Wisconsin Offseason '10: The Aftermath

[GoBucky36]

Re: Wisconsin Offseason '10: The Aftermath

I'd be hesitant to give a goalie a "C", especially one who isn't even guaranteed to be our starter. B2 has the skill set to take the position, don't assume Goody is safe.

Bennett? Our starting goalie??? Unless Bennett has done a lot of growing up over the summer Id be very surprised to see that happen.
The only aspect where I really saw B2 as superior to Goody last season was that he stayed in the crease a lot more than Goody did. Goody has a bad habit of coming way to far out from the crease and being a sitting duck for the rebounds. Im all for coming out of the crease a little bit to cut off the angle, but being 10'-20' out of the crease is a dangerous situation, especially if you cant control the rebound (which is something Goody seemed to struggle with much of the time).

[GoBucky36]

Re: Wisconsin Offseason '10: The Aftermath

Leadership overall is going to be a an excercise in walking blind with Oz and KP gone as well. Eaves has to get Butters and Schuey on board with his program as well, then get 9 freshmen (out of 21 players on the team) rowing in the right direction. I think Eaves knows what he's got in Butters as he's known him for years, but Schuey is a bit of an unknown.

I've always had high expectations for Eaves/UW Hockey. (high = top 3 in WCHA every year). Before last year many of us said last year was a make or break year for him. It was a make year for sure. This year I have zero expectations, so for the 10-11 I'm giving Eaves a free pass. I think a .500 WCHA record and a winning n/c is attainable (possible ncaa berth), but I won't be p/o'ed if they are 7th and have a losing record overall. If Oz or KP was still there, I'd raise the bar, but to me too much has changed to hope for too much.

Wisconsin Hockey: Who are these guys?

Pretty much what Im thinking. IMO, the Badgers will be a real wildcard this season. They could range anywhere from pretty good to downright horrible.

I agree. Although they are probably the most intelligent players on the team and always in the game, they are "in the game" in a different way.

Could you see a goaltender skating from his crease area over to the ref's semi-circle to tell him he's wrong and still stay on his game? Not gonna happen. I won't be surprised at all who wears the C or A this year. (Unless it's goody or B2)

Ive honestly never known a goalie to be a captain, which is why I posed the question. I do agree with you that goalies are some of the most intelligent players on the team and are able to survey and observe whats going on more than other players are able to.
I also agree with you that a goalie isnt able to skate over to the ref and debate a call with them like the other players are.

[VarsityWisconsin]

Re: Wisconsin Offseason '10: The Aftermath

McDonaugh's departure probably cost's us at least 2-3 wins this season. Dang.

[Chuck Schwartz]

Re: Wisconsin Offseason '10: The Aftermath

Bennett? Our starting goalie??? Unless Bennett has done a lot of growing up over the summer Id be very surprised to see that happen.
The only aspect where I really saw B2 as superior to Goody last season was that he stayed in the crease a lot more than Goody did. Goody has a bad habit of coming way to far out from the crease and being a sitting duck for the rebounds. Im all for coming out of the crease a little bit to cut off the angle, but being 10'-20' out of the crease is a dangerous situation, especially if you cant control the rebound (which is something Goody seemed to struggle with much of the time).

Bennett certainly had his moments last season. You need to remember that Eaves tried to hand B2 the rains at one point last season by starting him back to back at home against Minnesota.

Bennett's injury last season screwed him. He was never the same after that. I'm fairly certain that he had offseason shoulder surgery to fix the issue.

Keep in mind that Bennett was a NTDP, meaning USA Hockey thought he was one of the best two goalies in the country in his age group. He is also an NHL draft pick. He has plenty of talent, if he puts it together, he CAN be really, really good, which is why Eaves took a chance on him.

[TJbadgerfan]

Re: Wisconsin Offseason '10: The Aftermath

Another option would be to give Gardiner the C, and rotate the A's on a per game basis, based on performance and effort. I think Eaves did this one other year.

[jorgie74]

Re: Wisconsin Offseason '10: The Aftermath

Unfortunately you Bucky Badger fans have been raped by the NHL just like the Golden Gophers have in the last few years. My condolences.

[MadCityRich]

Re: Wisconsin Offseason '10: The Aftermath

Unfortunately you Bucky Badger fans have been raped by the NHL just like the Golden Gophers have in the last few years. My condolences.

Thanks for your little fuzzy shoulders to cry on, but I don't think the goofs were stripped like this.

[Chuck Schwartz]

Re: Wisconsin Offseason '10: The Aftermath

Thanks for your little fuzzy shoulders to cry on, but I don't think the goofs were stripped like this.

