The USA Today/USA Hockey preseason polls were released today, and the Minnesota men’s hockey team comes into the year ranked No. 6 in the country.

With the No. 6 ranking, the Gophers now have ten straight years of preseason top-10 rankings, and are the only team in the top nine that failed to reach last year’s NCAA Tournament.

Defending national champion Boston University is ranked third, while runner-up Miami of Ohio have the overall No. 1 ranking. The Gophers first opponent, last year’s MacNaughton Cup champions North Dakota, begin the year ranked No. 8.

Other Western Collegiate Hockey Association teams ranked include: Denver at No. 2., St. Cloud State at No. 13 and Wisconsin at No. 14.

Minnesota has an exhibition game Oct. 4 against British Columbia and opens the regular season in Grand Forks against North Dakota on Oct. 16.