Our preseason power rankings continue with a look at teams I have ranked No. 40-37.
This issue features in-depth looks at Bentley, St. Cloud State, Alaska, and Vermont.
Remember, you can follow along with my complete national preseason power rankings at the link below, which also includes a conference-by-conference breakdown.
No. 40 St. Cloud State
Last Season
Record: 16-19-1
NPI: 30th (51.76)
League Finish: 5th/9
2026-27 Projection
NPI: 40th (49.12)
League Finish: 10th/10
Ranking Tier: 7th/9
Storylines
— St. Cloud State experienced significant roster turnover this offseason, but the changes started behind the bench. Nick Oliver returns to his alma mater for his first season as head coach after Brett Larson left for Minnesota. Oliver inherits a team that went 16-19-1 last season.
— The coaching change also contributed to several key departures through the transfer portal. Three players — Austin Burnevik, Tanner Henricks and Finn Loftus — followed Larson to Minnesota, while Barrett Hall transferred to Minnesota Duluth.
Roster Breakdown
Top 378 Forwards
F1 denotes first-line ranking (No. 1 - No. 189)
F2 denotes second-line ranking (No. 190 - No. 378)
William Ahlrik, Jr., F1
Gavyn Thoreson, Jr., F2
Jake Southgate, Sr., F2
Noah Urness, Soph., F2
Nolan Roed, Soph., F2
Top 252 Defensemen
D1 denotes first-pair ranking (No. 1 - No. 126)
D2 denotes second-pair ranking (No. 127 - No. 252)
Jacob Napier, Sr., D2
Projected Starting Goaltender
Yan Shostak, Soph., 3.08/.897 -0.23 xGa+/60
Patriks Berzins, Jr., 2.81/.909, +0.12 xGa+/60
The amount of turnover on St. Cloud State’s roster wasn’t unexpected given the coaching change, but it’s still significant. The biggest weakness I see is depth on defense.
