NCAA 2024-25 season preview: Ranking the top 10 transfer classes

Anyone who followed college sports in the past few years has no doubt seen the growing importance of the transfer portal. While it receives a lot of attention in the realms of college football and basketball, it is no less significant in hockey.

In fact, as recently as last weekend, a notable player announced a transfer that could upend the standings in his new team's conference. In total, hundreds of players across the country transferred via the portal, and even more did so as graduate students, who are not required to enter the portal at all.

Because so many schools — whether the smallest Atlantic Hockey program or the Big Ten club with the deepest coffers — now rely heavily on transfers of all kinds to round out and improve their rosters, it is critical to examine the teams that have add