Wisconsin Badgers 2015-2016

[FredsDeadFriend]

Re: Wisconsin Badgers 2015-2016

Not sure how much it means, but has anyone ever found it curious that western teams have won 14 of the 15 NCAA Natl Titles, yet eastern players have won twice as many PKaz Awards as western players?

 

[ManBehindTheCurtain]

Re: Wisconsin Badgers 2015-2016

Not sure how much it means, but has anyone ever found it curious that western teams have won 14 of the 15 NCAA Natl Titles, yet eastern players have won twice as many PKaz Awards as western players?

I don't find it very curious.

I think it means that lots of very talented players play for eastern teams.

 

[CrazyDave]

Re: Wisconsin Badgers 2015-2016

I don't find it very curious.

I think it means that lots of very talented players play for eastern teams.

To take it one step further... The eastern schools have very talented individuals while the western schools have very talented teams.

 

[Timothy A]

Re: Wisconsin Badgers 2015-2016

Not sure how much it means, but has anyone ever found it curious that western teams have won 14 of the 15 NCAA Natl Titles, yet eastern players have won twice as many PKaz Awards as western players?

I agree 100%. If you look at who the voters are, you will be the answer. Pressed for time, but here's who they are affiliated with: Cornell, Clarkson, Syracuse, OSU, Princeton, USA Hockey, USCHO, Vermont, Maine, At Large (Eric Rud), Grand Forks Herald, Boston Globe, New Hampshire. So you have 8 eastern, 2 neutral, and 3 western. As to not to sound all conspiracy, there are only 8 western teams, so the voters are kind of proportionate to this fact, but it does tell us why more eastern players win. The eastern voters are going to have a natural bias. I'd love to see who voted for who. I'm pretty sure the USCHO guy voted for ARD. All this being said, the insanity of what ARD did should have crossed party lines.

 

[Timothy A]

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.

I agree that I'd take Pankowski over Nurse in a draft. There is a reason she has so many more points. But if Pankowski can elevate her skating, wow. She just can't blow people away like Nurse and Clark can. I don't think Nurse's speed/hands are too off level-wise. To me, Shaver jumps out to me as not having the hands to match her speed at this point in her development. I think McKibbon has great hands but her speed suffers. Everyone has something to improve on as usual and I hope they all work hard this summer to improve overall.

 

[pensrule]

Re: Wisconsin Badgers 2015-2016

I agree that I'd take Pankowski over Nurse in a draft. There is a reason she has so many more points. But if Pankowski can elevate her skating, wow. She just can't blow people away like Nurse and Clark can. I don't think Nurse's speed/hands are too off level-wise. To me, Shaver jumps out to me as not having the hands to match her speed at this point in her development. I think McKibbon has great hands but her speed suffers. Everyone has something to improve on as usual and I hope they all work hard this summer to improve overall.

One player that stood out to me especially over the last 6-7 weeks or so was Wellhausen. When looking at the stats she was 6th on the team in goals (9) and 4th on the team in shots (120) despite not being on the power play. She is a very fast and explosive skater who found her scoring touch over the last month of the season. It will be interesting to see if her play over the last part of the season will earn her some power play time next season..She was VERY noticeable on the ice during the final game against Minnesota at the Frozen 4.. A very hard worker.

 

[Timothy A]

Re: Wisconsin Badgers 2015-2016

One player that stood out to me especially over the last 6-7 weeks or so was Wellhausen. When looking at the stats she was 6th on the team in goals (9) and 4th on the team in shots (120) despite not being on the power play. She is a very fast and explosive skater who found her scoring touch over the last month of the season. It will be interesting to see if her play over the last part of the season will earn her some power play time next season..She was VERY noticeable on the ice during the final game against Minnesota at the Frozen 4.. A very hard worker.

The 3rd line really picked it up when she got on that line. Shaver improved also. I don't know if Wellhausen will crack the PP with the talented F's coming in next year. Should be a really dynamnic set of F's on the team.

