Wisconsin Hockey 24-25 Improving With All Due Haste.

[digitalbooya]

The problem is Wisconsin would lose at least 19 goals. That’s 3-4 more losses imo. Freshman can help but they cannot carry a team. And other than the Heater and Jason Zent years ago who came in highly touted and scored a bunch? Caufield? If the opposition can key on one guy or one line UW is in trouble.

Early in the year I said it looked like the coaches don’t know how to fix the issues or words to that affect. 4 months later nothing has changed.

Re goaltending. I just think you cannot take. Goalie from RIT and think they’ll magically stop snipers on the B10. The level of talent is vastly superior to what Scarfone played against. On a good or great UW team he’s a back-up.

It’s hard to expect 18 year old freshmen to come in and make an impact. Tulk will turn 21 during next season. Montgomery is just about to turn 20. Not all “freshmen” are considered equal compared to years past.

Tulk appears to be a really solid goal scorer. Same with Montgomery. If we can get 10-15 goals from each, then we have already made up the difference of Finley leaving and diversified our scoring depth across multiple lines.

The coaching is fine. Sometimes it is on the players to execute. You can lead a horse to water but you can’t make them drink it…

I felt the same with Scott Gudmandson. You could tell he was alright but not a Brian Elliott.

 

[Timothy A]

It would be nice to keep Finley but he's been MIA the past four weeks so I don't think it kills them if he leaves. Maybe the one good thing about players that have been drafted is that their NHL team has some input and doesn't want them transferring if they're well coached and having success?

I just don't think they can survive losing that many points in an "unplanned" departure. Will the 3 underperforming guys bounce back? Will Botterill have a breakout season? They'll still have a lot of dead weight F's on the roster. They are in bad shape.

 

[digitalbooya]

I just don't think they can survive losing that many points in an "unplanned" departure. Will the 3 underperforming guys bounce back? Will Botterill have a breakout season? They'll still have a lot of dead weight F's on the roster. They are in bad shape.

They’re not really surviving with Finley on the roster right now. That’s the problem. The team needs depth scoring. He is not the end all be all player. Lucius was as close to that guy recently. Prior to that it was Caufield/Holloway.

I’m finding the overall consensus a bit amusing compared to last year. Last year it was “all the me first players get out!” Now, we are clinging to a guy who was playing third line last year because we have no offensive forwards lol.

 

[srkbadger]

Like last year, I'd like Finley to stay if he's fully on board with the program. If he's not, it would be better for all concerned if he moves on. His lack of production recently isn't as concerning to me as the style of play I've been seeing. His seems to be playing a bit too much of his own game (the no look backhand to Mosley for a goal excluded). It's seems to me it's been him against the world the last couple of weeks.

I hope he comes back. Maybe a few more scorers can open things up and take some pressure off. As Booya said, I think he's a solid player, I'm not sure he's a top echelon scorer. He has assumed that role by default on this team. I think he could be a significant contributor next year with some added scoring help.

 

[Timothy A]

They’re not really surviving with Finley on the roster right now. That’s the problem. The team needs depth scoring. He is not the end all be all player. Lucius was as close to that guy recently. Prior to that it was Caufield/Holloway.

I’m finding the overall consensus a bit amusing compared to last year. Last year it was “all the me first players get out!” Now, we are clinging to a guy who was playing third line last year because we have no offensive forwards lol.

Yeah it was. No reason for them to drag the team down inside the locker room. We have no reason to think he's one of those guys. I'd love for him to end up on the 2nd line or even the 3rd line with the right additions. I don't think it's possible to bring in 5 F that have more scoring prowess than him. If he leaves that just another hole to fill. They need to retain the right players. I don't think all the ones who left last year were "me's".

If he leaves, the returning scorer is Morrissey with 31 pts. They'd be returning 45 goals out of the F's. And losing 47 goals out of the F's.

