Wisconsin Hockey 22-23 Empty Dreams & Empty Seats

[WiscTJK]

I wonder if Miller applied @ WI for the open spot? He would have been the top candidate if he had applied.

I'm waiting for the Todd Milewski article on this. He indicated it is coming. TG should have hired Miller when he hired Strobel. That's when Miller went to OSU.....

[solovsfett]

Goofers hired Steve Miller from OSU, great hire. OSU hires Luke Strand. Good moves by both clubs. Wisconsin will be in a larger hole conference wise if the coaching staff doesn't improve this team quickly.

Interestingly enough, Steve Rohlick's assistants are now the same as Mike Eaves final year......

Man…I just…ugh

[Wisko McBadgerton]

I wonder if Miller applied @ WI for the open spot? He would have been the top candidate if he had applied.

Miller and Oz do exactly the same thing, so I'm not sure how a staff with both of them on it would work.
I'd be surprised if Killer applied for a Badger spot with Oz still here. Tony had also said publicly that he wanted a road warrior, a guy that would be relentless out on the recruiting trail. Brando fits that role nicely, whereas, although Killer is obviously a great recruiter, (stole Will Butcher from us!), he's maybe getting a little long in the tooth to be that guy.

[MadCityRich]

Goofers hired Steve Miller from OSU, great hire. OSU hires Luke Strand. Good moves by both clubs. Wisconsin will be in a larger hole conference-wise if the coaching staff doesn't improve this team quickly.

Thanks, TJK, this is another disheartening non-movement. Everybody else is making attempts to improve and we're sitting in quicksand.

RE: the Ringo video, I agree with Wisko (and thanks for posting it). Weigh in his talent, passion, and his "ambassadorship" for not only UWHockey but for the game, and he's right there. I gotta admit it brought a tear to my eye again.

[Timothy A]

a guy that would be relentless out on the recruiting trail.

They are getting decent talent, they need to be coached and led better. If I recall correctly, TG's new contract is puts weight on this year as in it's less costly to can him than the future.

Also, being relentless is TG's calling card, but it's not the be all end off in terms of success. That is a big flaw of his.

[Timothy A]

UW gets another shot at LSSU this time in the Holiday Tourney. UMASS and Clarkson are the other 2 teams. Seems like a decent field. Hopefully they have at least a winning record going into this.

[Timothy A]

El Capitan....Mersch is the big dog, with Caufield, Gorniac, Kehrer and MdStP as alternates. That's a lot of cooks in the kitchen.

Lindmark is back to 100%. It would be great to see him fulfill his potential.

[WiscTJK]

El Capitan....Mersch is the big dog, with Caufield, Gorniac, Kehrer and MdStP as alternates. That's a lot of cooks in the kitchen.

Lindmark is back to 100%. It would be great to see him fulfill his potential.

The release with his missing teeth is pretty funny. https://twitter.com/BadgerMHockey/st...01835703279617

[DPlaya]

The forward lineup seems to be pretty deep this year. Here’s the list in no particular order:

Smilanic
Caufield
Lucius
Mersch
Lindmark
Stramel
Bantle
De St. Phalle
Stange
Gorniak
Brown
Urdahl
Morrison
Horbarch
Malmquist
Newton

Way too early forward line chart:

Smilanic-Caufield-Stramel
Bantle-Lindmark-Lucius
Mersch-De St. Phalle-Stange
Gorniak-Brown-Urdahl

Malmquist
Horbach
Morrison
Newton

Malmquist and Horbach both seem like distributors of the puck. I could see one or both of them sliding into the lineup at times.

How do you guys see the forward lines shaking out?

[Wisko McBadgerton]

I think you're on the right track. Smilanic, Stramel, and Lucius all have scoring skills that were sorely lacking last year. I thought Lindmark would have a break out year last year, instead he had a break in his hip. So I'm really curious to see how he goes now. I've always liked him. Some of these guys have really hit the weights hard and added pounds, a good thing. This team is definitely going to bigger and stronger up front then they have been in years.

