ITHACA, N.Y. -- The Cornell men's ice hockey team has been picked to finish third in the 2026-27 ECAC Hockey Preseason Poll, as voted on by the league's head coaches. It is the second consecutive season the Big Red was chosen third in the preseason.
Quinnipiac was tabbed the preseason favorite, receiving 120 points and 10 first-place votes. Dartmouth was picked second with 110 points and two first-place votes, followed by Cornell (102), Clarkson (86) and Harvard (73) to round out the top five. Union (70), Princeton (60), RPI (56), Colgate (45), St. Lawrence (29), Brown (28) and Yale (13) complete the poll.
The Big Red enter the season coming off a 22-11-1 campaign that saw Cornell go 15-6-1 in ECAC Hockey play a year ago. Cornell's 22 wins under first-year head coach Casey Jones '90 tied for the most in a coach's debut season in program history, matching the mark set by Dick Bertrand '70 in 1970-71 (22-5-0). The Big Red have also reached the NCAA Tournament in four straight seasons, tying the longest streak in program history (1967-70) and currently serves as the fourth-longest active streak in Division I.
Cornell returns seven of its top-eight scorers — and 10 of its top 12 — from last season, led by senior Ryan Walsh, who posted a team-high 23 assists and finished with 33 points. Walsh's point total was one shy of the team lead set by Jonathan Castagna (15-19—34), who signed a three-year, entry-level contract with the Calgary Flames following last season.
The Big Red will open the 2026-27 regular season on Friday, Oct. 30, hosting Sacred Heart for a two-game series at Lynah Rink after hosting Waterloo in the program's lone exhibition of the season on Saturday, Oct. 17.
PRESEASON POLL STANDINGS
- Quinnipiac – 120 (10)
- Dartmouth – 110 (2)
- Cornell – 102
- Clarkson – 86
- Harvard – 73
- Union – 70
- Princeton – 60
- RPI – 56
- Colgate – 45
- St. Lawrence – 29
- Brown – 28
- Yale – 13
(X) – first-place votes
