Transfer Season

[robertearle]

Holy mackerel M Webster. That has to be shocking to more than just me.

Yeah, but then again, maybe not.

With Olympians coming back and freshmen coming in, there could be a pretty significant "squeeze" on available scholarship dollars at Wisconsin. Maybe not so surprising that someone didn't want to "take a pay cut" when they don't have to.

 

[Sieve1]

Yeah, but then again, maybe not.

With Olympians coming back and freshmen coming in, there could be a pretty significant "squeeze" on available scholarship dollars at Wisconsin. Maybe not so surprising that someone didn't want to "take a pay cut" when they don't have to.

There were rumors. Unfortunately when someone commits in 8th grade maybe reality just can’t live up to expectations. The family doesn’t need scholarship money, but a drop in playing time could be a factor.

 

[robertearle]

There were rumors. Unfortunately when someone commits in 8th grade maybe reality just can’t live up to expectations. The family doesn’t need scholarship money, but a drop in playing time could be a factor.

She and O'Brien were truly third line during 2020-21, but played so well during the NCAAs that people tend to forget that. Last year they were first line. With Eden and Curl and Compher, the guess would be they'll be second line this year. I don't see first vs second that big a deal at UW, but of course someone else might disagree.

Or she could have reasons entirely unrelated to hockey. At the end of the day it is "college student decides to change schools". And that happens all the time.

 

[Timothy A]

There were rumors. Unfortunately when someone commits in 8th grade maybe reality just can’t live up to expectations. The family doesn’t need scholarship money, but a drop in playing time could be a factor.

Can't live up to her own expectations.... ?Top 10 scoring nationally as a So after an abbreviated Fr campaign. I find it hard to think she is disappointed with her time at WI. Yes O'Brien kinda overshadowed her this year and so did Wattage. Maybe she's bummed Compher is going to get some publicity but she's an Olympic player.

There's no way she was going to see a drop in PT with all the Fr forwards. No way.

I hope she goes to BC. I'm appreciative of our time with Wattage.

 

[Sieve1]

She and O'Brien were truly third line during 2020-21, but played so well during the NCAAs that people tend to forget that. Last year they were first line. With Eden and Curl and Compher, the guess would be they'll be second line this year. I don't see first vs second that big a deal at UW, but of course someone else might disagree.

Or she could have reasons entirely unrelated to hockey. At the end of the day it is "college student decides to change schools". And that happens all the time.

Very very true. They are “student athletes” after all, not athletes. And unfortunately, the vast majority of them will not make a living playing their sport. The college experience & education should be a priority and if the school/team/coaches/etc isn’t the right fit then it’s the student’s right to look for a better fit. Best of luck to her & all the other student athletes in the portal.

 

[robertearle]

BTW: the deadline for fall and winter sport athletes to enter the portal and NOT have to sit out a year (without obtaining a waiver) is May 1st; they must enter the portal "by May 1".

 

[ARM]

She and O'Brien were truly third line during 2020-21, but played so well during the NCAAs that people tend to forget that. Last year they were first line. With Eden and Curl and Compher, the guess would be they'll be second line this year. I don't see first vs second that big a deal at UW, but of course someone else might disagree.

A nice offseason topic ... the individual power rankings of Badger forwards.

Webster, O'Brien, and Watts lit it up to start the season against weaker competition. As good as their season was, they weren't able to maintain similar production over the second half in general, and in particular against top competition. That said, I don't see O'Brien suddenly being regarded as a 2nd-line player. The more likely scenario is that UW winds up with at least two 1st lines, one of which has to be listed higher than the other on the sheet.

Missing a season for the Olympics doesn't automatically make someone better than somebody who stayed in college. Curl is a nice player, and I thought so from the first time I saw her playing with the U-18s. Still as a rival, SS is the player who worries me most, because she contributes in so many ways.

If there was a team that was configured such that it could lose a Webster and survive it just fine, it's likely yours.

