Wisconsin Hockey 21-22: Your Guess Is As Good As Mine

[solovsfett]

Have to decide by March on renewing season tickets. I haven’t been in our seats in 4 years. It’s probably time to let go of the past and not renew and tell the U exactly why we’re giving up seats we’ve had since 1985.

 

[Timothy A]

I don't even know Watts to say. They poop their breezers in the first period but escape 0-0, get outshot 14-2. That is a historically bad period, maybe the worst of all time. And it was probably the most crucial period of the season after losing Friday. They needed to hammer it and try and get a split. Instead they come out as flat as possible. Ok, fine, escape the worst period in UW hockey history being tied, come out in the second and get it done, flip the script. Nope, get outshot 17-10 and allow 3. Then in the 3rd period after they claw their way back in, they take terrible penalties and get destroyed. To me this is a clear indicator the coaches have lost the team. These guys are clueless how to motivate the team. TG, be a true leader and step aside. I know you are a fighter, but you have to see you don't have the answers. It won't save the season, but it will save the program.

 

[WiscTJK]

I don't even know Watts to say. They poop their breezers in the first period but escape 0-0, get outshot 14-2. That is a historically bad period, maybe the worst of all time. And it was probably the most crucial period of the season after losing Friday. They needed to hammer it and try and get a split. Instead they come out as flat as possible. Ok, fine, escape the worst period in UW hockey history being tied, come out in the second and get it done, flip the script. Nope, get outshot 17-10 and allow 3. Then in the 3rd period after they claw their way back in, they take terrible penalties and get destroyed. To me this is a clear indicator the coaches have lost the team. These guys are clueless how to motivate the team. TG, be a true leader and step aside. I know you are a fighter, but you have to see you don't have the answers. It won't save the season, but it will save the program.

Agree, Saturday was truly awful. I listen to the pregame show and hear "we've been playing great for months, and we are finally getting rewarded," blah blah blah. Who really believes that? I see the product on the ice and I think it's the twilight zone. It's politician talk. All bologna! There are so many areas that are deficient, I don't know where to start. Once these recruits realize that the talk is all smoke and mirrors and they stop coming, Tony's teams will collapse even further. I've had it.

 

[WiscTJK]

Nobody probably cares:

Updates after the Penn State series (L 1-4 Fri, L 2-7 Sat)

Record: 8-15-3 (4-9-1-2–16 pts, 5th in Big7 (n/c))
USCHO Poll: NR; (NR)
USA Today Poll: NR; (NR)
PWR: 38 of 59; (35) (-3)
RPI: 38; (35) (-3)
KRACH: 33; (30) (-3)
Scoring: 2.08 GPG; (2.12) (52nd of 59) (-3)
Defense: 3.23 GAPG; (3.04) (43rd of 59) (-9)
Save %: .904; (.906) 28[SUP]th[/SUP] of 59 (-6)
Power Play Rate: 17.0% (16 of 94; (16.9%); 38[SUP]th[/SUP] of 59 (+1)
Penalty Kill Rate: 70.59% (48 of 68); (72.13%) 58th of 59 (-1)
Penalty Min per Game: 9.96; (10.21) T43rd of 59 (1st is worst) (+1)
Penalty Min: 259; (245) 29th of 59 (1[SUP]st[/SUP] is worst) (-1)
Shorthanded Goals Scored; 3; (3) T11th of 59 (-2)
Shorthanded Goals Allowed: 2; (2) T23rd of 59 (1[SUP]st[/SUP] is worst) (+4)
Team Faceoff: 50.9%; (51.2%) T23rd of 59 (-5)

This week Michigan Friday 6pm (Bally sports Wisconsin) and Saturday 8 pm (BTN)

 

[WiscTJK]

I looked at the historical pairwise year by year for Granato:

2016-17 18 of 60

2017-18 26 of 60

2018-19 27 of 60

2019-20 32 of 60

2020-21 8 of 51

2021-22 38 of 59

Average pairwise for Wisconsin under Granato: 25 (24.8). Disturbing trend of pairwise going down year to year, other than last year, which appears to be the exception, and not the norm. One playoff team in 6 years with two #1 draft picks on that squad.

My questions for Christ McIntosh is being 25th of roughly 60 teams satisfactory?

 

[Timothy A]

I looked at the historical pairwise year by year for Granato:

2016-17 18 of 60
2017-18 26 of 60
2018-19 27 of 60
2019-20 32 of 60
2020-21 8 of 51
2021-22 38 of 59

Average pairwise for Wisconsin under Granato: 25 (24.8). Disturbing trend of pairwise going down year to year, other than last year, which appears to be the exception, and not the norm. One playoff team in 6 years with two #1 draft picks on that squad.

My questions for Christ McIntosh is being 25th of roughly 60 teams satisfactory?

This tells the tale. Interestingly, the further away from the Eaves players he gets the worse the pairwise number are, so he's doing worse with his own players!

I think there is more talent on the team now then then there was at the end of Eaves' tenure, they just can't get them pulled together.

