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Wisconsin Hockey 24-25 Improving With All Due Haste.

Timothy A said:
How does he lose sight of that puck? Why aren't his pads on the ice and closed? Why isn't his stick down? I don't get it. That wrap around goal makes me angry. These are technical issues.

Castro was slow post to post on the wrap arounds. That was troubling.

Phelan is not good. At all. That play on the first goal was horrendous, passes right to the opposing player. Goal 2 he gets caught flat footed and spun around and the OSU F blows right by him at the blue line. Goal 3 play was horrendous, too slow going backwards and he doesn't force the OSU player-wide or physically engage him. The speed of the game is too much for him right now. Put Horbach back there again.
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All great questions and observations.

Admittedly, I did not catch much of the Badger game with USA v Canada taking up my primary attention.

Looking at the highlights:
OSU goal #1: Just an egregious turnover from Phelan. He has to recognize that the puck should not go into the middle ice in the defensive zone unless he is absolutely sure it will not result in a scoring chance against.

OSU goal #2: Looks like it was Hensler that was smoked on the rush. His defensive awareness leaves a lot to be desired as well... I put this goal on the defense more so than Scarfone. Scarfone goes down into the butterfly because he thinks it is going to be a shot. Schulz is tying his guy up out front and should be the first guy available to stop the wrap around. Instead his stick/body get caught on Scarfone and the puck is in the back of our net. Very frustrating.

OSU goal #3: Not great on the rush playing the puck or the body. Funny enough (mostly pain), it looks like Phelan stick lifting Carfagna is what caused the goal... Scarfone thought he was going to slide it across for a shot and was reacting to that (his left leg stays up to push across).

I love your suggestion of putting Horbach back on defense. He looks better defensively, has more battle level in his game, and generates offense almost every shift.
 
digitalbooya said:
In the interest of bringing some hope for next year, we do have recruits that look pretty capable offensively. Two of them being really good offensive forwards. This group also adds some size to a forward group that could use it in the top 9.

F - Grady Deering (6'2" 209lbs) 9g 17a 26pts in 41 games in the USHL

F - Blake Montgomery (6'4" 196lbs) 21g 22a 43pts in 35 games in the OHL (!)

F - Oliver Tulk (5'8" 174lbs) 32g 52a 84pts in 52 games in the WHL (!)

F - Vasily Zelenov (6" 181lbs) 10g 13a 23pts in 38 games in the USHL

F - Finn Brink (5'10" 185lbs) 14g 12a 26pts in 34 games in the USHL

D - Luke Osburn (6'1" 185lbs) 8g 20a 25pts in 34 games in the USHL


I am pretty dang excited to see Montgomery and Tulk. With Canadian major junior players now able to leave to play college hockey, this is a HUGE pipeline for Hastings to explore. Glad to see he has already received commitment from two really good offensive forwards.
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IF (and that's a big if) they stick with their commitment.
 
Ditra said:
I just watched the "highlights", other than the empty net one all the goals for both teams were not very highlight reel worthy. Not sure what the thought process was on some of those goals. Does either team have a goalie coach?
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I know Wisconsin does.
 
digitalbooya said:
Looking at the highlights:
OSU goal #1: Just an egregious turnover from Phelan. He has to recognize that the puck should not go into the middle ice in the defensive zone unless he is absolutely sure it will not result in a scoring chance against.
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Why did the goalie not just let his teammate play the puck? He was right next to him. Instead he plays it up to Phelan who instead of turning into the boards and bank it up and out coughs it right back to the middle. It's a bunch of mistakes leading to a bad goal.
 
digitalbooya said:
No reason why they wouldn’t; almost guaranteed top 6 spots for the two CHL players.

I’m more concerned about the defense and goaltending for next year. Will that issue be resolved?
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They have a CHL goalie as a recruit. I will see if I can find his name. Daniel Hauser from the WHL. He signed pretty quickly after CHL players were able to go NCAA. He'll come in as a 21 year old and have a ton of experience. He is smaller, but looks to move pretty darn good.

x.com

x.com x.com

interview from WHL

x.com

x.com x.com
 
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digitalbooya said:
No reason why they wouldn’t; almost guaranteed top 6 spots for the two CHL players.

