Wisconsin Hockey 22-23 Empty Dreams & Empty Seats

[digitalbooya]

It's a little early for pairwise comparisons, but after this weekend, UMD is now 39 and Wisconsin is 34. St Cloud is 1 and OSU is 7. So it's possible that UMD was just overrated and really not the 10th rated team.

Wisconsin is in the bottom half of NCAA teams statistically of pretty much every major category.

Penn State comes in as pairwise #4 this weekend. I think it will be interesting to see how the team handles the up pace offense and typically PSU gives Wisconsin fits.

If the badgers win the first game against Penn State, I’ll buy a ticket for game 2.

 

[Timothy A]

Unfortunately, I was unable to see either game, so I don't know what happened. Nice to get a sweep and a shutout. Never saw that coming. Sounded like the freshman were great on Friday scoring.

Can they carry that into this weekend? Let's hope.

I saw the 3rd period Saturday and sections of Friday and they played well, no obvious bone headed plays. Moe was great. A sliver of hope. I do think umd is over rated, a super young team.

 

[druzy192]

Unfortunately, I was unable to see either game, so I don't know what happened. Nice to get a sweep and a shutout. Never saw that coming. Sounded like the freshman were great on Friday scoring.

Can they carry that into this weekend? Let's hope.

I only watched the first game. Lucius looks like a pretty solid player. He could be special as he matures. When he has the puck he makes things happen. More of a presence than Stramel. I was relatively impressed overall with the team. The effort looked good the entire game.

However, UMD made alot of sloppy in zone mistakes and didn't look very composed.

I will not talk shit about granato on this message because, well, the team looked pretty good!

Edit: and I think if it looks good it should be recognized. Its only fair.

 

[digitalbooya]

For those that haven’t seen the high stick major:

https://twitter.com/10k_takes/status/1585085199745896448?s=46&t=23fVLBF0_wZil_IFHxli-A

 

[digitalbooya]

I only watched the first game. Lucius looks like a pretty solid player. He could be special as he matures. When he has the puck he makes things happen. More of a presence than Stramel. I was relatively impressed overall with the team. The effort looked good the entire game.

However, UMD made alot of sloppy in zone mistakes and didn't look very composed.

I will not talk **** about granato on this message because, well, the team looked pretty good!

Edit: and I think if it looks good it should be recognized. Its only fair.

Love that Lucius is doing well. Even better since he was a gopher recruit prior!

Big test coming up tomorrow and Saturday. Let’s hope they can build on last weekend!

 

[Timothy A]

Its a huge weekend. Will they keep the positive progress going? Ped St. Usually makes them play loose and bad with their style.

 

[GoBucky18]

I always dread playing Penn St. You can't play a conservative defensive style of game plan because they just go with the law of probability and pepper the goal until one eventially goes in. That and they cheat their forwards up ice in the D zone to create breakaways and lota of transition hockey. The end over all strategy being "we are going to make a bunch of mistakes and lean forward, but we think you'll make more bc of our aggressiveness."

I always have thought too that PSU plays a terrible non conf schedule that is laughable but allows them to rack up early season victories and create momentum. They certainly arent playing NCHC or HE teams, thats for sure.

They have had UWs number bc UW cant help but make terrible D decisions or generate enough SOG to keep up. They need to stay disciplined in transition D and be efficient with potting some this weekend.

 

[solovsfett]

I fucking gd hate ped state. I hate their style of play, I hate their dumb coach, all of it.

as for the Badgers. Well… they’re not talented enough to beat average teams consistently so they won’t be beating winning teams.

12 wins is the ceiling imo.

I feel bad for Tony and Mark… this is their final year as Badger Men’s hockey coaches. Great Badger players but awful coaches.

 

[WiscTJK]

I fucking gd hate ped state. I hate their style of play, I hate their dumb coach, all of it.

as for the Badgers. Well… they’re not talented enough to beat average teams consistently so they won’t be beating winning teams.

12 wins is the ceiling imo.

I feel bad for Tony and Mark… this is their final year as Badger Men’s hockey coaches. Great Badger players but awful coaches.

