Wisconsin Badgers 2015-2016

[Badger Booster]

Re: Wisconsin Badgers 2015-2016

Compared to the amount of snipes they normally get, Nurse and Clark weren't big factors.

I fall somewhere in the middle on this. I thought Clark played pretty well with one goal and in perfect position for a potential game-winning goal. I'd have to see the game again (which I don't really want to do), but I don't remember Nurse getting any quality chances. Pankowski is a legit All-American, but I don't think she is the best skater on the Badgers. Clark and Nurse explode out on transition like I haven't seen in a few years for Wisconsin. Just one guy's opinion.

 

[Badger Booster]

Re: Wisconsin Badgers 2015-2016

I can't imagine anyone else being the top candidate. Who do you think is better? I think the job is his if he wants it. He has nothing more to gain by remaining as the women's coach. Becoming the men's coach and turning that program around is a great challenge and one that I don't think he'll be able to resist. His reputation alone will bring in a whole different level of recruits for the men's team. It's a chance to follow in his father's footsteps so probably his dream job if he's being honest with himself. Done deal as far as I can tell.

There are really two different questions at play. First, would he be interested? Logically, the answer would be yes for many of the reasons you stated. For the most part, he has done everything possible with the women's program bringing home four titles and getting to five additional Frozen Fours. In addition, he was a finalist for the men's job in 2002 so it's clearly been a career goal at some point. With the men's program only having 3 coaches in the last 40+ years, this is realistically his last shot at the job. I would think there would be more long-term regret not going for it and wondering what he could have done with the men's program.

I don't know what the mindset of the athletic department is, but a high majority of the UW fans on this board don't think he is a good option (for what that's worth). While I don't agree with all the critiques against him, the main issues seem to be his relative age, being out of the men's game for 14 years and being on Sauer's staff during the final years. Coupled with the fact that there are several other quality alumni options, plus others that will certainly be applying, Coach Johnson doesn't seem to necessarily stand out as a no-brainer.

If he doesn't want (or get) the men's job, he goes right back to being at the helm of the women's program that is in position to contend for national titles for the next several years to come.

It's an exciting (and anxious) time to be a Wisconsin hockey fan.

 

[pokechecker]

Re: Wisconsin Badgers 2015-2016

I fall somewhere in the middle on this. I thought Clark played pretty well with one goal and in perfect position for a potential game-winning goal. I'd have to see the game again (which I don't really want to do), but I don't remember Nurse getting any quality chances. Pankowski is a legit All-American, but I don't think she is the best skater on the Badgers. Clark and Nurse explode out on transition like I haven't seen in a few years for Wisconsin. Just one guy's opinion.

I didn't see any either, but Camerenesi-Pannek-Schipper were silent too, I don't know if these two lines were always matched against each other, but both #2 lines were held in check the entire game. Maybe it was just a stalemate.

 

[ARM]

Re: Wisconsin Badgers 2015-2016

Pankowski is a legit All-American, but I don't think she is the best skater on the Badgers. Clark and Nurse explode out on transition like I haven't seen in a few years for Wisconsin. Just one guy's opinion.

I think wwhyte meant skater, as in, non-goaltender.

 

[wwhyte]

Re: Wisconsin Badgers 2015-2016

I think wwhyte meant skater, as in, non-goaltender.

Yup.

 

[Badger Booster]

Re: Wisconsin Badgers 2015-2016

I think wwhyte meant skater, as in, non-goaltender.

Yeah, I guess I viewed it as a comment on pure skating ability and speed.

 

[ne7minder]

Re: Wisconsin Badgers 2015-2016

I have an issue with it. There's always going to be big scorers. ARD's numbers are the best evah.

I was sort of surprised. ARD's numbers were unbelievable. I think there is a tendency to favor offensive numbers over defensive ones & that is a shame. As always, it is impossible to make a case against any one of the finalist so I can't say Coyne is not worthy but DANG! What more could a goalie do than Desbien did this year? Maybe its the last chance deal & this was KCs last chance. I felt that was the case for Brandt last year & then she was hurt most of her senior year so they could ignore her. Perhaps next year they will reward ARD, I hope she stays healthy (well, she could come down with the flu against the Gophers but, you know)

 

[Timothy A]

Re: Wisconsin Badgers 2015-2016

I didn't see any either, but Camerenesi-Pannek-Schipper were silent too, I don't know if these two lines were always matched against each other, but both #2 lines were held in check the entire game. Maybe it was just a stalemate.

