Nonconference

The WCHA on Wednesday tweeted a link to a page on its website that will keep track of how its teams do in nonconference play. That got me wondering about how many games WCHA teams will play against each of the other five conferences in college hockey. That group, of course, includes two new conferences in the Big 10 and the National Collegiate Hockey Association. WCHA teams play 6-10 nonconference games, depending on how their use they Alaska exemption.

Here's the breakdown:

Big 10: 21 (up to 24, depending on the outcome of tournaments)
NCHC: 21 (23)
ECAC: 15 (16)
Hockey East: 12 (14)
Atlantic Hockey: 7 (8)

Minnesota State will play nonconference games at Providence (HE), home against Connecticut (ECAC), at Minnesota (B1G) and Minnesota Duluth (NCHC) in the first game of the Minnesota Cup with the possibility of playing St. Cloud State (NCHC) or Minnesota in the second game.

Here's who the other WCHA teams play. All are two-game series unless specified as a single game (*). Who has the toughest nonconference schedule?

UAH: @ Northeastern (HE), vs. St. Cloud State (NCHC), @ Wisconsin (B1G), @ Notre Dame (HE), tournament at Notre Dame — Notre Dame* (HE) then Western Michigan (NCHC)/Northeastern* (HE)

UAA: tournament at Anchorage — Quinnipiac* (ECAC) and Air Force* (AH), tournament at Fairbanks — Western Michigan* (NCHC) and Denver* (NCHC), @ Wisconsin (B1G)

UA: tournament at Anchorage — Air Force* (AH) and Quinnipiac* (ECAC), tournament at Fairbanks — Denver* (NCHC) and Western Michigan* (NCHC), vs. Mercyhurst (AH)

BSU: @ St. Cloud State (NCHC), vs. Minnesota (B1G), vs. Miami (NCHC), vs./@ North Dakota (NCHC)

BGSU: @ Union (ECAC), vs./@ Ohio State (B1G), vs. Colgate (ECAC), tournament in Pittsburgh — Boston College* (HE) then Penn State (B1G)/Robert Morris* (AH)

FSU: @ Colgate (ECAC), @ Mercyhurst* (AH), vs. St. Lawrence (ECAC), @ Michigan* (B1G), @ Michigan State* (B1G), tournament at Minneapolis — RPI* (HE) then Colgate (ECAC)/Minnesota* (B1G)

LSSU: vs. Robert Morris (AH), @ Union (ECAC), @ Wisconsin (B1G), @ Notre Dame (HE)

MTU: @ Minnesota Duluth (NCHC), @ Notre Dame (HE), @ Michigan (B1G), vs. Michigan State (B1G), tournament at Detroit —Michigan State* (B1G) then Western Michigan (NCHC)/Michigan* (B1G)

NMU: @ Wisconsin (B1G), vs. Nebraska Omaha (NCHC) @ Western Michigan (NCHC), @ North Dakota (NCHC),