I'd like to see Bantle - Lindmark - Stramel, a line that could be hard to handle. Of course those guys could also center 3 lines. Charlie Stramel is a frickin' 17 year old beast!
I think DSP will see more than 3rd line minutes, and Urdahl will see more than 4th line minutes, but it's going to be competitive for playing time. Malmquist has talent and can make plays but he's still giving up 20 pounds to a little guy like Caufield, and that can be a problem for him at this level. If a guy like Malmquist can't crack the line up, that would be a pretty good sign.
Horbach could be a sleeper, he was really good for the Caps run to the final, but can he produce at the next level? We'll see.
I think you're right that Brown does get in the line up. Gorniak could be anywhere from 4th to 1st if he's improved his stick. In any case, MAN, that kid can really fly! I think Mersch is a 4th line C and I hope he's the best 4th line C in the country. He's got the heart, the want to, but is that enough to be a difference maker?
The boys really need to buy in, and if they do, there's enough up front to get some good wins.

[Timothy A]

I kinda wish Caufield, Mersch, Gorniak were not coming back. They will probably chew up ice time younger guys could have used to develop. I'd love to see Morrison and Malmquist get on the ice regularly.

DeStPh needs to be the top line center with dudes who can score. The guy was a scoring stud in the USHL. He needs talent around him.

Watts they really need are D who can consistently make good decisions on the breakout and pass the puck accurately. Those same guys also need to play with their heads on swivels in the D zone and not ignore players behind or around them.

[WiscTJK]

I think you're on the right track. Smilanic, Stramel, and Lucius all have scoring skills that were sorely lacking last year. I thought Lindmark would have a break out year last year, instead he had a break in his hip. So I'm really curious to see how he goes now. I've always liked him. Some of these guys have really hit the weights hard and added pounds, a good thing. This team is definitely going to bigger and stronger up front then they have been in years.

I'd like to see Bantle - Lindmark - Stramel, a line that could be hard to handle. Of course those guys could also center 3 lines. Charlie Stramel is a frickin' 17 year old beast!
I think DSP will see more than 3rd line minutes, and Urdahl will see more than 4th line minutes, but it's going to be competitive for playing time. Malmquist has talent and can make plays but he's still giving up 20 pounds to a little guy like Caufield, and that can be a problem for him at this level. If a guy like Malmquist can't crack the line up, that would be a pretty good sign.
Horbach could be a sleeper, he was really good for the Caps run to the final, but can he produce at the next level? We'll see.
I think you're right that Brown does get in the line up. Gorniak could be anywhere from 4th to 1st if he's improved his stick. In any case, MAN, that kid can really fly! I think Mersch is a 4th line C and I hope he's the best 4th line C in the country. He's got the heart, the want to, but is that enough to be a difference maker?
The boys really need to buy in, and if they do, there's enough up front to get some good wins.

That's some pretty big optimism. Not likely to happen. What are they buying into? I am not going to be optimistic as this staff just disappoints every year and I am frankly sick of it. Other Big Ten teams got better with coaches (well Michigan is still up in the air). Is Brandt going to help enough to make a difference?

Hopefully I am proven wrong.....

[MadCityRich]

That's some pretty big optimism. Not likely to happen. What are they buying into? I am not going to be optimistic as this staff just disappoints every year and I am frankly sick of it. Other Big Ten teams got better with coaches (well Michigan is still up in the air). Is Brandt going to help enough to make a difference?

Hopefully I am proven wrong.....

I agree. The vast majority of the time I am a glass-half-full guy. But this program continues to completely empty that glass. So I am not optimistic at all and will continue to spend my money on the NHL, not one cent on Badger hockey.

[Timothy A]

Charlie Stramel is a frickin' 17 year old beast!

He did just make the US World Jr's team for the upcoming tournament and is the youngest player on the roster. TDM calls him "one of the top eligible players in the 2023 NHL draft".

[Wisko McBadgerton]

Here's a list of all the other North American 17-year-olds to play in the WJC in the last 10 years and their subsequent overall draft positions:

Jacob Trouba - 9
Johnathan Drouin - 3
Nathan MacKinnon - #1
Aaron Eckblad - #1
Jack Eichel- 2
Connor McDavid - #1
Noah Hanifin - 5
Lawson Crouse - 11
Zack Werensky - 8
Auston Matthews - #1
Chad Krys - 45
Jack Hughes - #1
Alexis Lafreniere - #1
Jamie Drysdale - 6
Quinton Byfield - 2
Shane Wright - 4
Logan Cooley - 3


I guess it's some ok company for Stramel.