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Wisconsin Hockey Recruiting Vol. XXXIV: Go pick me out a winner, Strand

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Re: Wisconsin Hockey Recruiting Vol. XXXIV: Go pick me out a winner, Strand

Chuck Schwartz said:
Wisconsin has the market cornered on D3 recruits. Maybe Alvarez is thinking about demoting the program?

I don't understand this addition at all. I say this with 100% seriousness... there are probably better players walking around the Wisconsin campus that are playing intramural.
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At least based on his production in the leagues he played in...he's very mediocre by DIII recruiting standards.
 
Re: Wisconsin Hockey Recruiting Vol. XXXIV: Go pick me out a winner, Strand

What in the world... Though I did think Shuchuk would leave when dad left.
 
Re: Wisconsin Hockey Recruiting Vol. XXXIV: Go pick me out a winner, Strand

Didn't I tell you guys? Wisconsin is doing a reality show now where they see how high they can get my blood pressure.
 
Re: Wisconsin Hockey Recruiting Vol. XXXIV: Go pick me out a winner, Strand

Has eaves finally gone colonel Kurtz?????? *** is happening?!?!
 
Re: Wisconsin Hockey Recruiting Vol. XXXIV: Go pick me out a winner, Strand

I don't mind Barnes joining. A fourth line guy that can probably net a few. Keryluk takes Shuckuk's place as the walk-on that doesn't play (numbers were very similar in juniors). I've seen a few players come out of the NAHL with mediocre numbers and do well in college.
 
Re: Wisconsin Hockey Recruiting Vol. XXXIV: Go pick me out a winner, Strand

UWisco said:
I don't mind Barnes joining. A fourth line guy that can probably net a few. Keryluk takes Shuckuk's place as the walk-on that doesn't play (numbers were very similar in juniors). I've seen a few players come out of the NAHL with mediocre numbers and do well in college.
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Is Alex Shuchuk leaving the program? Did I miss that?

Wisconsin's walk on decisions over the past few years are mind-blowingly stupid. There are literally hundreds (and I'm not exaggerating here), HUNDREDS of more talented walk on options that the Badgers passed over to play favors. I received a random e-mail from a father of 30+ point USHL forward in April asking why the Badgers weren't talking to his son. The family even reached out to UW and said they wanted to come to Wisconsin. I didn't have an answer for him.

This thing where the Badgers think lower-level scholarship forwards or walk ons have to either be in-state players or have a connection to the program is infuriating. Go out and get the most talented players you possibly can. Keryluk was the third best player on his high school team at Verona and the other two weren't Big Ten caliber players. Hell, I think one is taking classed at UW right now and not even playing hockey and the other is a fourth-liner in the NAHL. Tanner Barnes had 11 goals in 60 games as a 20 year old in a secondary junior hockey league. He finished 112 in the NAHL in scoring as a 20 year old.

I hate to write posts like this but those guys weren't getting D1 looks anywhere else. Keryluk might not crack a D3 lineup.

I don't care that they are walk on players. It's lazy. Hundreds of better options out there that would have come to Madison for free. Tanner Barnes, Zac Keryluk and Alex Shuchuk would never, and I mean NEVER be recruited to elite schools like Minnesota, Michigan or North Dakota. Yet Wisconsin grabs a trio of them! And that's not even including a walk on like Cavallini that was a favor to his dad with the Chicago Mission.

The biggest advantage to college hockey is the time they get to put in on the practice rink and in the weight room. How much better do you think Wisconsin's top end guys are getting by battling against D3 players in practice every day? That translates over to games. It's a culture.
 
Re: Wisconsin Hockey Recruiting Vol. XXXIV: Go pick me out a winner, Strand

Chuck Schwartz said:
Is Alex Shuchuk leaving the program? Did I miss that?

Wisconsin's walk on decisions over the past few years are mind-blowingly stupid. There are literally hundreds (and I'm not exaggerating here), HUNDREDS of more talented walk on options that the Badgers passed over to play favors. I received a random e-mail from a father of 30+ point USHL forward in April asking why the Badgers weren't talking to his son. The family even reached out to UW and said they wanted to come to Wisconsin. I didn't have an answer for him.

