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Wisconsin Hockey 24-25 Improving With All Due Haste.

I've always respected all of your deep analyzes of Badgers hockey games.
I quit analyzing games about 15 years ago to enjoy the games more and have some fun once MCRJr. "graduated" out.

Last year was a pleasant surprise, the 10+ previous years were horrid, and now I'm unpleasantly surprised at this year's start.

I just don't understand how NoDak, BU, BC, DU, and others, continue to reload, but UW can't.
 
I think this is all fair analysis. I think Hastings / Knott have to balance the need for offensive punch on higher end recruits and find those that can / will follow their system to be full ice players and match that with the older more mature glue type guys. I think they will figure it out, but we've been so mediocre for so long (unlike DU), and it will take time to turn that ship around.

And I really like what I see from Morrissey (his vision, effort and skills) and it shows younger recruits, if you come here and follow the expectations from the coaching staff, you can and will play as a freshman. And they can learn to be full ice players that can help them get to and stay in the NHL.

I to have faith they will figure this out and get things turned around, but it is likely to be a frustrating year.

No rest as you now go to Notre Dame and then come back home for Minnesota, before getting a bye week. No better way to turn it around than help get Jeff Jackson closer to retirement and take 6 points in their barn. They play a chippy game I don't like, and it comes from their head coach.
 
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Speaking of Minnesota. When they transitioned to Motzko, they had a couple of really mediocre years without NCAA appearances at the start: 18-16-4 and 16-14-7. If I remember correctly, they really came on strong down the second half of year 2 (quick count was 9-5-3 before the pandemic ended the season).

We should expect a strong second half of this season and for Hastings to get these guys to play a type of style that wins games. That might include some really dry 2-1 wins.
 
MadCityRich said:
I just don't understand how NoDak, BU, BC, DU, and others, continue to reload, but UW can't.
Click to expand...

THIS! This is exactly what I don’t understand and is the most frustrating and honestly enraging aspect of being a fan of this team especially after seeing them play 85-94 as a ticket holder and Prior to that for 1-2 years on tv
 
Prev Weekend: Swept by Denver 2-4 and 1-6

Record: 1-5-0 overall (0-4-1-1; 0-1-0-1 1 pts, 2[SUP]nd[/SUP] (last) in Big7 (n/c))
USCHO Poll: n/r (27[SUP]th[/SUP] in votes); 20[SUP]th[/SUP] (-7)
PWR: 55 of 58 (all teams not started); 57 of 58 (+2)
RPI: 55 of 58; 57 of 58 (+2)
Scoring: 1.67 GPG (T-50[SUP]th[/SUP]); 1.75 GPG (50[SUP]th[/SUP]) (n/c)
Defense: 3.33 GAPG (44[SUP]th)[/SUP]; 2.50 GAPG (T-38[SUP]th[/SUP]) (-6)
Save %: .851 (58[SUP]th[/SUP] last); .873 (52[SUP]nd[/SUP]) (-6)
Power Play Rate: 16.00% (4 of 25) 30[SUP]th[/SUP]; 17.65% (3 of 17) 25th (-5)
Penalty Kill Rate: 81.25% (13 of 16) T-33[SUP]rd[/SUP]; 85.71% (6 of 7) T-26[SUP]th[/SUP] (-7)
Penalty Min per Game (1st is worst): 5.67 (53[SUP]rd[/SUP] of 58); 3.50 (58[SUP]th[/SUP] of 58) (-5)
Penalty Min (1[SUP]st[/SUP] is worst): 34 (T-52[SUP]nd[/SUP]); 14 (T-55[SUP]th[/SUP]) (-3)
Shorthanded Goals Scored; 0 (T-24[SUP]th[/SUP]); 0 (T-21[SUP]st[/SUP]) (-3)
Shorthanded Goals Allowed (1[SUP]st[/SUP] is worst): 1 (T-8[SUP]th[/SUP]); 1 (T-5[SUP]th[/SUP]) (+3)
Team Faceoff: 56.6% (7[SUP]th[/SUP]); 61.9% (T-2[SUP]nd[/SUP]) (-5)
SOG taken: 207 (14[SUP]th[/SUP]); 148 (17[SUP]th[/SUP]) (+3)
SOG allowed (1[SUP]st[/SUP] is worst): 134 (46[SUP]th[/SUP]); 79 (50[SUP]th[/SUP]) (-4)