I guess in the end when great players play each other, they all tend to stand out less. It seemed to me that Kessel and Pankowski had the pucks on their sticks a lot.

Pankowski is not the best skater on the team. Clark, Nurse, Wellhausen have more speed and burst. If Pankowski can improve her skating/speed, the sky is the limit. She has the snipe, she has the stick handling, and a bit of a testy edge.

 

[robertearle]

Re: Wisconsin Badgers 2015-2016

Done deal as far as I can tell.

I can see Mark Johnson wanting to coach next year's women's team, because they're going to be really good. And because it will be his daughter's senior season. That is, even if he wants the men's job, he may not want it right now. l can see him not wanting to put in the time and effort recruiting for men that that job is going to require (compared to at recruiting for the women probably entails. And I can see UW wanting to at least consider somebody a little younger, with a little longer term future in the position. Tim Coughlin at St Norbert, for example (speculation based on nothing). Yes, there are men's coaches working into their 70s, etc. Does MJ want to be one? No idea.

It might be a "done deal" if MJ wants it. But I don't know that it is a "done deal" that he will.

 

[KTDC]

Re: Wisconsin Badgers 2015-2016

I can see Mark Johnson wanting to coach next year's women's team, because they're going to be really good. And because it will be his daughter's senior season.

It might be a "done deal" if MJ wants it. But I don't know that it is a "done deal" that he will.

Yeah, for Wisconsin this was "the year" because of how well they were playing defensively and the way the season was going. But as for how the rosters shape up, next season really looks like "the year" for the Badgers.

It gets scary at times for programs like MN and UW when you start to judge the season by if they win the natty or not. UW hasn't won it since 2011 but they have been in frozen four 4 out of 5 years since then. Strangely and unfortunately they haven't played an eastern team in the frozen four since the semis in 2012.

As a poster mentioned yesterday or this morning, a lot of great kids have gone thru the Badger program the last 5 years playing on great teams but not taking home the National Tournament trophy. John McEnroe talks about how bummed out he was when Bjorn Borg retired. His funnest and most worthy opponent and primary motivator. I want the Gophers to maintain their edge on Wisconsin, but I don't want the UW program to dive! Plus, I think MJ's presence is great for women's hockey.

 

[ARM]

Re: Wisconsin Badgers 2015-2016

I can see Mark Johnson wanting to coach next year's women's team, because they're going to be really good. And because it will be his daughter's senior season. That is, even if he wants the men's job, he may not want it right now.

If he wants it -- and because it is the team his dad coached and the one for which he played, I would think he would -- he has to know it is now or never. He was at a higher peak professionally five years ago than he is today, so another coaching cycle isn't likely to make him more in demand than he is now. Wisconsin is going to be great next year, but two years from now, Desbiens, Nurse, McKibbon, Ryan, and Channell will graduate, and Pankowski will be gone for the Olympics. Unless he wants to coach the women's Olympic team again or he hopes to retire soon, I'd say he'd take the men's job if it is his choice.

 

[robertearle]

Re: Wisconsin Badgers 2015-2016

If he wants it -- and because it is the team his dad coached and the one for which he played, I would think he would -- he has to know it is now or never. He was at a higher peak professionally five years ago than he is today, so another coaching cycle isn't likely to make him more in demand than he is now. Wisconsin is going to be great next year, but two years from now, Desbiens, Nurse, McKibbon, Ryan, and Channell will graduate, and Pankowski will be gone for the Olympics. Unless he wants to coach the women's Olympic team again or he hopes to retire soon, I'd say he'd take the men's job if it is his choice.

Part of what I was thinking was that if UW had given Eaves "one more chance", it would have been to delay the decision for a year, letting MJ do both; coach the women next year and then take the men's job. But that obviously didn't happen. Then I think that cuts both ways, for the reasons I already mentioned. Obviously, I don't know. But my bet is that MJ stays with the women's team.

 

[KTDC]

Re: Wisconsin Badgers 2015-2016

I have an issue with it. There's always going to be big scorers. ARD's numbers are the best evah.