Morrissey 31
Kukkonen 19
Fitzgerald 15
Dyck 12
Tassy 10
Horbach 9
Scholl 9
Botterill 7
Mehlenbacher 4
Pietila 2
Buss 0

I don't know about anyone else, but this scares the crap out of me.

Bringing in:
Montgomery
Deering
Zelenof
Brink
Tulk

17 F on the dotted line already. There's no room to even add a transfer or 2.

 

[Crainer]

Anyone thing Finley is still dinged up from getting dropped on his shoulder against Michigan?

 

[WiscTJK]

....

17 F on the dotted line already. There's no room to even add a transfer or 2.

Only if someone doesn't leave. These days of NIL and easy transfers, I have to say it's likely someone moves on.

 

[Timothy A]

Only if someone doesn't leave. These days of NIL and easy transfers, I have to say it's likely someone moves on.

But they have to trade bottom 3 for top 3 Trading top 3 for top 3 won't do anything.

 

[digitalbooya]

Yeah it was. No reason for them to drag the team down inside the locker room. We have no reason to think he's one of those guys. I'd love for him to end up on the 2nd line or even the 3rd line with the right additions. I don't think it's possible to bring in 5 F that have more scoring prowess than him. If he leaves that just another hole to fill. They need to retain the right players. I don't think all the ones who left last year were "me's".

If he leaves, the returning scorer is Morrissey with 31 pts. They'd be returning 45 goals out of the F's. And losing 47 goals out of the F's.

Morrissey 31
Kukkonen 19
Fitzgerald 15
Dyck 12
Tassy 10
Horbach 9
Scholl 9
Botterill 7
Mehlenbacher 4
Pietila 2
Buss 0

I don't know about anyone else, but this scares the crap out of me.

Bringing in:
Montgomery
Deering
Zelenof
Brink
Tulk

17 F on the dotted line already. There's no room to even add a transfer or 2.

Finley is a really good player, a surefire top 6 forward. We don’t need him to drop a line. Just get a couple of forwards that can put up 20-30 points on the 2nd line. Hell, most of us would settle for Fitzgerald and Tassy returning to their 23-24 season production (24 points and 28 points). Tassy being healthy is critical to both players’ stats. Curious if Tulk or Montgomery would work as a winger for that line.

 

[WiscTJK]

I figured I would revisit the stats one last time. Last time was 1/27 so one month ago. What a rough month:

Record: 12-19-3 overall (10-13-2-6); B1G7: 6-10-1-7 27 pts, 6th (T-4th) (-2)

USCHO Poll: (2 votes 29th - not sure who those voters are); (17th) (-12)
PWR: 29th of 64; 16th of 64 (-13)
RPI: 29th of 64; 17th of 64 (-12)

Scoring: 2.94 GPG (27th); 3.23 GPG (17th) (-10)
Defense: 3.03 GAPG (T-41st); 2.65 GAPG (27th) (-14)
Save %: .883 (59th); 900 (37th) (-22)
Power Play Rate: 21.37% (25 of 117) (26th); 23.40% (22 of 94) (15th) (-11)
Penalty Kill Rate: 80.68% (71 of 88) T-27th; 79.31% (46 of 58) 40th (+13)
Penalty Min per Game (1st is worst): 9.21 (36th); 6.42 (63rd) (-27)
Penalty Min (1st is worst): 313 (26th); 167 (61st) (-25)
Shorthanded Goals Scored; 3 (T-16th); 2 (T-21st) (+5)
Shorthanded Goals Allowed (1st is worst): 3 (T-18th); 1 (T-42nd) (-24)
Team Faceoff: 55.1% (T-3rd); 54.9% (T-4th) (+1)
SOG taken: 1144 (3rd); 885 (3rd) (n/c)
Shooting %: 8.7% (T-50th); 9.5% (T-35th) (-15)
SOG allowed (1st is worst): 883 (40th); 691 (T-37th) (+3)

This Week: exhibition vs USNTDP 3/3
Next Week: First round of playoffs likely at OSU.

