The WCHA's 60th season -- and second-to-last before the 12-team league breaks up -- opens this weekend with three conference series. The showcase among them gets underway Friday night in Duluth, where the Gophers travel to play the Bulldogs. Last season ended, of course, with Minnesota Duluth skating away with the NCAA championship at Xcel Energy Center after the Gophers missed the tournament field for the third consecutive season.Five WCHA teams reached the NCAA tournament a season ago, proving the league's depth once again. As league play begins this season, here is a look at the teams in the order that Star Tribune staff writer Roman Augustoviz predicts them to finish:

1. Colorado College (13-13-2 in WCHA last season, sixth): The Tigers are led by sophomore forward Jaden Schwartz, the coaches' pick for player of the year, and his big brother, Rylan. Defenseman Gabe Guentzel and goalie Joe Howe, two Minnesota natives, will keep the puck out of the net.

2. Denver (17-8-3, second): The Pioneers are loaded with top-end forwards such as Wild draft pick Jason Zucker; brothers Drew and Nick Shore; and Beau Bennett. Sam Brittain, the Pioneers' top goalie, will miss the first half of season after knee surgery.

3. North Dakota (21-6-1, first): The Fighting Sioux were regular-season WCHA and Final Five champions but lost in the Frozen Four semifinals. Forwards Danny Kristo and Corban Knight, defenseman Ben Blood and goalie Aaron Dell are top returning players. Nine freshmen, including preseason WCHA Rookie of the Year Rocco Grimaldi, played last weekend.

4. Gophers (13-10-5, fifth): Goalie Kent Patterson gives the Gophers a chance in every game. Center Nick Bjugstad started dominating the second half of last season. And promising freshmen -- such as forwards Kyle Rau and Seth Ambroz and defenseman Ben Marshall -- should contribute.

5. Minnesota Duluth (15-8-5, fourth): Senior center Jack Connolly is the only returning member of UMD's top line. Also back is Travis Oleksuk to center the second line. Goalie Ken Reiter was 4-0 with a 1.97 goals-against average in the NCAA tournament as the Bulldogs won their first national championship.

6. Nebraska Omaha (17-9-2, third): The Mavericks have two 30-point scorers back in forwards Alex Hudson and Terry Broadhurst. Goalie John Faulkner had six shutouts last season, tying for the NCAA lead.

7. Alaska Anchorage (12-14-2, eighth): The Seawolves swept the host Gophers in the first round of the WCHA playoffs last season. Alaska Anchorage held opponents to 26.2 shots last season, and sophomore goalies Chris Kamal and Rob Gunderson are back.

8. Bemidji State (8-15-5, 10th): The Beavers split with then-No. 2 Miami (Ohio) last weekend. Dan Bakala returns in the net; Brad Hunt is a standout offensive defenseman with 70 career assists. Eight of Bemidji State's first 10 games are on the road.

9. St. Cloud State (11-13-4, ninth): Senior forward Drew LeBlanc had 39 points for the Huskies last season. Junior goalie Mike Lee averaged a little more than 29 saves per game, the second most in team history.

10. Wisconsin (12-13-3, seventh): Justin Schultz (47 points) is one of the league's top defensemen and forward Mark Zengerle is a setup machine (31 assists last season), but the Badgers lost three key players who left school early.

11. Michigan Tech (2-24-2, 12th): The Huskies' top five scorers were either freshmen or sophomores. New coach Mel Pearson, a former Michigan assistant and former Tech standout, has revived interest in the program -- so far.

12. Minnesota State Mankato (8-16-4, 11th): Among key returning players are forwards Michael Dorr and Chase Grant and goalies Austin Lee and Phil Cook. Minnesota State's biggest losses were on the blue line, and the Mavericks took another blow there last weekend when junior co-captain Tyler Elbrecht suffered a broken arm.