Re: Wisconsin Hockey - 2018 Off-Season - Hope or Despair?
I think it's going to take a really good team to go over .500 with this schedule. So let's say about 17-18 RS wins. If the system works the way it's supposed to, (and provided the B1G teams win NC games as they're supposed to) that should probably be enough to be in the top 16 (or better) going into the post season conference tourney.
In the old WCHA there were 10-14 games on the schedule every year that if Badgers just tied their skates correctly and showed up on time, they were going to win. It came down to going over .500 against the other 4-6 good teams on the schedule. Going over .500 vs. this schedule is the same thing, except instead of a dozen toss ups, there are 26-28. It's not a matter of excuses, it's a matter of reality. 21 RS wins could potentially make them a one seed.
Here is what I am projecting out of the team this year:
BC - split (1-1-0, 0-0-0)
@Clarkson/@St Lawrence - Sweep (3-1-0, 0-0-0)
MTU - split (4-2-0, 0-0-0)
@ NoDak - split (5-3-0, 0-0-0)
Minnesota - split (6-4-0, 1-1-0)
@ OSU - split (7-5-0, 2-2-0)
@ Michigan - split (8-6-0, 3-3-0)
PSU - split (9-7-0, 4-4-0)
Michigan State - sweep (11-7-0, 6-4-0)
Denver - sweep (13-7-0, 6-4-0)
Notre Dame - sweep (15-7-0, 8-4-0)
@ Minnesota - split (16-8-0, 9-5-0)
@ Michigan State - sweep (18-8-0, 11-5-0)
OSU - split (19-9-0, 12-6-0)
@ Notre Dame - swept (19-11-0, 12-6-0)
@ PSU - split (20-12-0, 13-7-0)
Michigan - split (21-13-0, 14-8-0)
I think the team has enough talent to not get swept very often, but enough weak spots that we don't sweep often.
I think we get hot at home through the middle part of the season and put together a little run, but cool off towards the end.
I think we take all 4 from Sparty, exchange sweeps with the Golden Domers, and have splits the rest of the conference weekends.
Looking at this, I don't think 21 wins gets us a #1 seed, but I think we could be in the field of 16.