I had the Patty Kaz in Coyne's hands for a long time. No interest in taking anything away from her. But i gotta say, by the end of the year I had come around to ARD. I'm with you on this.

 

[NMH]

Re: Wisconsin Badgers 2015-2016

I had the Patty Kaz in Coyne's hands for a long time. No interest in taking anything away from her. But i gotta say, by the end of the year I had come around to ARD. I'm with you on this.

A BC fan said to me yesterday that if ARD doesn't win with these numbers (which were much better than Vetter's the year she won), then it's clear the Patty committee isn't interested in giving the award to a goalie.

 

[NMH]

Re: Wisconsin Badgers 2015-2016

Re: Pankowski/Nurse and skating

Yes, Nurse is a stronger skater, but too often her feet are faster/more talented than her hands. She gets a lot of fast breaks where she out-puck-handles herself, doesn't get a shot off, looses the puck or misses her window.

I think Pankowksi is a stronger skater than you're giving her credit for. IMO, you don't see her skating because you're getting distracted by her moves or her stick.

Either way, I'll take Pankowski as a "worse skater" with her hands and her shot over Sarah's speed but weaker puck skills.

 

[ne7minder]

A BC fan said to me yesterday that if ARD doesn't win with these numbers (which were much better than Vetter's the year she won), then it's clear the Patty committee isn't interested in giving the award to a goalie.

It is starting to look like the Heisman, it doesn't go to the best player but to the offensive player with the gaudiest numbers. They are going to have to create an "Outland" trophy for D and one for goalies.

Nothing against the winner but ARD got screwed

 

[BigFan]

Re: Wisconsin Badgers 2015-2016

Hard to compare apple and oranges, WCHA is so much stronger than any of the other leagues, so many big numbers for players in the east as defences are weak and goaltending is often suspect. I know some of the best goalies are in the east but generally speaking not as strong as WCHA. The speed that the teams in WCHA play at is 2 notches faster than anything down east. Best players today from BC had trouble with time and space being eliminated as they are not use to playing like that except for when playing internationally.Even the cellar dwellers in the WCHA have success against eastern teams. ARD is a fantastic player, as is Coyne………………subjective test so no issues with the selection.

 

[BigGoof]

Re: Wisconsin Badgers 2015-2016

Hard to compare apple and oranges, WCHA is so much stronger than any of the other leagues, so many big numbers for players in the east as defences are weak and goaltending is often suspect. I know some of the best goalies are in the east but generally speaking not as strong as WCHA. The speed that the teams in WCHA play at is 2 notches faster than anything down east. Best players today from BC had trouble with time and space being eliminated as they are not use to playing like that except for when playing internationally.Even the cellar dwellers in the WCHA have success against eastern teams. ARD is a fantastic player, as is Coyne………………subjective test so no issues with the selection.

I totally agree. To be honest I think BC would have been better off with playing the WCHA top teams (or any team in the top 5) a few times during the season just to see the competition that they could be facing during the playoffs. They just didn't have the experience to play from behind.

The epic Wisconsin/Minnesota battles this year for example.

 

[bluffrinkrat]

Re: Wisconsin Badgers 2015-2016

Hard to compare apple and oranges, WCHA is so much stronger than any of the other leagues, so many big numbers for players in the east as defences are weak and goaltending is often suspect. I know some of the best goalies are in the east but generally speaking not as strong as WCHA. The speed that the teams in WCHA play at is 2 notches faster than anything down east. Best players today from BC had trouble with time and space being eliminated as they are not use to playing like that except for when playing internationally.Even the cellar dwellers in the WCHA have success against eastern teams. ARD is a fantastic player, as is Coyne………………subjective test so no issues with the selection.

When the Gophers had the three finalists (goalie, defenseman, forward) in 2013 I remember Brad Frost saying something like it's comparing apples to oranges to bananas. I don't know who I would have voted for in that threesome. I do know that whenever Megan Bozek handled the puck behind the Gopher net I would relax because I knew she would not make a mistake.

This year there is no doubt in my mind that I would have voted for ARD. She had an unbelievable year. I know there are other considerations involved, but for her play on the ice she deserved the trophy.

 

[BigFan]

Re: Wisconsin Badgers 2015-2016

Maybe they should of had co-winners……….both players had unbelievable years !