Wisconsin Hockey Part 3: Just win, baby!

[AsAlwaysGoRed]

Re: Wisconsin Hockey Part 3: Just win, baby!

I think that UW will be fortunate to make the NCAA's next year given the losses from graduation alone. Odds are that if UW makes the NCAA they would not play in Green Bay (as they are not the host) since where they play will depend on where they fall in the PWR order.

I would have to completely agree with you. I don't see this badger team making the NCAA playoffs for another 4 years. The only way I see us making it is next season MAYBE. With two Senior goalies leaving after next season, I don't see anyone or hear anyone that will be great....not good...GREAT when they come in their Freshman year. So right there could be two years not making it, give the freshman goalie a year or two to get use to the college level and if that all pans out.....at least 4 years before we make it.

Of course I hope I am wrong.

[ExileOnDaytonStreet]

Re: Wisconsin Hockey Part 3: Just win, baby!

I think that blogger read baggots article first.

Could be. Even then, he wasn't very substantial in anything he said was happening.

[WeWantMore]

Re: Wisconsin Hockey Part 3: Just win, baby!

I would have to completely agree with you. I don't see this badger team making the NCAA playoffs for another 4 years. The only way I see us making it is next season MAYBE. With two Senior goalies leaving after next season, I don't see anyone or hear anyone that will be great....not good...GREAT when they come in their Freshman year. So right there could be two years not making it, give the freshman goalie a year or two to get use to the college level and if that all pans out.....at least 4 years before we make it.

Of course I hope I am wrong.

We don't even know what the team will look like NEXT year, much less the year after that, or the year after that, etc...

[solovsfett]

Re: Wisconsin Hockey Part 3: Just win, baby!

I would have to completely agree with you. I don't see this badger team making the NCAA playoffs for another 4 years. The only way I see us making it is next season MAYBE. With two Senior goalies leaving after next season, I don't see anyone or hear anyone that will be great....not good...GREAT when they come in their Freshman year. So right there could be two years not making it, give the freshman goalie a year or two to get use to the college level and if that all pans out.....at least 4 years before we make it.

Of course I hope I am wrong.

I thought I was pessimistic...wow.

if this team goes 4 years without an NCAA berth Eaves will be shown the door. I don't think UW goes 4 years out of the NCAA's, in fact if they go 2 consecutive years w/out an NCAA berth that would be a major disappointment, and the more I think about it it would be surprising...


on the optimistic side...

Mark Zengerle = GREAT. those are Heatley-esque numbers my friend.

beyond that. Turnbull will be a **** good every game player next season.

Derek Lee is a wild card as we only saw him in about 15 games this season but he should be as good or better than bombach/bendickson/grotting #'s wise and might even put up Street type numbers. he's a playmaker and he's going to be getting stronger in the off-season.

then you've got experience and talent in Jordy Murray, Derek Stepan, Sean Dolan.

add to that some guys in Jason Clark, Tyler Barnes, Frankie Simonelli, and Michael Mersch that appear to have solid D-1 tools and this team should pan out ok. at this point maybe not top 3 wcha, but 4th or 5th is not out of the question. and we simply don't know yet how these kids will develop.

Jefferson Dahl and Keegan Mauer = unknowns to me. Dahl put up *ok* numbers but it will probably be into January before we know how these kids are going to be playing night in and night out as they're going to be so many new faces and quite a steep learning curve.

if 3 d-men leave

UW will still have Gardiner, Schultz, and Ramage as starters, while Craig Smith will step up and adding Simonelli probably to the starting corps and possibly Little. that group on paper sounds closer to the 05-06 squad in talent level vs the 09-10 squad.

glass 1/2 full this time?

[Innova]

Re: Wisconsin Hockey Part 3: Just win, baby!

if 3 d-men leave

UW will still have Gardiner, Schultz, and Ramage as starters, while Craig Smith will step up and adding Simonelli probably to the starting corps and possibly Little. that group on paper sounds closer to the 05-06 squad in talent level vs the 09-10 squad.

glass 1/2 full this time?

Do you guys think that Chase Drake will break into the lineup next year?

[Almington]

Re: Wisconsin Hockey Part 3: Just win, baby!

I would have to completely agree with you. I don't see this badger team making the NCAA playoffs for another 4 years. The only way I see us making it is next season MAYBE. With two Senior goalies leaving after next season, I don't see anyone or hear anyone that will be great....not good...GREAT when they come in their Freshman year. So right there could be two years not making it, give the freshman goalie a year or two to get use to the college level and if that all pans out.....at least 4 years before we make it.

Of course I hope I am wrong.

I think that 4 years is a little to extreme of claim. It's hard enough to look ahead through one off-season, let alone ahead 3 or 4 year ahead.

On top of that, all it takes is a serviceable goalie behind a good team to make the NCAAs.

[solovsfett]

Re: Wisconsin Hockey Part 3: Just win, baby!

Do you guys think that Chase Drake will break into the lineup next year?

I've never seen Chase Drake play so I'll leave that to the 60min bloggers.

anything is possible...I imagine the competition for the defensive spots 4-6 will be very intense

[Chuck Schwartz]

Re: Wisconsin Hockey Part 3: Just win, baby!

Do you guys think that Chase Drake will break into the lineup next year?

No

Mark Zengerle = GREAT. those are Heatley-esque numbers my friend.

I hope people honestly don't expect this kid of production out of Zengerle when he get's here. I've heard a lot of references to some pretty high end players. I think we need to temper our expectations a bit. There is a difference between 17 year old Kyle Turris and 17 year old Dany Heatley putting up those numbers in the BC and 20 year old Mark Zengerle putting up those numbers. That said, he's a great talent and being older, probably will be here longer than those two players combined.

