Sometimes it pays to know people. Someone with strong WCHA connections sent me a composite WCHA schedule. It's obviously tentative because the WCHA has not released anything yet.
And from it, here's a tentative Gophers hockey schedule for 2011-12 with nonconference games filled in as much as possible:
Oct. 14-15: at UMD ... the defending NCAA champions, but Bulldogs won't look the same
Oct. 21-22: Sacred Heart or Vermont????
Oct. 28-29: at Alaska-Anchorage ... the Seawolves beat Gophers in first round of WCHA playoffs, revenge time
Nov. 4-5: North Dakota ... Sioux didn't come to Mariucci this past season
Nov. 11-12: at Wisconsin ... three of first four WCHA series on road
Nov. 18-19: St. Cloud State ... probably a home and home series, since teams meet twice