I’m more concerned about the defense and goaltending for next year. Will that issue be resolved?
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Defense, bringing in 2 recruits:

John Stout from Capitals https://www.eliteprospects.com/player/597579/john-stout

Luke Osbourn from Youngstown https://www.eliteprospects.com/player/807168/luke-osburn (Reading Todd Milewski report sounds like he may not be 2025)

Losing Laatsch and Kehrer, so they are bringing in 2, unless Horbach moves to D which would be logical, since he looks good in D, in my opinion. Or they bring in a transfer D.
 
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digitalbooya said:
In the interest of bringing some hope for next year, we do have recruits that look pretty capable offensively. Two of them being really good offensive forwards. This group also adds some size to a forward group that could use it in the top 9.

F - Grady Deering (6'2" 209lbs) 9g 17a 26pts in 41 games in the USHL

F - Blake Montgomery (6'4" 196lbs) 21g 22a 43pts in 35 games in the OHL (!)

F - Oliver Tulk (5'8" 174lbs) 32g 52a 84pts in 52 games in the WHL (!)

F - Vasily Zelenov (6" 181lbs) 10g 13a 23pts in 38 games in the USHL

F - Finn Brink (5'10" 185lbs) 14g 12a 26pts in 34 games in the USHL

D - Luke Osburn (6'1" 185lbs) 8g 20a 25pts in 34 games in the USHL


I am pretty dang excited to see Montgomery and Tulk. With Canadian major junior players now able to leave to play college hockey, this is a HUGE pipeline for Hastings to explore. Glad to see he has already received commitment from two really good offensive forwards.
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I like this class (if they all make it to campus)…but…if Finley leaves there’s not going to be a 20-win season to get to the NCAA’s. And that to me would be the end of experiment. 3 years is enough to show you have what it takes. So, this time next season we’ll know with certainty what we’ve got in Hastings.


Now on an another note…I’ve heard from a source I trust that McIntosh is now firmly on the hot seat and he’s been informed that’s where he is. The incredible expenditures on football have detracted from other sports. Like track athletes having to workout and run on a privately owned facility (owned by a former track star) and not a separate UW specific track facility. The donations are waaaaay down and alumni are pissed.

If Fickell doesn’t win 7-8 games and pass the eye test on the field both he and Mac are packing.

I’m trying to ascertain whether it’s Dec 2025 as the target date for the decision or 2026. I think it’s Dec 2025 though as I’ve heard budget cuts to the AD are coming in 26.

Fwiw
 
Re: recruits
Hauser, Osburn, Brink, Deering, Zelenov, Tulk, and Montgomery have been announced as signed recruits for next year and can't easily decommit. I haven't heard any confirmation that Stout is signed for 25-26, but if anyone knows the situation feel free to share.

Re: McIntosh
Interesting but not totally surprising if he is indeed on the hot seat. Athletic department seems to be a little all over the place right now, and I also get the sense UW is working with considerably less spending than some other comparable B10 counterparts, but who knows.
 
UW student and hockey fan said:
Re: recruits
Hauser, Osburn, Brink, Deering, Zelenov, Tulk, and Montgomery have been announced as signed recruits for next year and can't easily decommit. I haven't heard any confirmation that Stout is signed for 25-26, but if anyone knows the situation feel free to share.
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I saw it on Chris Heisenberg's list. Not confirmed anywhere else that I found.
 
solovsfett said:
Now on an another note…I’ve heard from a source I trust that McIntosh is now firmly on the hot seat and he’s been informed that’s where he is. The incredible expenditures on football have detracted from other sports. Like track athletes having to workout and run on a privately owned facility (owned by a former track star) and not a separate UW specific track facility. The donations are waaaaay down and alumni are pissed.

