If you can believe it, its time to talk about hockey already. It feels way too early, but the Minnesota Women’s Hockey Team will begin practice next week and have an exhibition game Sunday September 24th against the Korean National Team. Even with the Gophers missing their top two returning scorers and a top incoming freshman due to them trying to make the US and Canadian Olympic Teams for the 2018 Olympics, the WCHA coaches still feel confident about the Gophers. In the preseason coaches poll that came out earlier this week, the coaches predict the Gophers will win the conference, with the Wisconsin badgers right on their heels.