Minnesota No. 1 In Men’s College Hockey Poll For First Time Since 2003

The Golden Gophers are back on top.

Minnesota took the No. 1 spot in the U.S. College Hockey Online preseason poll for the first time since 2003. The poll is voted on by Division I hockey coaches and beat writers from across the country.

Hockey East had more teams place in the poll than any other conference, with seven of their 12 teams appearing in the top 20. Providence and Boston College ranked the highest of the Hockey East teams at third and fourth, respectively.

Here’s the USCHO top 20:
1. Minnesota
2. North Dakota
3. Providence
4. Boston College
5. Union
6. Colgate
7. St. Cloud State
8. Michigan
9. Ferris State
10. Wisconsin
11. Miami (Ohio)
12. Notre Dame
13. Minnesota State
14. Cornell
15. Quinnipiac
16. Northeastern
17. UMass-Lowell
18. Denver
19. New Hampshire
20. Boston University

NESN’s Tom Caron was one of the voters. Check out how he believes the teams stack up:
1. Minnesota
2. North Dakota
3. Boston College
4. Union
5. Providence
6. Ferris State
7. Miami (Ohio)
8. Michigan
9. Colgate
10. Notre Dame
11. Minnesota State
12. Wisconsin
13. Michigan State
14. St. Cloud State
15. UMass-Lowell
16. Cornell
17. Denver
18. Northeastern
19. Ohio State
20. Minnesota-Duluth

Photo via Eric Hartline/USA TODAY Sports Images