 

[FiveHoleFrenzy]

Re: Wisconsin Badgers 2015-2016

The 3rd line really picked it up when she got on that line. Shaver improved also. I don't know if Wellhausen will crack the PP with the talented F's coming in next year. Should be a really dynamnic set of F's on the team.

Honestly, after reading more whining from the eastern folks about WCHA arrogance and putting it nicely, not scheduling the "best" eastern teams I put that aside to think about something that really worries me next year. Wisconsin. Having ARD back with as you said the "dynamic set of forwards" is going to be a headache for opposing teams.

 

[WiscDC]

Re: Wisconsin Badgers 2015-2016

To take it one step further... The eastern schools have very talented individuals while the western schools have very talented teams.

Not that the 2014-15 Badgers didn't have a bunch of talented individuals, but what I remember from their quarterfinal game vs BU was a great illustration of that. Marie-Philip Poulin looked like one of the better players out there, but she didn't look like the goddess that you'd think would be head and shoulders above everyone else based on what Canadian fans have to say, because the Badgers were way better than the Terriers on that day.

 

[Timothy A]

Re: Wisconsin Badgers 2015-2016

. Marie-Philip Poulin looked like one of the better players out there, but she didn't look like the goddess that you'd think would be head and shoulders above everyone else based on what Canadian fans have to say..

Another example of Eastern talent bias.

Very thankful MJ is staying put. Someone on the men's thread said MJ turned it down, but that is entirely unsubstantiated by any credible source. Hopefully when the press conference occurs that gets asked, I am simply curious. It would give us the state of mind of MJ and BA.

 

[pokechecker]

Re: Wisconsin Badgers 2015-2016

Not that the 2014-15 Badgers didn't have a bunch of talented individuals, but what I remember from their quarterfinal game vs BU was a great illustration of that. Marie-Philip Poulin looked like one of the better players out there, but she didn't look like the goddess that you'd think would be head and shoulders above everyone else based on what Canadian fans have to say, because the Badgers were way better than the Terriers on that day.

the same was true earlier in the year when they played MN
she was on a 5 on 3 PP, didn't even come close to scoring


obviously, you score the winning goal in TWO Olympics, you are going to be a national hero

 

[WiscDC]

Re: Wisconsin Badgers 2015-2016

Another example of Eastern talent bias.

Or "Canadians who are aware of a few women's hockey games in the Olympics but don't know a whole lot about it at other times, as evidenced by how a lot of them think Canada has been way more successful than the US in head-to-head matchups" bias. Do I sound like a grumpy USA fan?

 

[Timothy A]

Re: Wisconsin Badgers 2015-2016

Interestingly, UW has only 11 F on the roster for next year and they have 7 D. Maybe MJ is going to spring another F into the fold or maybe have a D play F? UW could flex someone into the 4th line, but there is zero margin for error on the injury front.

Cogan-Pankowski-Norby
Nurse-McKibbon-Clark (Like Clark's speed on this line)
Shaver-Wellhausen-Roque
Johnson-Mauermann-XXXX

Golly, that is a deep roster talent-wise. Only Johnson is a true blood 3rd/4th liner. I feel kinda bad putting Mauermann on the 4th line.

 

[ne7minder]

Re: Wisconsin Badgers 2015-2016

Interestingly, UW has only 11 F on the roster for next year and they have 7 D. Maybe MJ is going to spring another F into the fold or maybe have a D play F? UW could flex someone into the 4th line, but there is zero margin for error on the injury front.

Cogan-Pankowski-Norby
Nurse-McKibbon-Clark (Like Clark's speed on this line)
Shaver-Wellhausen-Roque
Johnson-Mauermann-XXXX

Golly, that is a deep roster talent-wise. Only Johnson is a true blood 3rd/4th liner. I feel kinda bad putting Mauermann on the 4th line.

