Re: Wisconsin Hockey: Episode XXXI: A New Hope
We aren't ever going to agree, I can see that. I am just a fan, having never played the game, so what you are saying may be correct. However, BU is another team with a lot of freshman (10 by my count), that just look a lot better.
My question for you is where is our Jack Eichel, Nik Kerdiles, etc.? guys that can put the puck in the net. I don't see it and there appears to be a talent gap that continues. Now we won't have Boeser either. And some of the other top guys that we didn't get, including some from Wisconsin.
It's Ok TJK, so we disagree on some things, opinions always vary and I don't hold it against you at all. (hopefully folks here generally reciprocate)--what we do agree on is that we both want UW to have a championship Hockey program. I assume every Badger fan wants that. I am optimistic by nature and it's generally served me well, so that carries over into hockey, especially so as growing up, I don't ever really recall hearing the ol' Badger (Bob) saying much negative about his team. I suppose if he didn't win so much he would have just come across as another guy making a lot of excuses. That's fair.
While +/- is a terrible stat, it still says something sometimes. In this case in a 6-1 loss the top line is a total -2 (-1,-1, 0), the 2nd line all even, the third line totals -7 (-2,-2,-3). I saw quite a bit of match up problems that were out of our control at times.
I watched BU play a few last year, (they had a 20 game stretch where they won only 2) and they are much much better all the way around not just because Eichel is so good, but because they've had to play against him every day all season. It strikes me that on this Badger team the best skating and playmaking forwards are Rockwood, Hughes, Zullnick, Besse, and Wagner. The sophs are better by a bit but not a lot. So when these guys go to practice, they are all sort of interchangeably the best guys there. What really kills them in practice is not having a Kerdiles type who is just a mile better to push them to the next level. They don't get that until they get to games. It slows their development a lot, IMO
Rather than answering that they have graduated or are playing in the pros, as I think we've kind of beat that subject to death here, I'll just focus on the going forward part. I hate losing Boeser, but I don't think Wisco needs Boeser to win. We have other very good players coming in and it's going to be an interesting battle for playing time next year. I think Hughes, Rockwood and Wagner are way underrated by Badger fans, which is understandable, but they are going to be really good players here. Besse, Zully and Big Jed are really coming on and pushing toward taking a big step forward. (In particular I thought Soleway really played the way we have hoped he would get to playing this weekend.) The single most important thing I see is that we have/are reestablishing a pipeline into Canada. If we really get that going with kids like Fabrro and Jost, look out.
In place of Boeser I'd think we would have a real shot at Tkachuk, but I have to question whether if his academics won't line up for Notre Dame, they will get in order in time for UW. Probably less problem going to the Hockey UND or elsewhere if he wants though... not the first kid we'll miss out on because of that, but that's the way it is.