I feel bad for Andy Brandt, joining this train wreck.

Last night was awful. They had 4 icing’s in the first 1:35 and things got worse from there. Second and third period were awful.

Empty kohl center, half of band section, student section had a couple hundred students (Halloween affected those two), and the students were filing out with 1:30 left in the game. No stand up old people. Truly disheartening to see this program at this state of affairs.

 

[GoBucky18]

After seeing the struggle session this weekend and looking the stats, AD needs to genuinely look at immediately firing King and Granato. It is just over. It's undisciplined uncoordinated pond hockey at best and the AD better figure this out fast. The program has completely been passed by the rest of the hockey world and lost its way while teams like Arizona St are beating NoDak in Vegas. Whatever coaching or system TG uses is awful. Good guy, terrible coach.

 

[solovsfett]

I feel bad for Andy Brandt, joining this train wreck.

Last night was awful. They had 4 icing’s in the first 1:35 and things got worse from there. Second and third period were awful.

Empty kohl center, half of band section, student section had a couple hundred students (Halloween affected those two), and the students were filing out with 1:30 left in the game. No stand up old people. Truly disheartening to see this program at this state of affairs.

Yes. I do feel bad for Brandt because when the dust settles he’ll get fired too. No way a new coach doesn’t bring in his own staff.

I watched on BTN last night. Man…the lower bowl was empty. No energy, just nothing. And the lack of students and band presence really hurt.

I honestly do feel bad for Tony and Mark. This isn’t how they played and it must be gutting for them to show up and lose and see there’s no passion left in the fan base. They both played on 20 win teams where the colesium was sold out every single game and the crowd was wild.


…also to echo Bucky’s commment. Jason King should be fired as well and I think he should be the fist to go. If they want a Badger legacy guy near the Badger program then put Tony G or Rafalski or Richter or Eaves or Suter or Burish in King’s spot. Then go outside the tree for the next hire. But…whoever the next coach is they must be an absolute grand slam because if not, whatever is left of the fan base will disintegrate. And the team will need to move to Labahn.

 

[solovsfett]

After seeing the struggle session this weekend and looking the stats, AD needs to genuinely look at immediately firing King and Granato. It is just over. It's undisciplined uncoordinated pond hockey at best and the AD better figure this out fast. The program has completely been passed by the rest of the hockey world and lost its way while teams like Arizona St are beating NoDak in Vegas. Whatever coaching or system TG uses is awful. Good guy, terrible coach.

Is he coaching like Sauer and letting the kids “find themselves”?

 

[WiscTJK]

After seeing the struggle session this weekend and looking the stats, AD needs to genuinely look at immediately firing King and Granato. It is just over. It's undisciplined uncoordinated pond hockey at best and the AD better figure this out fast. The program has completely been passed by the rest of the hockey world and lost its way while teams like Arizona St are beating NoDak in Vegas. Whatever coaching or system TG uses is awful. Good guy, terrible coach.

I just can’t see firing now. You only have three coaches plus a volunteer. And who is the interim coach? And yes I think king needs to go too.

 

[digitalbooya]

Yes. I do feel bad for Brandt because when the dust settles he’ll get fired too. No way a new coach doesn’t bring in his own staff.

I watched on BTN last night. Man…the lower bowl was empty. No energy, just nothing. And the lack of students and band presence really hurt.

I honestly do feel bad for Tony and Mark. This isn’t how they played and it must be gutting for them to show up and lose and see there’s no passion left in the fan base. They both played on 20 win teams where the colesium was sold out every single game and the crowd was wild.


…also to echo Bucky’s commment. Jason King should be fired as well and I think he should be the fist to go. If they want a Badger legacy guy near the Badger program then put Tony G or Rafalski or Richter or Eaves or Suter or Burish in King’s spot. Then go outside the tree for the next hire. But…whoever the next coach is they must be an absolute grand slam because if not, whatever is left of the fan base will disintegrate. And the team will need to move to Labahn.

