With full appreciation to the efforts of the WCHA league office and its member institutions, a full league schedule was played. It’s a remarkable achievement considering that this hockey season was defined by its uncertainty. 

Although Minnesota State lords from atop the standings, the soul of the WCHA (and next year’s CCHA) resides in Michigan’s Upper Peninsula. Whether it is the seven Division I championship banners distributed across its three universities or the fact that pro hockey was born on this rugged spit of land, Yooper hockey is the frozen bedrock of whatever conference that adopts them

The WCHA is celebrating seven decades of college hockey excellence the same year Michigan Tech is celebrating 100 years of hockey, creating a Venn diagram commonality located between pipes of red iron: the goal crease.

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Much has been made of No. 2 Minnesota State’s supreme senior class, dubbed in this space as college hockey’s answer to “the Magnificent Seven,” and rightfully so. This Mankato septet has powered the Mavericks to a nation-best 31 wins. 

Michigan Tech coach Joe Shawhan was getting worn out by the same old question. Every time the Huskies’ season reached the halfway point, he would hear queries about when the Huskies might finally break through and win a Great Lakes Invitational championship.