 

[Reddington]

Sign Compher and Webster enters the portal it might be that simple. Perhaps it is deeper than that with a perceived Olympic snub and if your coach has you behind Olympic players you may think you are better off playing against them. Or maybe I'm not going to the Olympics, I need to get my education paid for kind of like the girl who played for Minnesota that is going to play in Canada this year. That girl probably paid for three years of out of state tuition at Minnesota and had two years paid for. That is complete speculation on my part. Yet, it could be just playing time - I'm not on first line and first pp, how am I going to shine. Yes, she has notoriety as an 8th grade commit.

 

[Timothy A]

Sign Compher and Webster enters the portal it might be that simple. Perhaps it is deeper than that with a perceived Olympic snub and if your coach has you behind Olympic players you may think you are better off playing against them. Or maybe I'm not going to the Olympics, I need to get my education paid for kind of like the girl who played for Minnesota that is going to play in Canada this year. That girl probably paid for three years of out of state tuition at Minnesota and had two years paid for. That is complete speculation on my part. Yet, it could be just playing time - I'm not on first line and first pp, how am I going to shine. Yes, she has notoriety as an 8th grade commit.

Legit points. UW's top 2 lines are usually interchangeable and 2 PP units would have had her still playing a lot. Pecking order-wise, who is ahead of her? Compher, Eden, Curl, maybe O'Brien, SS may have been had it not been for last year, so worst case she's the 6th best F this year. You could make a case that she's the 2nd best player behind Compher. Next year Compher and SS are gone, so she's the 4th best worst case, or the best, best case. I don't think any of the Fr would ever jump her next year. And playing with other top end players would help her score more. If she goes to St. Cloud, does she score 40 points?

And committing in the 8th grade makes her leaving more devastating as I had been drooling over her (and O'B) for FIVE years (Ava McNaughton is in the same classification). And on top of that, her first year I didn't even get to see her play in person.

Someone over in the WI thread posted she was asked to leave. I can't even comprehend the circumstances that would lead to that. It would have to be something horrible for that to happen. She was never benched for any indiscretions.

 

[Timothy A]

A nice offseason topic ... the individual power rankings of Badger forwards.

Webster, O'Brien, and Watts lit it up to start the season against weaker competition. As good as their season was, they weren't able to maintain similar production over the second half in general, and in particular against top competition. That said, I don't see O'Brien suddenly being regarded as a 2nd-line player. The more likely scenario is that UW winds up with at least two 1st lines, one of which has to be listed higher than the other on the sheet.

Missing a season for the Olympics doesn't automatically make someone better than somebody who stayed in college. Curl is a nice player, and I thought so from the first time I saw her playing with the U-18s. Still as a rival, SS is the player who worries me most, because she contributes in so many ways.

If there was a team that was configured such that it could lose a Webster and survive it just fine, it's likely yours.

Curl is a fascinating player in that she isn't your prototypical over a point a game scorer yet she has garnered the interest of the US National team. In college, she averages about .75 pts/game. She's not an assist machine either, so in that regards she does not make the players around her better (22g 11a; 16g 9a.; 7g 11a) She is gritty and she is a sniper. I can see her wearing a C or and A. It will be fascinating to see how her game has evolved.

SS used to be a hold your breath when she as the puck type of player. Last year there was little of that until the end of the season when she seemed to have some of that mojo back. Which SS shows up next year?

Trading Compher for Webster is a net gain for UW and yes due to Compher UW will not be sunk by this departure. If UW hadn't had Compher and Webster left there would not be enough thinner on the planet to help me get through the summer and my teeth would have been gnashed to the gum line.

So where does she end up? Her phone still hasn't stopped smoking. I can see the cloud plume from where I live 50 miles away and the wind is in the wrong direction. She's from MO, so I'm all for Lindenwood.

 

[ARM]

Curl is a fascinating player in that she isn't your prototypical over a point a game scorer yet she has garnered the interest of the US National team.

A player with size and skill will get a longer look for team USA. Now she has to do enough other things to force her way onto the line chart.

SS used to be a hold your breath when she (h)as the puck type of player. Last year there was little of that until the end of the season when she seemed to have some of that mojo back. Which SS shows up next year?

I think that gets answered by whether or not she shows up healthy. I know nothing about her situation, but I doubt that she was healthy during the quiet part of her season.

Trading Compher for Webster is a net gain for UW and yes due to Compher UW will not be sunk by this departure.