This week: At Notre Dame Fri 11/1 6 pm (Peacock), Sat 11/2 5 pm (Peacock)
Next week: Minnesota Fri 11/8 7 pm (BTN / BTN+?), Sat 11/9 6 pm (BTN / BTN+?)

Yikes, these stats are Eaves worst years level poor. They seemingly played better, but were nowhere close to playing 60 minutes either night with Denver. Can they flip the switch this weekend and get a regulation win? I can't believe how bad this start has been.
 
Low goals scored per game and poor save percentages is going to make for an ugly season. This feels a lot like last year's MTU season, high preseason accolades, Hastings leaving Mankato with staff and players, it looked like it was finally going to be the year. October and November were ugly; star goalie who was money on Friday night's the prior season couldn't get it going and the goals were hard to come by. They had to chase it the whole season to qualify for NCAA's. Lots of stress.
 
solovsfett said:
THIS! This is exactly what I don’t understand and is the most frustrating and honestly enraging aspect of being a fan of this team especially after seeing them play 85-94 as a ticket holder and Prior to that for 1-2 years on tv
Click to expand...

Constancy of identity. What makes UW special in the college hockey world these days?
 
Almington said:
Constancy of identity. What makes UW special in the college hockey world these days?
Click to expand...

Great question. It’s one I’ve wondered about for a long time. The KC is now 26 years old? So no new shiny objects…the style of play evidently like Eaves’s is not attractive to high-end skill forwards (which I’m fine with if they win regardless which Hastings has done) and it’s been 18 years since they won a title. So not one single recruit can recall Wisconsin being a consistent winner and certainly don’t view Wisconsin as a national power. How could they? It hasn’t been that way in their entire lives.

Consitency is important. Look at Nodak, DU, BC, BU…honestly it feels Ike they’ve generally played an up tempo attacking style of hockey for 40 or more years each. Wisconsin played that way in the 80’s and early 90’s. Then defense first with Eaves, then Offense first with Granato and now defense first again.

I’m very curious to see what year 3 will look like for Hastings honestly and year 4.
 
solovsfett said:
Great question. It’s one I’ve wondered about for a long time. The KC is now 26 years old? So no new shiny objects…the style of play evidently like Eaves’s is not attractive to high-end skill forwards (which I’m fine with if they win regardless which Hastings has done) and it’s been 18 years since they won a title. So not one single recruit can recall Wisconsin being a consistent winner and certainly don’t view Wisconsin as a national power. How could they? It hasn’t been that way in their entire lives.

Consitency is important. Look at Nodak, DU, BC, BU…honestly it feels Ike they’ve generally played an up tempo attacking style of hockey for 40 or more years each. Wisconsin played that way in the 80’s and early 90’s. Then defense first with Eaves, then Offense first with Granato and now defense first again.

I’m very curious to see what year 3 will look like for Hastings honestly and year 4.
Click to expand...

