Fire Mike Eaves?

[icebadger]

Re: Fire Mike Eaves?

Andy Baggot writes a thinly veiled 'Don't fire Eaves' column

Link

[Shirtless Guy]

Re: Fire Mike Eaves?

Andy Baggot writes a thinly veiled 'Don't fire Eaves' column

Link

Here's thing...Wisconsin has struggled of late and more than any Badger fan would like to think bout excluding the 2 years they went to the Frozen Four. But the fact of the matter is that obviously Eaves can coach when it falls in place. I honestly think it comes down to struggling too much to find that balance with early departures...very similar to what Minnesota has been going through...

[ScoobyDoo]

Re: Fire Mike Eaves?

Here's thing...Wisconsin has struggled of late and more than any Badger fan would like to think bout excluding the 2 years they went to the Frozen Four. But the fact of the matter is that obviously Eaves can coach when it falls in place. I honestly think it comes down to struggling too much to find that balance with early departures...very similar to what Minnesota has been going through...

Yep. Don Lucia is one of the greatest college coaches of all time and there's no question that that dynamic through the program for a loop.

[Shirtless Guy]

Re: Fire Mike Eaves?

Yep. Don Lucia is one of the greatest college coaches of all time and there's no question that that dynamic through the program for a loop.

The problem with any big time program is it is very hard to have a player stick around for 3 or 4 years that is extremely valuable to the team. You can see it easily with the previously listed mistakes that are sticking around. Those mistakes wouldn't be so bad except all the correct picks are off playing pro hockey already so there are more choices that get made, sometimes late in the recruiting process, so more mistakes can be made. Mistakes aren't that big a deal if you have a class of 6 and 1 or 2 don't pan out...its fine because the other 4 are good/great players...but if after 2 seasons you're left with the 2 underachiever of those 6, you're going to struggle.

[JDUBBS1280]

Here's thing...Wisconsin has struggled of late and more than any Badger fan would like to think bout excluding the 2 years they went to the Frozen Four. But the fact of the matter is that obviously Eaves can coach when it falls in place. I honestly think it comes down to struggling too much to find that balance with early departures...very similar to what Minnesota has been going through...

Not a bad analysis Shirtless. I do like a number of their future recruits. Maybe, like Lucia, Eaves has learned something from York and is starting to balance future blue chippers with smaller skilled forwards who are more likely to stick around longer? Besse and Dvorak seem to fit that mold.

[Tiggsy]

Re: Fire Mike Eaves?

Gotta love how a "Fire the Badger Coach" thread turns into yet another thread hijacked by a Gopher circle-jerk.

Because of our history and tradition we are EVERYWHERE!

The question about in-state talent is an interesting one. How much is there really? Is it enough to sustain a program year after year, assuming you don't get all but at least a couple of recruits. Does Eaves go heavily after the top notch recruits when they exist? How can he lure them away from programs higher up?

[JDUBBS1280]

Because of our history and tradition we are EVERYWHERE!

The question about in-state talent is an interesting one. How much is there really? Is it enough to sustain a program year after year, assuming you don't get all but at least a couple of recruits. Does Eaves go heavily after the top notch recruits when they exist? How can he lure them away from programs higher up?

I think they are more upset about missing the high end in-state guys recently, which is understandable. I think recruiting more in-state will help them long-term.

[ExileOnDaytonStreet]

Re: Fire Mike Eaves?

Because of our history and tradition we are EVERYWHERE!

The question about in-state talent is an interesting one. How much is there really? Is it enough to sustain a program year after year, assuming you don't get all but at least a couple of recruits. Does Eaves go heavily after the top notch recruits when they exist? How can he lure them away from programs higher up?

There's enough in-state talent to at least give us a full line of higher-end prospects. For all the in-state misses we've had that probably should've been third-liners instead of the first or second line, that's enough to make a fairly significant difference.

Edit: Here's a list of the current WIAA alums playing D-I hockey. Obviously, it's not like we have a bunch of USNTDP-types that we're missing out on, but there's certainly a handful of guys on that list that I wouldn't mind seeing in a red sweater right about now.

[oldtyme25]

Re: Fire Mike Eaves?

I think they are more upset about missing the high end in-state guys recently, which is understandable. I think recruiting more in-state will help them long-term.