If Fickell doesn’t win 7-8 games and pass the eye test on the field both he and Mac are packing.

I’m trying to ascertain whether it’s Dec 2025 as the target date for the decision or 2026. I think it’s Dec 2025 though as I’ve heard budget cuts to the AD are coming in 26.

Fwiw
Click to expand...
The way he treated the track team is criminal. First the donation bricks fiasco then not having a temporary home lined up for them to practice in. What a loser. He's in WAY over his head. He's completely tone deaf. And the worst thing is his sized FB team sucks.
 
Timothy A said:
The way he treated the track team is criminal. First the donation bricks fiasco then not having a temporary home lined up for them to practice in. What a loser. He's in WAY over his head. He's completely tone deaf. And the worst thing is his sized FB team sucks.
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Agreed on all counts. And the track fiasco is definitely part of the impetus behind the Trustee’s displeasure. That has been specifically mentioned. They also are very upset about the backslide in football considering the $ outlay.

By all accounts it sounds like the AD is hoping (or praying?) for a Final Four run in basketball to provide some temporary cover. But from what hear the budget cuts are definite in 2026 and this is from multiple sources now.
 
solovsfett said:
I like this class (if they all make it to campus)…but…if Finley leaves there’s not going to be a 20-win season to get to the NCAA’s. And that to me would be the end of experiment. 3 years is enough to show you have what it takes. So, this time next season we’ll know with certainty what we’ve got in Hastings.

....
Click to expand...
I have to believe Hastings, Knott (recruiting), and the other coaches will figure it out. But you are right, this off-season and next year will be tell-tale sign if this will work. Wisconsin should have a great hockey team every year. Great resources and facilities, a great city, and fans that will attend if you perform.
 
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WiscTJK said:
I have to believe Hastings, Knott (recruiting), and the other coaches) will figure it out. But you are right, this off-season and next year will be tell-tale sign if this will work. Wisconsin should have a great hockey team every year. Great resources and facilities, a great city, and fans that will attend if you perform.
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Agreed!! I want Hastings to succeed but have become skeptical…I don’t think it’s unrealistic for Wisconsin (no matter the coach) to have the continued sustained success and relevance of a DU, BC, BU. (The history demands it imo).

They can generate excitement again but that will take sustained winning seasons and playoff appearances and eventual success there again. Hopefully Mike and the staff can turn it around next season and beyond.
 
solovsfett said:
I like this class (if they all make it to campus)…but…if Finley leaves there’s not going to be a 20-win season to get to the NCAA’s. And that to me would be the end of experiment. 3 years is enough to show you have what it takes. So, this time next season we’ll know with certainty what we’ve got in Hastings.
Click to expand...
I’ll disagree. Finley isn’t that important. He is a good player and I would like him back. He is also a turnover machine and lazy at times. The issues are more scoring depth and goaltending. A one line team is usually not that good. A team with poor goaltending is usually not that good. Solve those issues and we will be NCAA bound.
 
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digitalbooya said:
I’ll disagree. Finley isn’t that important. He is a good player and I would like him back. He is also a turnover machine and lazy at times. The issues are more scoring depth and goaltending. A one line team is usually not that good. A team with poor goaltending is usually not that good. Solve those issues and we will be NCAA bound.
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I'll agree with both of you partially. First, keep Finley, but upgrading the offense on the rest of the team and improving the goaltending are key.
 
WiscTJK said:
I'll agree with both of you partially. First, keep Finley, but upgrading the offense on the rest of the team and improving the goaltending are key.
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It’s interesting to compare back to last year.

(Last year vs this year)
Goals for per game: 3.2 vs 2.9
Goals against per game: 2.0 vs 2.9 (!)
Shots for per game: 34.7 vs 33.8
Shots against per game: 28.2 vs 26.0

We are allowing 2 fewer shots per game than last year while giving up almost a goal more per game. Goodbye to Scarfone and Gramme. Hope Hauser can fill the role for the next 4 years.
 
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