 

[TJ77]

Kudos to Ben Street for being picked to the Canadian Olympic Team.

 

[Timothy A]

Kudos to Ben Street for being picked to the Canadian Olympic Team.

Super cool. He's been a point a game guy in the minors/Europe.

So the lads will probably win a game this weekend, which would make no sense after last weekend other than they are at home.

It's Alumni weekend apparently, hopefully some alumni will be able to converse with the AD about the reality of Watts has gone on with the program over TG's tenure.

 

[Crainer]

Gameday: Won't be at the game, but I'll try to get a few in me prior to the start. Obviously last week didn't work so well!

 

[solovsfett]

Tuned in on my way to pick up dinner…ha ha ha ha ha! 4-1 Michigan. Skating circles around Wisconsin like Lucia’s CC Tigers did in 95, 96. Unreal. Terrible team. Terrible coaching.

I have to be honest, I’m looking forward to telling the AD we’re dropping tickets we’ve held for 35 years and why.

and to all the morons who screamed over the years “oh, the landscape has changed UW can’t dominate like they used to”. Bullshit. Pure bullshit. Look at the legacy programs in the top 20.

 

[Timothy A]

I was kicking the tires on going to the game tonight before last night's game. I did not see the game last night, but I did record it to watch today. I read the newspaper about the game and watched TDM's post game wrap. No F-ing way.

TG yanks Moe for the 3rd straight game, trying to spark the team - his words. Of all the times he has yanked the goalie in his 6 years, how many times as that sparked the team? One of out 40? It does not work, yet he keeps running that play over and over and over. Moe said in the paper it's mentally challenging to get yanked even though it's not all his fault. TG is destroying yet another goalie. I'm just so sick of this shit. I am livid.

Baker and Kehrer with comments about the guys not wanting to get their noses dirty or play hard in game 27 of the season. WTF is that? TDM said UM was just skating around in the UW zone unmolested for long periods. These coaches are clueless how to motivate these guys.

I listened to the pregame interview with TG commenting about the PSU series. He sounded like a defeated man. Do the honorable thing and just quit and save your beloved university a million bucks plus on a buyout. It's over. He knows it's over. Just fall on the sword and be done with it.

I am not giving UW any more of my money this season to go watch a bunch of unmotivated players coached by this clueless staff. There is absolutely no hope. None. It's OVAH!

 

[Timothy A]

I just sent this to Jason King, the assistant AD in charge of hockey.:

"Tony Granato’s average pairwise ranking for his time at WI is 25 out of what, 60 teams? Yeah they were 8 last year with 2 first round draft picks and a talented Sr. class. I could do a massive ranting email about how he’s ruining the goalies yanking them as frequently as he does yet it does nothing to motive the team as those results are irrefutable. I could do a massive ranting email about how he’s lost in how to motivate the players to reach their potential (there were some pretty damming quotes in the newspaper this am), but the average of 25[SUP]th[/SUP] in the pairwise tells us all we need to know. It’s not nearly good enough. All the empty seats tell us this. My eyes tell me this when I watch them play.

I buy on occasion single game tickets with take my daughter to games, we both love going. I’m not buying any more tickets this season and at this point I’m not sure why I’d buy anymore as long s Tony is the coach. It would just be a different year with the same underwhelming results, the past does not lie.

I watch every game on media that is available, but at this point my spirit is just crushed. I’m not sure I see the point in watching when there is no hope of a turnaround, the past does not lie and my eyes do not deceive me."
----------------------------------
My spirit is indeed crushed.

 

[Timothy A]

Jason's response (which was predictable):

Thank you for sharing your thoughts Tim. We definitely need a better effort than we showed last night. As you know I appreciate your passion for Badger hockey. Thank you for your continued support of the women.

Have a good rest of the weekend
JK
Jason King
Senior Associate Athletic Director
University of Wisconsin Athletics

 

[solovsfett]

I just sent this to Jason King, the assistant AD in charge of hockey.:

"Tony Granato’s average pairwise ranking for his time at WI is 25 out of what, 60 teams? Yeah they were 8 last year with 2 first round draft picks and a talented Sr. class. I could do a massive ranting email about how he’s ruining the goalies yanking them as frequently as he does yet it does nothing to motive the team as those results are irrefutable. I could do a massive ranting email about how he’s lost in how to motivate the players to reach their potential (there were some pretty damming quotes in the newspaper this am), but the average of 25[SUP]th[/SUP] in the pairwise tells us all we need to know. It’s not nearly good enough. All the empty seats tell us this. My eyes tell me this when I watch them play.

I buy on occasion single game tickets with take my daughter to games, we both love going. I’m not buying any more tickets this season and at this point I’m not sure why I’d buy anymore as long s Tony is the coach. It would just be a different year with the same underwhelming results, the past does not lie.

I watch every game on media that is available, but at this point my spirit is just crushed. I’m not sure I see the point in watching when there is no hope of a turnaround, the past does not lie and my eyes do not deceive me."
----------------------------------
My spirit is indeed crushed.