That's where you are wrong....Eaves should make an all out effort to get early commitments from Wisconsin BLUE CHIPPERS, but stop offering any WIAA players anything until they play AND SUCCEED in the USHL!

If you look at the track records of the players in Juniors, I would bet Eaves would not have offered scholarships to any of the players mentioned earlier, while a player like Navin would actually have the chance to develop in junior hockey instead of looking lost at the NCAA pace of play after coming directly from WIAA hockey.

[JDUBBS1280]

That's where you are wrong....Eaves should make an all out effort to get early commitments from Wisconsin BLUE CHIPPERS, but stop offering any WIAA players anything until they play AND SUCCEED in the USHL!

If you look at the track records of the players in Juniors, I would bet Eaves would not have offered scholarships to any of the players mentioned earlier, while a player like Navin would actually have the chance to develop in junior hockey instead of looking lost at the NCAA pace of play after coming directly from WIAA hockey.

Youare going to miss out on lots of talent if you wait that long to offer some kids. Every program has misses. Gophers have had their fair share too. Bigger problem is bringing in guys who aren't ready directly from high school. For instance, Navin has talent, but I'm sure he would have benefited from some time in the USHL before coming in.

[SCSU Euro]

Re: Fire Mike Eaves?

McCabe would still be recruited even if Eaves could do it all over again

[JDUBBS1280]

McCabe would still be recruited even if Eaves could do it all over again

Exactly.

[UpNorthHockey]

Re: Fire Mike Eaves?

That's where you are wrong....Eaves should make an all out effort to get early commitments from Wisconsin BLUE CHIPPERS, but stop offering any WIAA players anything until they play AND SUCCEED in the USHL!

If you look at the track records of the players in Juniors, I would bet Eaves would not have offered scholarships to any of the players mentioned earlier, while a player like Navin would actually have the chance to develop in junior hockey instead of looking lost at the NCAA pace of play after coming directly from WIAA hockey.

oldtyme is dead-on right. Wisconsin High School hockey is a completely different planet from MN High School Hockey. Wisconsin simply doesn't have the critical mass of hockey-centric athletes that MN does and Eaves needs to stop recruiting like it does. Put the local kids in the USHL first and recruit harder in the BCHL...that's where they got Justin Schultz. And....god forbid....recruit more MN and MI players. It's gonna get much harder next year for WI to make it to the NCAA tourney....fewer cupcake games. Now would be a good time to change strategy.

[JDUBBS1280]

oldtyme is dead-on right. Wisconsin High School hockey is a completely different planet from MN High School Hockey. Wisconsin simply doesn't have the critical mass of hockey-centric athletes that MN does and Eaves needs to stop recruiting like it does. Put the local kids in the USHL first and recruit harder in the BCHL...that's where they got Justin Schultz. And....god forbid....recruit more MN and MI players. It's gonna get much harder next year for WI to make it to the NCAA tourney....fewer cupcake games. Now would be a good time to change strategy.

Have you seen the combined Big Ten record this year?

There are some great players coming out of Wisconsin and UW's primary concern should be landing them. Not getting the Schmaltz kids, McKoshen, Condon, etc... hurts. And if you don't support in-state programs, WI youth hockey certainly won't grow as fast. Not saying you should only recruit in-state either. Not even Minnesota can afford to do that any longer, but you have to nab the Phil Kessels.

You aren't going to beat out Minnesota for many top Twin Cities kids, UMD for many Duluth area kids, or UND for many NW MN kids. And how many top-end Canadian players are coming down to play these days? This isn't the 1960's where players were allowed to play in the CHL and then come down to play when they aged out. There aren't many Toews, Schultz, LaLegglia, types out there and the competition is fierce.

You'll win some of those battles, and you should continue to pursue them. No doubt. But to miss out on in-state talent because you're gun shy to pull the trigger would be a mistake. And recruiting will only get tougher if other Big Ten schools start programs.

I think Shirtless was pretty spot on. UW needs to find a balance between blue chip recruits that are 1-2 yrs and done and some skilled guys that will stick around longer. Guys like Besse and Dvorak fit that mold. Being an NHL pipeline is a consolation prize.

[oldtyme25]

Re: Fire Mike Eaves?

McCabe would still be recruited even if Eaves could do it all over again

McCabe came from the NTDP not straight from WIAA, that was the point.