The Fighting Hawks haven't taken the ice yet, but the voters have already spoken — and they spoke loudly. North Dakota vaults from unranked all the way to #2 in the nation, a statement of belief in what this program is built for. A 0-0 record means everything is still ahead of them, every shift unwritten.
This kind of preseason respect isn't handed out casually. It signals that the folks who watch this sport closest see a roster capable of playing deep into spring. Now the job is to live up to the billing — one period, one weekend, one statement win at a time. The spotlight is on Grand Forks.
Data via ESPN · Summarized by D1Ball's editorial engine from official statistics.
More from the newsroom