Speaking of LaBahn, does anyone know Granato’s record in smaller NHL sized rinks vs larger Olympic style rinks? Seems his teams are awful at the Kohl Center. The one year played at LaBahn they were a #1 seed. Last weekend they beat UMD in their smaller rink. I’m grasping at straws, but maybe Granato doesn’t know how to coach a team on managing space in a larger rink.

Regardless, agreed with most of the above. I don’t feel bad for Tony or Mark though. They are getting paid a ridiculous amount of money to be bad. If there’s no passion left in the fanbase, they definitely played a part in that.

 

[Timothy A]

Speaking of LaBahn, does anyone know Granato’s record in smaller NHL sized rinks vs larger Olympic style rinks? Seems his teams are awful at the Kohl Center. The one year played at LaBahn they were a #1 seed. Last weekend they beat UMD in their smaller rink. I’m grasping at straws, but maybe Granato doesn’t know how to coach a team on managing space in a larger rink.

Regardless, agreed with most of the above. I don’t feel bad for Tony or Mark though. They are getting paid a ridiculous amount of money to be bad. If there’s no passion left in the fanbase, they definitely played a part in that.

The rink size is an interesting thought. I would have liked to see that team play in the Kohl the next year.

 

[WiscTJK]

This stat from Todd Milewski shows people don't care anymore.

• The announced crowd of 6,004 on Friday ranks as the lowest in 456 men's hockey games all-time at the Kohl Center. The announced 6,933 on Saturday is fourth-lowest behind two nonconference games: Oct. 9, 2015, against Northern Michigan (6,467) and Oct. 30, 2015, against Arizona State (6,665).

Keep in mind that is paid attendance, not actual butts in the seats which was way way worse. Saturday student section was maybe a few hundred and the Friday / Saturday games were the least attended regular games I've seen at the Kohl Center. Apathy has kicked in.

 

[digitalbooya]

This stat from Todd Milewski shows people don't care anymore.

• The announced crowd of 6,004 on Friday ranks as the lowest in 456 men's hockey games all-time at the Kohl Center. The announced 6,933 on Saturday is fourth-lowest behind two nonconference games: Oct. 9, 2015, against Northern Michigan (6,467) and Oct. 30, 2015, against Arizona State (6,665).

Keep in mind that is paid attendance, not actual butts in the seats which was way way worse. Saturday student section was maybe a few hundred and the Friday / Saturday games were the least attended regular games I've seen at the Kohl Center. Apathy has kicked in.

You have to win if you want people to show up to the games. You have to be fun and exciting if you want your fanbase to have fun and be excited.

There’s a lot of symptoms that show, but winning will cure almost all.

Is Mike Hastings interested in a challenge? He’s never had a losing record as a head coach ever. That goes back to the mid 90s.

 

[solovsfett]

You have to win if you want people to show up to the games. You have to be fun and exciting if you want your fanbase to have fun and be excited.

There’s a lot of symptoms that show, but winning will cure almost all.

Is Mike Hastings interested in a challenge? He’s never had a losing record as a head coach ever. That goes back to the mid 90s.

He’s 56 so if UW wants him it has to be immediately after the season.

There’s a lot to like here: https://www.therinklive.com/inside-...ching-rumors-presenting-the-facts-to-recruits

 

[WiscTJK]

He’s 56 so if UW wants him it has to be immediately after the season.

There’s a lot to like here: https://www.therinklive.com/inside-...ching-rumors-presenting-the-facts-to-recruits

7 years ago when they got Granato, I wanted Hastings. Unfortunately I don't think he would be interested now. He would still be my number one choice. Tim Coghlin would be #2, and was back then for me. He's in his upper 50's too so I am not sure they would take on a multi-year rebuild.

 

[solovsfett]

7 years ago when they got Granato, I wanted Hastings. Unfortunately I don't think he would be interested now. He would still be my number one choice. Tim Coghlin would be #2, and was back then for me. He's in his upper 50's too so I am not sure they would take on a multi-year rebuild.

Good point. I would suspect both coaches are comfortable where they are. But… maybe Hastings wants to try to go next level. One can hope.