While Penn State hockey does not play its first game until next Friday, Michigan, Minnesota, and Wisconsin all begin their seasons with non-conference games this weekend. The Big Ten is set to begin its 14th season of existence in Division I hockey. The conference sent two teams to the Frozen Four last year in Michigan and Wisconsin, both of whom were dispatched by national champion Denver in Las Vegas.
1. Michigan
Michigan’s roster is always loaded, but this year might be Brandon Naurato’s most talented one yet. Four first round draft picks are in the forward group, including Pittsburgh Penguins prospect Will Horcoff, who led the team with 25 goals scored last season. TJ Hughes is gone, but Michael Hage (13 goals, 39 assists in 2025-26), Jayden Perron (18 goals, 23 assists), Nick Moldenhauer (15 goals, 16 assists), and Garrett Schifsky (14 goals, 13 assists) all return. This offense figures to be one of the best in the country again. Defensively, the Wolverines are not quite as talented, but they did bring in Landon Dupont, who is widely projected to be the top pick in the 2027 NHL Draft, and 2025 first round selection Cam Reid to shore up their blue line. Jack Ivankovic returns for his second season as the team’s starter at goaltender after turning in an impressive freshman season (25-8-1, 2.15 GAA, .921 save percentage). Michigan is the best team in the conference on paper, but that’s why they play the games, right?
2. Michigan State
The Spartans have won the Big Ten three straight seasons and are well-positioned to compete for a fourth straight crown. Porter Martone, Charlie Stramel, and Daniel Russell are all in the pros, but the forward group is still loaded with talent and speed. The Spartans added 2026 first round picks Ethan Belchetz and Jack Hextall to their roster. Ryker Lee (15 goals in 2025-26) is the leading returning scorer from an offense that averaged 3.7 goals per game last season. Replacing the top three forwards could be a more difficult task than many might expect, but the new players have plenty of time to figure things out. Michigan State added 2026 first round picks Chase Reid and Tommy Bleyl to their blue line, making this group arguably the most talented defense in the Big Ten. The biggest question mark is replacing longtime goaltender TJ Augustine. Joshua Ravensbergen is the presumptive starter, but we will see how fast he adjusts to the pace of NCAA offenses. Michigan and Michigan State have similar talent levels, but the Wolverines have the edge in net for now.
3. Wisconsin
The Badgers lost in heartbreaking fashion to Denver in the national championship game after a wild run through the NCAA Tournament. Quinn Finley is gone, and captain Ben Dexheimer graduated, but Gavin Morrissey returns as the leader of the offense. Morrissey missed time in the middle of last season when the Badgers sputtered through Big Ten play. His absence was felt, but a healthy Morrissey bodes well for Wisconsin this season. Wisconsin is replacing much of its forward core, but former Penn State winger JJ Wiebusch will give them reinforcements. The blue line will receive a major boost with Logan Hensler after his season was cut short a year ago with a knee injury. Sophomore goaltender Daniel Hauser returns after an impressive postseason. It should be business as usual for Mike Hastings’ squad, but they appear to be just below Michigan and Michigan State.
4. Minnesota
Minnesota turned the page from the Bob Motzko era after a disastrous 2025-26 season that saw just 11 wins. Brett Larson retained most of the Gophers’ core players for his first season, most notably forward Brody Ziemer, who scored 23 of the team’s 97 goals last year. Evan Murr transfers in from Minnesota State to bolster a defense that struggled to slow down quality offenses. The Gophers always have high expectations, and this roster is certainly talented enough to be in NCAA Tournament contention. It is always hard to project how teams will do in the first year with a new coach, but this appears to be a good team that just needed a trip through the car wash.
5. Penn State
Penn State lost most of its forward production from last year and half of its starting defense. Justin Poirier comes in from Maine after a strong freshman season to help replace the lost production at winger, and Shea Van Olm and Dane Dowiak are back to step into top six roles. Josh Fleming is one of the best goaltenders in the country, but the defense still has questions despite returning Jackson Smith. I do not have high expectations for Penn State given the lost production, but the lower expectations could help take some of the pressure off a program that received significant national attention last year.
6. Ohio State
Ohio State will need goaltender Kristoffer Eberly to rebound in a big way this season after a disastrous 2025-26. The offense loses Davis Burnside and Riley Thompson, but the top three goal scorers are all back. The success or failure of this season will entirely depend on how Eberly rebounds. The Buckeyes will not be able to score their way out of problems in conference play, as we saw last year. Ohio State should be better, but they have not done enough to close the gap.
7. Notre Dame
Notre Dame was not particularly impressive for most of last season under new head coach Brock Sheahan, but the Fighting Irish showed signs of life late in the season with a win against Penn State and a road sweep of Ohio State. Senior Danny Nelson is the unquestioned leader of the offense after two straight 13-goal seasons. Goaltender Nicolas Kempf is back for his junior season, but he will need to take another step to keep this team competitive. Eight draft picks line this roster, but there is still a lack of top-end talent that can make a difference against elite competition in conference play.
