We're under one month away from Minnesota's season-opening series at home against Michigan Tech on Oct. 3-4.