Awesome! My email to Jason King will be sent this coming week after I talk with my Dad about not renewing our seats. There will be no holding back on what I see as 26 years in the wilderness with 4-5 good years in that span (2 of which were sparked by incredible individual efforts). I’m at a point where I’m done with Badger Men’s hockey and it will take a hell of a lot more than a new coach to bring me back. It will take a national title and consistent 20+ win seasons.

I will post my email here after I send it.

 

[Timothy A]

Well if you watched the game you saw why Moe is starting. Rowe was flopping around like a fish on ice, just so out of control. Just stay up and play with poise.

 

[druzy192]

I just sent this to Jason King, the assistant AD in charge of hockey.:

"Tony Granato’s average pairwise ranking for his time at WI is 25 out of what, 60 teams? Yeah they were 8 last year with 2 first round draft picks and a talented Sr. class. I could do a massive ranting email about how he’s ruining the goalies yanking them as frequently as he does yet it does nothing to motive the team as those results are irrefutable. I could do a massive ranting email about how he’s lost in how to motivate the players to reach their potential (there were some pretty damming quotes in the newspaper this am), but the average of 25[SUP]th[/SUP] in the pairwise tells us all we need to know. It’s not nearly good enough. All the empty seats tell us this. My eyes tell me this when I watch them play.

I buy on occasion single game tickets with take my daughter to games, we both love going. I’m not buying any more tickets this season and at this point I’m not sure why I’d buy anymore as long s Tony is the coach. It would just be a different year with the same underwhelming results, the past does not lie.

I watch every game on media that is available, but at this point my spirit is just crushed. I’m not sure I see the point in watching when there is no hope of a turnaround, the past does not lie and my eyes do not deceive me."
----------------------------------
My spirit is indeed crushed.

Thanks for sending the email. The people in the Athletic Department are just as much to blame as Granato at this point. The writing has been on the ice for years. They have no choice but to fire him.

 

[WiscTJK]

I was kicking the tires on going to the game tonight before last night's game. I did not see the game last night, but I did record it to watch today. I read the newspaper about the game and watched TDM's post game wrap. No F-ing way.

TG yanks Moe for the 3rd straight game, trying to spark the team - his words. Of all the times he has yanked the goalie in his 6 years, how many times as that sparked the team? One of out 40? It does not work, yet he keeps running that play over and over and over. Moe said in the paper it's mentally challenging to get yanked even though it's not all his fault. TG is destroying yet another goalie. I'm just so sick of this shit. I am livid.

Baker and Kehrer with comments about the guys not wanting to get their noses dirty or play hard in game 27 of the season. WTF is that? TDM said UM was just skating around in the UW zone unmolested for long periods. These coaches are clueless how to motivate these guys.

I listened to the pregame interview with TG commenting about the PSU series. He sounded like a defeated man. Do the honorable thing and just quit and save your beloved university a million bucks plus on a buyout. It's over. He knows it's over. Just fall on the sword and be done with it.

I am not giving UW any more of my money this season to go watch a bunch of unmotivated players coached by this clueless staff. There is absolutely no hope. None. It's OVAH!

Amen Tim. When Tim gets to this level, the guy who’s most positive, it’s time for a change. Good on you guys sending emails but it’s going to take alumni watching this weekend’s debacle to get in the AD’s ear.

I think he will be back unfortunately.

The fifth goal last night with five Badgers along the boards and two mi players alone in front, sums up the defense for the TG, OZ era. Just frigging ugly!

 

[Timothy A]

Amen Tim. When Tim gets to this level, the guy who’s most positive, it’s time for a change. Good on you guys sending emails but it’s going to take alumni watching this weekend’s debacle to get in the AD’s ear.

I think he will be back unfortunately.

The fifth goal last night with five Badgers along the boards and two mi players alone in front, sums up the defense for the TG, OZ era. Just frigging ugly!

If you watch Todd Milewski's post game wraps, especially the one from Saturday, he is struggling to not say too much, not to inject opinion, but he knows it's over, he knows there is no hope. As a true journalist, he just can't say it, he sticks to the facts, which I respect and appreciate.

I firmly believe new voices would transform this team's performance. The talent is there, they are not connecting with the coaches.

 

[WiscTJK]

.....
I firmly believe new voices would transform this team's performance. The talent is there, they are not connecting with the coaches.

Agreed! I think there is talent there, but will they stick around for a more hard nosed coach like the Sauer to Eaves transition? That had some bumps!

 

[Timothy A]

Agreed! I think there is talent there, but will they stick around for a more hard nosed coach like the Sauer to Eaves transition? That had some bumps!

Yes and with the portal it's easy peazy to just leave, which some players could do it TG stays. They can't be enjoying this situation though of course the school and the city are fantastic. I wonder if opposing coaches ever reach out and tell a guy not necessarily looking to bolt "if you go into the portal, I'll take you".