Defending Hockey East champion Boston College was picked by the league’s coaches as the favorite to win the league’s regular-season crown in 2011-12. Results of the Hockey East preseason poll were released Tuesday in conjunction with the league’s annual media day in Boston.

The Eagles earned seven of 10 first-place votes. The remaining three first-place mentions belonged to Boston University.

The complete Hockey East preseason coaches poll (total points and first-place votes in parentheses):

1. Boston College (88 points, 7 first-place votes)
2. Boston University (83, 3)
3. New Hampshire (72)
4. Maine (64)
5. Merrimack (61)
6. Vermont (44)
7. Massachusetts (42)
8. Northeastern (33)
9. UMass Lowell (27)
10. Providence (26)