Wisconsin Hockey 22-23 Empty Dreams & Empty Seats

[WiscTJK]

Good grief. Granato had a VERY different starting point than Sandelin. He’s also squanderd a team with 4 1st round NHL draft picks AND a team 2 years ago that should have AT LEAST gone to the frozen four.

no excuses. Isn’t that the sign in the locker room. 60 minutes, no alibis, no excuses?

This is also true. I am trying to remain at least a little positive. It's hard. If we go 0-6, I'll start to get very worried!

[solovsfett]

The way the program was when Granato took over was definitely not a Ferrari.

I think Granato's biggest fault is the "we will just get another (top NHL draft pick)" approach. The one and done prospects are only good when you have four year quality players like Zengerle, Mersch, etc. Look at the MASSIVE improvement we saw from Cole Caufield and Dylan Holloway in their second year mixed in with quality upperclassmen like TPB, Weissbach, Emberson, etc. One of the best teams in the country and a #1 seed in the tournament. The tournament didn't go well, but that team was exciting.

Fancy draft picks are all fun and games until you realize they still need to develop just like every other player. How many one and done players did Badger Bob have back in the day?

There weren’t one and done’s in Badger Bob’s era. The NHL wasn’t like it is today. GM’s didn’t believe in college players.

of course every championship team needs a Brandt, Degengart and Licari or D. Granato D. Snedden and I forget their 4th line compliment from 90.

the bottom line is talent has arrived in Madison but hasn’t produced or grown. Granato hasn’t overloaded on top end talent imo either. If anything there are too many Wisconsin born players and not enough high-end Canadians and Minnesotans.

[Timothy A]

I think Granato's biggest fault is the "we will just get another (top NHL draft pick)" approach.

I think his biggest fault is he's a bad college coach. He can recruit, but coach he can't.

[solovsfett]

I think his biggest fault is he's a bad college coach. He can recruit, but coach he can't.

Ding ding ding!!!

[solovsfett]

…fun note. I was organizing the basement and looked through a box of sports memorabilia and programs. I have 2 UW hockey game programs from 1988, 1 or 2 from 1990, 2006 and 2010 championship game programs and several others. Cue Bruce Springsteen!

[digitalbooya]

I think his biggest fault is he's a bad college coach. He can recruit, but coach he can't.

I've been saying that since year 2. It took some on here until year 4 to figure it out. Anyone who took a look into Tony's past coaching experience could figure out he's not that great at it. I was so happy that Don Granato got a chance to advance his career to the NHL, but man... He was the guy I wanted to be head coach at UW.

I still think that his replacement theory for one and done NHL prospects is flawed. Caufield and Holloway staying an extra year really hammered this point home. Get the top prospects to stay longer and they will be a damn good team regardless of Tony's lackluster coaching ability.

[Timothy A]

I've been saying that since year 2. It took some on here until year 4 to figure it out. Anyone who took a look into Tony's past coaching experience could figure out he's not that great at it. I was so happy that Don Granato got a chance to advance his career to the NHL, but man... He was the guy I wanted to be head coach at UW.

I still think that his replacement theory for one and done NHL prospects is flawed. Caufield and Holloway staying an extra year really hammered this point home. Get the top prospects to stay longer and they will be a damn good team regardless of Tony's lackluster coaching ability.

His NHL record isn't terrible. 104 78 17. You have to wonder why Colorado got rid of him after 04 after finishing 03 in first and 04 in second. The 2nd stint in Colorado was terrible.

[Timothy A]

So we have single game ticketing info. 3rd level seats won't be sold unless other 2 level sales force them to sell them; N/C games are $18, B18 games are $24, Rodent games are $29. The exhibition game is buy one get one for $5.00.

[WiscTJK]

So we have single game ticketing info. 3rd level seats won't be sold unless other 2 level sales force them to sell them; N/C games are $18, B18 games are $24, Rodent games are $29. The exhibition game is buy one get one for $5.00.

So no discounted tickets or eats and treats packages?

[digitalbooya]

His NHL record isn't terrible. 104 78 17. You have to wonder why Colorado got rid of him after 04 after finishing 03 in first and 04 in second. The 2nd stint in Colorado was terrible.

He was handed an absolutely stacked Colorado team and they underperformed big time (sound familiar?).

[Timothy A]

He was handed an absolutely stacked Colorado team and they underperformed big time (sound familiar?).

Thanks for the perceptive. It makes total sense.

[druzy192]

I think his biggest fault is he's a bad college coach. He can recruit, but coach he can't.

The posts earlier about other coaches taking years to build a winning program made me think a minute...but then I remember the consistent lack of intensity/heart and d-zone issues with alot of his teams... the basic stuff you gotta get right. If you can't teach kids to play hard and be in the right spot most of the time in the d-zone then 1) you are not teaching it or 2) the kids are not listening to you. Neither is good.

Plus it's not like Granato is a first time coach he's been doing it a while.

Anyway. Same old same old.

[druzy192]

I was at the volleyball game with my wife at the Kohl last night and it was wild. Awesome. My first volleyball game ever and it was exciting. I was surprised how entertaining it was in person. Great action. High energy, student section getting crazy. Even though they lost I would 100% go back.

Reminded me of when the hockey badgers used to pack the kohl and be good. My wife isn't a hockey fan and doesn't know much badger hockey history. I kept telling her this was like how hockey games used to be (but more crazy) and that if the hockey team ever gets good again we're buying season tickets. I was freaking super pumped up. In the back of my head I was thinking "not gonna be anytime soon".


On that note I recommend going to a v-ball game. Those girls are great athletes.

[WiscTJK]

The posts earlier about other coaches taking years to build a winning program made me think a minute...but then I remember the consistent lack of intensity/heart and d-zone issues with alot of his teams... the basic stuff you gotta get right. If you can't teach kids to play hard and be in the right spot most of the time in the d-zone then 1) you are not teaching it or 2) the kids are not listening to you. Neither is good.

Plus it's not like Granato is a first time coach he's been doing it a while.

Anyway. Same old same old.

Well thanks for bringing this from page 3 to the first. I was wondering how long until someone posted. Interest in the program has to be at all time lows.

Anyway, you are correct in your assessment, I believe. The basics appear to be missing half the time and energy seems to be low a lot of times.

[Timothy A]

The biggest question of the season.....will I be able to follow thru of my vow to not buy any men's game tickets while TG is still the coach? I look at this situation through some of the words of a great song by the Offspring:

"I wrote her off for the tenth time today
And practiced all the things I would say
But she came over I lost my nerve
I took her back and made her dessert"

Or this verse

"Late at night, she knocks on my door
Drunk again and looking to score
Now I know I should say no but
It's kind of hard when she's ready to go"

So it looks like I will fail.