There is a one year versus three years aspect when you consider eligibility, but Wisconsin looks to be less concerned with roster continuity than it once was.

She's from MO, so I'm all for Lindenwood.

Add up the number of Dunnes from MO who played for Lindenwood and that is number of Websters whom I expect to do the same.

 

[Offsides Guy]

So where does she end up? Her phone still hasn't stopped smoking. I can see the cloud plume from where I live 50 miles away and the wind is in the wrong direction. She's from MO, so I'm all for Lindenwood.

I would think OSU is at the top of the list. Muzz is about building the strongest roster possible and wouldn’t worry about Webster coming in and knocking a current player or recruit down a spot. And IF there really were off-ice issues involved at WI, it seems to me Muzz would make clear to Webster that this is Webster’s second chance but she’ll get only one chance with OSU and, if she screws up, she’ll be benched or gone. Muzz’s tough love might even be the best thing for Webster IF the rumors are true.

 

[drhockey]

my source tells me webster to OSU is a done deal. she left Wisconsin to be a two sport athlete and OSU field hockey coach coached her on Field hockey junior national team

 

[robertearle]

my source tells me webster to OSU is a done deal. she left Wisconsin to be a two sport athlete and OSU field hockey coach coached her on Field hockey junior national team

Wanting to play field hockey as well as ice hockey makes more sense to me than any "rumors" of "being asked", etc etc.

Reminds me of Alev Kelter (and her sister Derya), who played both soccer and ice hockey for Wisconsin. They would be full-time soccer players until that season ended, and then join the hockey team, maybe after Thanksgiving or after Christmas break.

The field hockey season runs through October, or into November, depending on how far into the NCAA tournament one gets.

(And this just came up with regard to questions around a couple Nebraska volleyball players: as far as scholarships go, there is a hierarchy of sports as far as where a multi-sport athlete's scholarship gets counted. But neither women's ice hockey nor field hockey is expressly mentioned; men's hockey is. So I *think* the school gets to designate which team's limit the scholarship counts against. That is to say, Ohio State would get to choose which team Webster would count against, meaning the other team gets a "free" player. If women's ice hockey works like men's, then she would count against the ice hockey team limit.)

-----

Adding, six B1G teams made last year's NCAA field hockey tournament, but Ohio State was not one of them... but none of those have ice hockey. Looking at won-loss records, Ohio State's field hockey team was frankly not very good.

 

[HockeyGuy362]

Just saw on twitter Norton from UMD in portal.

 

[Timothy A]

Wanting to play field hockey as well as ice hockey makes more sense to me than any "rumors" of "being asked", etc etc.
The field hockey season runs through October, or into November, depending on how far into the NCAA tournament one gets.
Adding, six B1G teams made last year's NCAA field hockey tournament, but Ohio State was not one of them... but none of those have ice hockey. Looking at won-loss records, Ohio State's field hockey team was frankly not very good.

I'm not sure I'm buying this field hockey thing. 1) It will interfere with hockey early in the season and preseason training. Does anyone think Muzzy will tolerate any commitment to hockey that is less than 101%? 2) Injury risk. Web is a hockey Olympic hopeful, why would she jeopardize her health for hockey when that is the ticket to glory, not field hockey.

 

[Reddington]

If her goal is the Olympics and she has been blocked by USA Hockey, that could make sense as maybe she has a path forward in Field Hockey.

 

[drhockey]

I disagree with Tim A; Muzzy will do anything to win. Every stanley cup champ for years brought in players at trade deadline to win cup. Muzzy can bring Webster in late season. Maybe she is not a top 6 forward but what team wouldnt want her on 3rd line? I also understand that she was top Field Hockey recruit in the country at her birth year and was a 3 time max field hockey top 5 player national player.

 

[Timothy A]

If her goal is the Olympics and she has been blocked by USA Hockey, that could make sense as maybe she has a path forward in Field Hockey.

Blocked by depth or blocked by dislike like Watts? Team USA has to get younger at some point.

 

[vicb]

Word on the Clarkson Roundtable is the Fighting Nurses are getting one of the WCHA Goalies in the portal as well as one ECAC Forward.