Derek Lee is a wild card as we only saw him in about 15 games this season but he should be as good or better than bombach/bendickson/grotting #'s wise and might even put up Street type numbers. he's a playmaker and he's going to be getting stronger in the off-season.

DLee needs to get into an every game rotation. He looked a bit timid out there this past season and once he adjusts to the league he'll be great. I'd expect 20 points out of him next year if he plays every game.

Jefferson Dahl and Keegan Mauer = unknowns to me. Dahl put up *ok* numbers but it will probably be into January before we know how these kids are going to be playing night in and night out as they're going to be so many new faces and quite a steep learning curve

Dahl didn't have huge numbers but he led his team in scoring. You need to take into account the talent around him a little bit when assessing the numbers. I love the kid and think he will be a nice player for us. Much, much, much more offensive than Meuer.

[GoBucky36]

Re: Wisconsin Hockey Part 3: Just win, baby!

I would have to completely agree with you. I don't see this badger team making the NCAA playoffs for another 4 years.

Its way too early to be making a statement like that. We have no idea exactly who is staying, who is leaving and what recruits Eaves has planned.

[Chuck Schwartz]

Re: Wisconsin Hockey Part 3: Just win, baby!

It's way too early to do this, especially since we don't know who will go pro early, and we still have a forward spot (at least 1) to fill. Early projection.

Murray-Stepan-Smith
Turnbull-Zengerle-Barnes
Lee-Dolan-Clark
Johnson-Dahl-Mersch
Little-Meuer-(?)

Gardiner-Ramage
Schultz-Simonelli
Springer-Johnson
Little-Drake

Gudmandson
Bennett

PP:

Zengerle-Stepan-Smith
Gardiner-Schultz

[Innova]

Re: Wisconsin Hockey Part 3: Just win, baby!

Do you guys think that Chase Drake will break into the lineup next year?

No

It's way too early to do this, especially since we don't know who will go pro early, and we still have a forward spot (at least 1) to fill. Early projection.
...
Little-Drake

...

[Chuck Schwartz]

Re: Wisconsin Hockey Part 3: Just win, baby!

That is the full roster. Note, he is the 8th defenseman. You can only suit up 6. I thought you were asking if he was going to play. Which the answer is, in my opinon...not a lot if at all this season. He's still on the roster.

[solovsfett]

Re: Wisconsin Hockey Part 3: Just win, baby!

No



I hope people honestly don't expect this kid of production out of Zengerle when he get's here. I've heard a lot of references to some pretty high end players. I think we need to temper our expectations a bit. There is a difference between 17 year old Kyle Turris and 17 year old Dany Heatley putting up those numbers in the BC and 20 year old Mark Zengerle putting up those numbers. That said, he's a great talent and being older, probably will be here longer than those two players combined.



DLee needs to get into an every game rotation. He looked a bit timid out there this past season and once he adjusts to the league he'll be great. I'd expect 20 points out of him next year if he plays every game.



Dahl didn't have huge numbers but he led his team in scoring. You need to take into account the talent around him a little bit when assessing the numbers. I love the kid and think he will be a nice player for us. Much, much, much more offensive than Meuer.

great points on all Chuck. I had forgotten Heater was younger than Zengerle. Still, I'm expecting Zengerle to be a force. Maybe not 28g 28a like Heater but say a 15g 25a 40point guy. Especially if he's paired with Smith and Stepan. I won't be disappointed if he nets 30 points, but I guess I'm thinking he won't be your typical freshman who will take 1/2 the season to get up to speed.

Good to hear your input on Dahl.


Re: Mauer....is this the kid some people were comparing to Burish or am I thinking of someone else?

[Chuck Schwartz]

Re: Wisconsin Hockey Part 3: Just win, baby!

great points on all Chuck. I had forgotten Heater was younger than Zengerle. Still, I'm expecting Zengerle to be a force. Maybe not 28g 28a like Heater but say a 15g 25a 40point guy. Especially if he's paired with Smith and Stepan. I won't be disappointed if he nets 30 points, but I guess I'm thinking he won't be your typical freshman who will take 1/2 the season to get up to speed.

Good to hear your input on Dahl.


Re: Mauer....is this the kid some people were comparing to Burish or am I thinking of someone else?

1) I don't know if they will pair Zengerle with Stepan (if he's still here). They are both distributors and I think that our offense would benefit by having them playing on separate lines. If you have too many people looking to set people up, no one puts it in the net.

Point wise, I'd say max 40, min 30. I'd be happy in the 34-36 range.

2) I am not sure who would have compared Meuer to Burish. Burish is a leader, a trend setter. Not to bash Meuer but I've heard he is a little immature. He should get an opportunity for fourth line minutes this season as should Ryan Little. Both fit that role.

[solovsfett]

Re: Wisconsin Hockey Part 3: Just win, baby!

1) I don't know if they will pair Zengerle with Stepan (if he's still here). They are both distributors and I think that our offense would benefit by having them playing on separate lines. If you have too many people looking to set people up, no one puts it in the net.

Point wise, I'd say max 40, min 30. I'd be happy in the 34-36 range.

2) I am not sure who would have compared Meuer to Burish. Burish is a leader, a trend setter. Not to bash Meuer but I've heard he is a little immature. He should get an opportunity for fourth line minutes this season as should Ryan Little. Both fit that role.

sounds good to me on Zengerle, 34-36 points is right where Jason Zent was as a frosh (though probably younger). pair him with Smith maybe or Turnbull then.

Maybe it was Cody Strang then that someone was comparing to Burish. I forget, I'm getting old!