Big Ten Conference Announces Preseason Hockey Honors

ROSEMONT, lll. — Two-time defending regular season champion Michigan State is favored to win the 2025-26 Big Ten Championship according to the Big Ten Hockey Coaches Preseason Poll released on Thursday. Preseason All-Big Ten teams (featuring 12 student-athletes total) were also selected in voting conducted by conference head coaches.

The Spartans top the poll after having captured the last two Big Ten regular season and tournament titles. Penn State, which advanced to last year’s Frozen Four, was picked second and 2024-25 Big Ten co-champion Minnesota tabbed third. Michigan, Wisconsin, Ohio State and Notre Dame round out the poll.

The Preseason All-Big Teams are comprised of six players on each team: three forwards, two defensemen and one goaltender. Penn State leads the way with three selections.

The preseason first team features five returning All-Big Ten performers: Penn State forward Aiden Fink (first team), Michigan State defenseman Matt Basgall (first) and Michigan State goaltender Trey Augustine (first) along with Notre Dame forward Cole Knuble (second), and Wisconsin forward Quinn Finley (second). Defenseman Mac Gadowsky, a Penn State transfer, was also named to the team.

Occupying the preseason second team are Michigan forwards Michael Hage and T.J. Hughes, Penn State forward Gavin McKenna, defenseman Paul Fischer of Notre Dame, defenseman Luke Mittelstadt of Minnesota and Ohio State goaltender Kristoffer Eberly. McKenna is the lone freshman on the team and just the third freshman to receive preseason honors since 2019. The other freshmen previously recognized (excluding honorable mentions) were current NHLers Adam Fantilli and Logan Cooley, who received second team accolades in 2022.

Complete teams are listed below:

PRESEASON ALL-BIG TEN, FIRST TEAM

PRESEASON ALL-BIG TEN, SECOND TEAM

PRESEASON ALL-BIG TEN, FIRST TEAM

PRESEASON POLL
1. Michigan State
2. Penn State
3. Minnesota
4. Michigan
5. Wisconsin
6. Ohio State
7. Notre Dame