There is a huge talent load there! When do tickets go on sale? I am so looking forward to seeing the 4 best games of the year, 2 in Madison & 2 in Minneapolis. I think this year was a prelude to even better games between W & M.

 

[Badger Booster]

Re: Wisconsin Badgers 2015-2016

Interestingly, UW has only 11 F on the roster for next year and they have 7 D. Maybe MJ is going to spring another F into the fold or maybe have a D play F? UW could flex someone into the 4th line, but there is zero margin for error on the injury front.

Cogan-Pankowski-Norby
Nurse-McKibbon-Clark (Like Clark's speed on this line)
Shaver-Wellhausen-Roque
Johnson-Mauermann-XXXX

Golly, that is a deep roster talent-wise. Only Johnson is a true blood 3rd/4th liner. I feel kinda bad putting Mauermann on the 4th line.

I can't imagine them going into the season with only 11 forwards. Not a lot of players have gone from defense to offense, usually goes the other way. Drake converted full-time the last two years. Johnson and Cogan went back to defense last season to help out with injuries and players missing with international play.

Speaking of international play, if/when they lose players to these in-season tournaments (which I hate), they might struggle to put out 3 full lines with the current roster. If they have someone else coming in, they are keeping it very close to the vest. It's already April so that window is closing. It'll be interesting. Stark contrast to the men's team which has over 20 (!?) forwards on the roster and/or committed next year.

 

[ne7minder]

Re: Wisconsin Badgers 2015-2016

I can't imagine them going into the season with only 11 forwards. Not a lot of players have gone from defense to offense, usually goes the other way. Drake converted full-time the last two years. Johnson and Cogan went back to defense last season to help out with injuries and players missing with international play.

Speaking of international play, if/when they lose players to these in-season tournaments (which I hate), they might struggle to put out 3 full lines with the current roster. If they have someone else coming in, they are keeping it very close to the vest. It's already April so that window is closing. It'll be interesting. Stark contrast to the men's team which has over 20 (!?) forwards on the roster and/or committed next year.

But whatever you do MJ simply cannot try to recruit more players or he will be accused of hording and be labeled as a really bad guy! /sarcasm

 

[D2D]

Re: Wisconsin Badgers 2015-2016

I can't imagine them going into the season with only 11 forwards. Not a lot of players have gone from defense to offense, usually goes the other way.

The Gophers have a history of recruiting players who can be effective at either position. Usually there will be several on the roster each year. This past season you had Sophie Skarzynski, Megan Wolfe, Paige Haley and Brook Garzone who were all capable of playing either position, if needed.

 

[Timothy A]

Re: Wisconsin Badgers 2015-2016

There is a huge talent load there! When do tickets go on sale? I am so looking forward to seeing the 4 best games of the year, 2 in Madison & 2 in Minneapolis. I think this year was a prelude to even better games between W & M.

I have to say I agree, though I can't imagine any tighter/thrilling games than we saw this year (other than the flu game) - though of course I'd rather see UW win every game (I'm not a good loser).

Freisen is in West Kelowna BC, hopefully snagging some talent for this year.

 

[Leather helmet]

Re: Wisconsin Badgers 2015-2016

Given the fact that the Badgers will only need 45-50 goals on their roster to go unbeaten next season, I would say that group will do.

 

[ne7minder]

Re: Wisconsin Badgers 2015-2016

I have to say I agree, though I can't imagine any tighter/thrilling games than we saw this year (other than the flu game) - though of course I'd rather see UW win every game (I'm not a good loser).

Freisen is in West Kelowna BC, hopefully snagging some talent for this year.

I was not happy those years that the Gophers couldn't get past the Badgers but I never thought I saw a bad game, just bad results. The next string where the Badgers couldn't solve MN were also good games (with much happier outcomes ) I think this year outcomes were more indicative of the games I have seen in the last decade+. I don't know who will win next year but I know it will be a rocking good time