What's new
USCHO Fan Forum

This is a sample guest message. Register a free account today to become a member! Once signed in, you'll be able to participate on this site by adding your own topics and posts, as well as connect with other members through your own private inbox!

  • The USCHO Fan Forum has migrated to a new plaform, xenForo. Most of the function of the forum should work in familiar ways. Please note that you can switch between light and dark modes by clicking on the gear icon in the upper right of the main menu bar. We are hoping that this new platform will prove to be faster and more reliable. Please feel free to explore its features.

Wisconsin Badgers 2026 Offseason

On the ole twitter box, it is amazing how quickly arrogant the rodents have become.....because they got a new head coach.

Larson is a solid hire, don't get me wrong. But the idea that he is some home run hire kinda makes me laugh. I didbt think he really did that much at St. Cloud the last few years.

Im sure though Sandelin is glad he is gone.
Hastings just NUKED them with his hires.
 
Wow, I go to a meeting at work and come back to this. The Andy Brandt leaving the Capitals and they only said "D1 coaching," and nothing else, I am like would Hastings bring him back?

This is awesome.
 
Pavs, Brandt, Briere....this is a direct shot across the bow of the Weasels and Sparty with respect to OHL and USNDTP players.

I think kids, esp Fwds and G listen to Pavelski and Briere immediately over Narato and Nightengale.

But we shall see. Im certainly encouraged!
 
Wow, I go to a meeting at work and come back to this. The Andy Brandt leaving the Capitals and they only said "D1 coaching," and nothing else, I am like would Hastings bring him back?

This is awesome.
I wonder if he will fill the role of a General Manager with his experience in that area, but also spend time on the ice. With the limit of 3 assistant coaches, teams seem to be adding more than 3 and giving them a title other than coach. Same with Pavelski being Director of Player Development.
 
The way I understand it, there are 3 direct assistants. And those assistants are the only ones able to actively recruit players not on the team (i.e. portal and jrs). Brandt replaces Murdoch, and Peruzzi replaces Oliver. Add in Knott and that is one hell of a coaching staff by itself.

Essentially Eichorst has green lit a full outfit of the hockey staff to seriously compete. Briere as Goalie development with 10 yrs of NHL experience and Pavelski as overall player development and you have some pretty awesome depth there. The important thing is that you don't need Briere and Pavelski to recruit...every G and FWD/CTR will know they get to work with Pavelski once they get there.

I'm containing my enthusiasm because of TG/DG/Oz and what they were billed as in 2016. TG is Badger royalty, but the level of steely eyed resolve and professionalism that Hastings has brought is undeniable.
 
I'm containing my enthusiasm because of TG/DG/Oz and what they were billed as in 2016. TG is Badger royalty, but the level of steely eyed resolve and professionalism that Hastings has brought is undeniable.

This.

These hires sure look like homeruns (love having Pavs in the fold) but lets see how it translates to the ice.
 
I'm containing my enthusiasm because of TG/DG/Oz and what they were billed as in 2016. TG is Badger royalty, but the level of steely eyed resolve and professionalism that Hastings has brought is undeniable.
The moral of that episode is if you are not a good NHL coach, you are not going to be a good college coach, no matter what assistants you have on the staff.

I'm thinking Briere will be an on ice guy (how can he not be?) and Brandt will be doing the desk GM type of things/watching film and coordinating things for recruiting for Knott. Pavs will be watching film, developing player specific plans for improvement. Either Pavs or Brandt probably be the eye in the sky coach during the games and the other on the bench. I don't think Briere will be on the bench, he likes to leave the goalies alone during the games, though he does do some tactical tweaks coordinating between the G and the D.

I also suspect Brandt will also be working with Alumni, raising funds, coordinating NIL for the players and line up n/c teams.
 
Essentially Eichorst has green lit a full outfit of the hockey staff to seriously compete. Briere as Goalie development with 10 yrs of NHL experience and Pavelski as overall player development and you have some pretty awesome depth there. The important thing is that you don't need Briere and Pavelski to recruit...every G and FWD/CTR will know they get to work with Pavelski once they get there.
There is no way this happens under Macintosh. No way. Eichorst said what do you need, got the list, saw that is was chump change in the big picture and greenlighted it.
 
Eichorst is smart. Make Hockey a revenue generator again. Men's hockey can break even or be a revenue generator for UW, so this is smart money, IMO.

Mac was a meathead who only cared about and screwed up football. Thank god he didn't fire Gard.

Given the comments from Gard and Mark Johnson, Eichorst gets it. and there was disdain for Mac.
 
The moral of that episode is if you are not a good NHL coach, you are not going to be a good college coach, no matter what assistants you have on the staff.

I'm thinking Briere will be an on ice guy (how can he not be?) and Brandt will be doing the desk GM type of things/watching film and coordinating things for recruiting for Knott. Pavs will be watching film, developing player specific plans for improvement. Either Pavs or Brandt probably be the eye in the sky coach during the games and the other on the bench. I don't think Briere will be on the bench, he likes to leave the goalies alone during the games, though he does do some tactical tweaks coordinating between the G and the D.

I also suspect Brandt will also be working with Alumni, raising funds, coordinating NIL for the players and line up n/c teams.
Yes, Pavelski & Briere will be on the ice, but only for practice/development of current players. I don't believe they are able to recruit actively. Only the assistants can do that.

Knott, Peruzzi, Brandt will be the ones actually on the bench during games with Hastings as assistants.

Im sure Pavs and Briere will provide input for any in game adjustments and development plans/goals with Inkrott. But Pavs certainly as a GM type role will drive alumni relations and NIL funding as well.
 
Eichorst is smart. Make Hockey a revenue generator again. Men's hockey can break even or be a revenue generator for UW, so this is smart money, IMO.

Mac was a meathead who only cared about and screwed up football. Thank god he didn't fire Gard.

Given the comments from Gard and Mark Johnson, Eichorst gets it. and there was disdain for Mac.
Absolutely spot on.

Both Gard and Johnson spoke up about what a refreshing change it is with Eichorst and that really says everything I need to know about MacIntosh and quite honestly also Barry “I’m not a Hockey guy” Alvarez.

They didn’t care about any other sports, period.

Now Eichorst has had time to hone his skills and professionalism and to learn from his failures.

This was a huge move for both Men’s Hockey and the AD. Tells the team and U., he’s serious and he cares about all the programs.
 
Last edited:
Eichorst is smart. Make Hockey a revenue generator again. Men's hockey can break even or be a revenue generator for UW, so this is smart money, IMO.

Mac was a meathead who only cared about and screwed up football. Thank god he didn't fire Gard.

Given the comments from Gard and Mark Johnson, Eichorst gets it. and there was disdain for Mac.
Im convinved that Mac & even Barry got caught stuck in the 2000s & 2010s putting all their energy into facility fundraising (unecessary end zone reno for premium seating and Kellner Ctr) and got their doors blown off by NIL, trying to create an NIL prgm that kept directly paying players at arms length.

Kellner Ctr was badly needed but should have been built before Chryst became head football coach.

Hockey was ignored bc they had Kohl and LaBahn.

An honest book should be written about the Ath Dept, its relationship with the Chancellor/Board, and decisions made from the time Barry took over as AD. Esp considering its past failures before Shalala/Richter and fear of being honest with itself after. There is A LOT there to cover.
 
Briere's Goalie Academy

I have to plug Steve's new goalie academy. They train at the Lumberyard in Stillwater, MN owned by Thomas Vanek, Greg Gartner and the founder/owner Jamie Doman. This is exciting and it's the first and only goalie academy in America. Right now there are two slots open to local guys
 
Back
Top