T1B

If you're the type who likes to extrapolate meaning from preseason rankings, there's at least one meaningful item from the University of Wisconsin men's hockey team's place this season.

The Badgers start the 2017-18 season at No. 12 in the USCHO.com Division I men's rankings released Monday.

Since 16 teams make the NCAA Tournament, one could deduce that a majority of the 50 coaches and media members voting in the poll think the Badgers will be back in the bracket come March.

UW has missed out on the last three NCAA selections. The only longer drought in program history was from 1984 to 1987, the years current Badgers coach Tony Granato played for the team.

The No. 12 ranking, coming on the heels of two seasons where the Badgers were outside the national preseason rankings, is an indication of the perception that UW again will be a player in the national picture this season.

"I think as a group we have improved a lot and we are feeling good about ourselves," Badgers captain Cameron Hughes said last week. "But with the expectations, you can't put too much on yourself and you've just got to be confident in what you're doing."

Denver was an overwhelming favorite to repeat as NCAA champion, capturing 48 of 50 first-place votes. Two other members of last season's Frozen Four — No. 4 Harvard and No. 6 Minnesota Duluth — got the other top votes.