But other than Denver, none of the teams you list have been consistent title contenders either, at least in the last decade. Since 2010, the last year UW was in the final:
  • Denver: 3 titles ('17, '22, '24), 0 runner-up
  • Nodak: 1 title ('16), 0 runner-up
  • BC: 2 titles ('10, '12), 1 runner-up ('24)
  • BU: 0 titles, 1 runner-up ('15) 2009 was last title
Let's look at others
  • Minnesota 0 titles, 2 runner-ups ('14, '23) 2003 was last title
  • Minnesota Duluth 3 titles ('11, '18, '19)
  • 1 title each for: Yale '13, Union '14, Providence '15, Massachusetts '21, Quinnipiac '23
  • no championship in covid year
Other finalists:
  • Wisconsin '10, Michigan, Ferris, Quinnipiac (twice), Notre Dame, Massachusetts, Mankato, St Cloud
if you are interested in all time frozen four appearances to here: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_NCAA_Division_I_men's_Frozen_Four_appearances_by_team

Wisconsin ranks T-8th with 11 appearances (Tied with Maine and MSU)
Ahead of us in order: Michigan 28, BC 25, BU 24, Minnesota 23, Nodak 22, Denver 19, Harvard 13
  1. The other programs you do list do win much more consistently and more recently, which definitely affects recruiting. But on the plus side we have fantastic facilities with a huge fan base and strong overall athletic program.
  2. I think we can say we are an upper tier, but not an elite program (and really haven't been a year-to-year consistent winner since the mid 90's)
  3. Since joining the big7 in 2013-14: 11 years; only 3 NCAA tourneys and 4 years with a winning record (ouch).
  4. Hastings can and will (hopefully) build a consistent winner like he did at Mankato and like M/D and Quinnipiac.
 
WiscTJK said:
Wisconsin ranks T-8th with 11 appearances (Tied with Maine and MSU)
Ahead of us in order: Michigan 28, BC 25, BU 24, Minnesota 23, Nodak 22, Denver 19, Harvard 13
  1. The other programs you do list do win much more consistently and more recently, which definitely affects recruiting. But on the plus side we have fantastic facilities with a huge fan base and strong overall athletic program.
  2. I think we can say we are an upper tier, but not an elite program (and really haven't been a year-to-year consistent winner since the mid 90's)
  3. Since joining the big7 in 2013-14: 11 years; only 3 NCAA tourneys and 4 years with a winning record (ouch).
  4. Hastings can and will (hopefully) build a consistent winner like he did at Mankato and like M/D and Quinnipiac.
Click to expand...

Consistency is HUGE. And I agree Wisconsin is not elite, but perhaps upper tier but upper tier based on a quarter century not the last 10-12 years.


this is what they’re up against in recruiting from the 2000-2001 season forward :


Nodak

23 consecutive winning seasons

20 20+ win seasons




Denver

23 winning seasons

22 20+ win seasons




BC

20 winning seasons

18 20+ win seasons




BU

19 winning seasons

14 20+ wins seasons




Wisconsin

12 winning seasons

12 20+ win seasons
 
Fitzgerald just BRUTAL on Notre Dame's first goal against. Doesn't go hard to the boards to get the puck despite being the closest guy. Watches our defender go after the puck while coasting to the corner himself and leaving the middle ice WIDE OPEN for a great chance. Chaos ensues and the puck is in the back of our net within 5 seconds.

Bench him.
 
srkbadger said:
Just a tough luck loss according to Posick. Lots of excuses from the home announcers. They need to man up and show some pride.
Click to expand...

It’s not luck. They struggle to execute the most basic plays. How do you not get a shot on goal on a 2-on-0? How does Fitzgerald not get a shot on his breakaway late in the 3rd? How do they give up a squeaker goal right after taking the lead? Why does our defenseman try to shoot it through 5 guys instead of passing it across for a one timer? Why does our goalie never make a big save? Etc etc etc
 
digitalbooya said:
It’s not luck. They struggle to execute the most basic plays. How do you not get a shot on goal on a 2-on-0? How does Fitzgerald not get a shot on his breakaway late in the 3rd? How do they give up a squeaker goal right after taking the lead? Why does our defenseman try to shoot it through 5 guys instead of passing it across for a one timer? Why does our goalie never make a big save? Etc etc etc
Click to expand...

All great questions. As I say, man up and respect the sweater by showing some pride and grit for 60 minutes.
 
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