The Badger men’s hockey team will begin the season [ranked No. 13 in the USA Today/USA Hockey Magazine](http://uwbadgers.com/sport_news/mhky/headlines/story.html?sportid=119&storyid=15058). It’s the same ranking they ended the 2007-2008 season at after losing to North Dakota in the Midwest Regional finals in Madison.

To me, the ranking is right about where I expected the Badgers to be. Much like last season, they’re bringing in a good number of freshmen who will likely see ample playing time this year. They only lost five players from last season’s squad–seniors Davis Drewiske, Matthew Ford, Josh Engel and Kyle Klubertanz to graduation, and freshman Kyle Turris, who jumped to the NHL.

The one WCHA team I felt was a little high was North Dakota at No. 4. Yes, the Fighting Sioux are coming off an appearance in the Frozen Four, but they’re losing two integral pieces of the team that made it there–goaltender Jean-Philippe Lamoreux and forward T.J. Oshie. They always put together a solid program up in Grand Forks, but 4th overall seems a bit of a stretch.