 

[Timothy A]

50th in shooting percentage while 3rd in shots. Wow. They need a massive infusion of short term scoring talent to buy time for exciting group of Fr F (and Botterill) to get their bearings. I don't trust that Fitzgerald and Tassy return to their 23-24 season production (24 points and 28 points). Hastings has some tough sledding this off season to build up the O so they can win some games. I haven't even pondered the D corps yet. In goal they will need to bring someone with experience in. I have little confidence in Castro or Gramme. Can we really count of a Fr in goal?

 

[WiscTJK]

50th in shooting percentage while 3rd in shots. Wow. They need a massive infusion of short term scoring talent to buy time for exciting group of Fr F (and Botterill) to get their bearings. I don't trust that Fitzgerald and Tassy return to their 23-24 season production (24 points and 28 points). Hastings has some tough sledding this off season to build up the O so they can win some games. I haven't even pondered the D corps yet. In goal they will need to bring someone with experience in. I have little confidence in Castro or Gramme. Can we really count of a Fr in goal?

Defense and Goalie are both issues that need to be addressed as well. Hastings and team will need to work some magic!

 

[LordofBrewtown]

Anyone thing Finley is still dinged up from getting dropped on his shoulder against Michigan?

That's a good question. I'm also skeptical that Tassey has ever been 100% healthy this year. I do think there's a chance some of these guys were more banged up than we know, and could bounce back/improve if healthy next year.

 

[digitalbooya]

50th in shooting percentage while 3rd in shots. Wow. They need a massive infusion of short term scoring talent to buy time for exciting group of Fr F (and Botterill) to get their bearings. I don't trust that Fitzgerald and Tassy return to their 23-24 season production (24 points and 28 points). Hastings has some tough sledding this off season to build up the O so they can win some games. I haven't even pondered the D corps yet. In goal they will need to bring someone with experience in. I have little confidence in Castro or Gramme. Can we really count of a Fr in goal?

Screams lack of talent but hardworking. I think there is also some truth that their shot selection wasn’t always the best.

That's a good question. I'm also skeptical that Tassey has ever been 100% healthy this year. I do think there's a chance some of these guys were more banged up than we know, and could bounce back/improve if healthy next year.

Tassy hasn’t had a point this year where it looked like his skating was not hindered by some form of injury. Curious what his injury was. The Wild’s Foligno had a dramatic drop in skating ability and needed to have two core muscle surgeries. Hopefully it is not that.

 

[GoBucky18]

I have been trying to tell you guys since 2018, Big 10 (or 7, whatever), is legit difficult from top to botton. Go look back....WI beat up on bad teams in WCHA and had .500 success against the top teams.

1981 and before had Michigan, Michigan St & Notre Dame in the WCHA. They left because of travel costs, not because of competition.

We are in a new world. I hope opening up recruiting to major juniors fixes things. It betyer.

 

[Timothy A]

Gramme doesn't appear to be the answer. Put Castro in. There was a shot of the bench and Hastings was chewing out Dyck.

 

[Timothy A]

I have been trying to tell you guys since 2018, Big 10 (or 7, whatever), is legit difficult from top to botton. Go look back....WI beat up on bad teams in WCHA and had .500 success against the top teams.

1981 and before had Michigan, Michigan St & Notre Dame in the WCHA. They left because of travel costs, not because of competition.

We are in a new world. I hope opening up recruiting to major juniors fixes things. It betyer.

This year they have not been losing due to parity in the league, they've been losing because they can't score goals, and are not terribly adept at stopping them either.

 

[srkbadger]

If Tyson Duck ever sees the ice as a Badger again it will be too soon for me. Stupid turnover by him leads to a goal.

 

[Timothy A]

Tommy? TOMMY!!

 

[Timothy A]

I wonder what the record was when Laatsch was healthy....