They did have an offseason where they lost Kessel, Chucko, Irmen, and Potulny early. Although I don't think they really cared that Chucko left.

[MadCityRich]

Re: Wisconsin Offseason '10: The Aftermath

True. IIRC, it was kind of a domino effect after that abrupt end to their season. One left, then another, etc. I don't remember if those guys were pursued as aggressively as this year's Badger defections were, but I'm sure their NHL teams were happy to see them.

Thanks for the heads-up on Troy Hesketh. I'm getting up very early Wed AM, but I'm going to listen to some of the Pipeline Show with Hesketh.

[Chuck Schwartz]

Re: Wisconsin Offseason '10: The Aftermath

True. IIRC, it was kind of a domino effect after that abrupt end to their season. One left, then another, etc. I don't remember if those guys were pursued as aggressively as this year's Badger defections were, but I'm sure their NHL teams were happy to see them.

Thanks for the heads-up on Troy Hesketh. I'm getting up very early Wed AM, but I'm going to listen to some of the Pipeline Show with Hesketh.

They record them and post them online, don't kill yourself to stay up.

[GoBucky36]

Re: Wisconsin Offseason '10: The Aftermath

Bennett certainly had his moments last season. You need to remember that Eaves tried to hand B2 the rains at one point last season by starting him back to back at home against Minnesota.

Bennett's injury last season screwed him. He was never the same after that. I'm fairly certain that he had offseason shoulder surgery to fix the issue.

Keep in mind that Bennett was a NTDP, meaning USA Hockey thought he was one of the best two goalies in the country in his age group. He is also an NHL draft pick. He has plenty of talent, if he puts it together, he CAN be really, really good, which is why Eaves took a chance on him.

My perception of B2 isnt helped by the fact that every time I saw him play last season, he was giving up soft goals and just looked like he was completely uncomfortable and has totally lost his composure.
Hopefully youre right about B2, I have a feeling the Badgers are going to need a stellar goalie just to have a chance of making any noise this year and Im not sure that Goody can be that goalie on a regular basis.

[GoBucky36]

Re: Wisconsin Offseason '10: The Aftermath

Thanks for your little fuzzy shoulders to cry on, but I don't think the goofs were stripped like this.

No kidding. The rodents can only dream about having the kind of talent that the Badgers have lost this off-season.

[Timothy A]

Re: Wisconsin Offseason '10: The Aftermath

Craig Johnson is another guy I'd be hesitant to give a "C" to. While most expect him to make the lineup, he is far from a lock to be in the lineup every night. Hard to give a "C" to a guy who may be up in the seats watching the game in a suit on occasion.

IMHO, I think C Johnson is lock to play every night. Looking at the D, Rammer, Schultz and Gardiner are for sure in. Johnson is ahead of Little and Springer. Simonelli is young but a top end talent. Some say Drake will be good, others say not so good. At any rate, Johnson is ahead of him. Worst case he's the 5th best, best case he's the 4th best. I can see him pk-ing, allowing Schultz, Gardiner, Simonelli and Rammer(?) on the pp.

Ever since he got to UW, he's been solid when called upon. Since he's been @ UW the longest out of all the D, I think Eaves would expect him to be a leader on of the D Corps side. Johnson knows more than any of those guys what Eaves wants out of his D.

Same for Podge on the forward side.

For some reason, Gardiner doesn't seem like a C kind of guy.

At this point I'm kind of anxious/excited to see what UW really has and how things shake out as just about everything is up in the air right now. But let's not rush the summer away...there's too many fish waiting for me to catch them.

[Slasher7]

Re: Wisconsin Offseason '10: The Aftermath

Unfortunately you Bucky Badger fans have been raped by the NHL just like the Golden Gophers have in the last few years. My condolences.

This will be happening to my school next summer...

[uwbadgers14]

Re: Wisconsin Offseason '10: The Aftermath

No kidding. The rodents can only dream about having the kind of talent that the Badgers have lost this off-season.

hahaha... As a badger fan, that is why loosing to BC in the Champ game stings so bad, because i knew this was going to happen, sure all the seniors that graduated would have hurt but to lose 3 top defensemen and stepan on top of the seniors and the two assistant coaches is absolutely brutal, after 06 it seemed like a house cleaning with 5 graduating seniors and pavelski leaving early, that seems like peanuts compared to this year. I think we all saw this coming. Thats why they needed to bring home the bacon from detroit and it didn't happen. I recently watched the frozen four highlight film on the NHL Network and I could barely watch the end still.

If there is a bright spot for next year it looks like our schedule is on the easy side to start the year which will help the young players get there feet wet a little before getting into a brutal stretch run.