This thing where the Badgers think lower-level scholarship forwards or walk ons have to either be in-state players or have a connection to the program is infuriating. Go out and get the most talented players you possibly can. Keryluk was the third best player on his high school team at Verona and the other two weren't Big Ten caliber players. Hell, I think one is taking classed at UW right now and not even playing hockey and the other is a fourth-liner in the NAHL. Tanner Barnes had 11 goals in 60 games as a 20 year old in a secondary junior hockey league. He finished 112 in the NAHL in scoring as a 20 year old.

I hate to write posts like this but those guys weren't getting D1 looks anywhere else. Keryluk might not crack a D3 lineup.

I don't care that they are walk on players. It's lazy. Hundreds of better options out there that would have come to Madison for free. Tanner Barnes, Zac Keryluk and Alex Shuchuk would never, and I mean NEVER be recruited to elite schools like Minnesota, Michigan or North Dakota. Yet Wisconsin grabs a trio of them! And that's not even including a walk on like Cavallini that was a favor to his dad with the Chicago Mission.

The biggest advantage to college hockey is the time they get to put in on the practice rink and in the weight room. How much better do you think Wisconsin's top end guys are getting by battling against D3 players in practice every day? That translates over to games. It's a culture.
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spot on.

I just cannot fathom what dumb ****ing thoughts are going through Eaves' head and Alvarez as well.

The program is really a joke at this time and I never though Wisconsin hockey would or could become a joke.
 
Re: Wisconsin Hockey Recruiting Vol. XXXIV: Go pick me out a winner, Strand

WiscTJK said:
Yes, as you say you wanted him fired, then go on to defend his record. Defend bringing in another 4th line player.

Better things to do? But yet you still come here.

Recruiting is the life blood of a college hockey program and Eaves frankly sucks at it. The good assistants he picked early on carried him and he hasn't had a good assistant pick in over 10 years - Patrick in 2005. Based on last nights commitment, its not a good start for the next two assistants. But I will be fair, it is too early to judge them now.
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Eaves is a good coach. Eaves is a bad recruiter. Do we agree or do we not agree?
Hammy said:
Lucia has hung way more league banners over that time than Eaves has. It's not just win totals but what you win that fans care most about.

The other factor you can't ignore is Lucia was dealing with a rather serious health condition for roughly two years that had a significant impact on his ability to do things the way he normally would. Not coincidentally that was about the time the Gophers entered into a rough patch for 3+ seasons. (and he had the poison named John Hill there too... lol)
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Championships.. 1>0 the past 10 years. Fair enough on the rest.
 
Chuck Schwartz said:
Is Alex Shuchuk leaving the program? Did I miss that?

Wisconsin's walk on decisions over the past few years are mind-blowingly stupid. There are literally hundreds (and I'm not exaggerating here), HUNDREDS of more talented walk on options that the Badgers passed over to play favors. I received a random e-mail from a father of 30+ point USHL forward in April asking why the Badgers weren't talking to his son. The family even reached out to UW and said they wanted to come to Wisconsin. I didn't have an answer for him.

This thing where the Badgers think lower-level scholarship forwards or walk ons have to either be in-state players or have a connection to the program is infuriating. Go out and get the most talented players you possibly can. Keryluk was the third best player on his high school team at Verona and the other two weren't Big Ten caliber players. Hell, I think one is taking classed at UW right now and not even playing hockey and the other is a fourth-liner in the NAHL. Tanner Barnes had 11 goals in 60 games as a 20 year old in a secondary junior hockey league. He finished 112 in the NAHL in scoring as a 20 year old.

I hate to write posts like this but those guys weren't getting D1 looks anywhere else. Keryluk might not crack a D3 lineup.

I don't care that they are walk on players. It's lazy. Hundreds of better options out there that would have come to Madison for free. Tanner Barnes, Zac Keryluk and Alex Shuchuk would never, and I mean NEVER be recruited to elite schools like Minnesota, Michigan or North Dakota. Yet Wisconsin grabs a trio of them! And that's not even including a walk on like Cavallini that was a favor to his dad with the Chicago Mission.

The biggest advantage to college hockey is the time they get to put in on the practice rink and in the weight room. How much better do you think Wisconsin's top end guys are getting by battling against D3 players in practice every day? That translates over to games. It's a culture.
Click to expand...

I could not agree more. This is why Eaves' teams for the last few years have seriously lacked depth. When you don't land the top end talent, and you don't bring in even replacement level depth players the product on the ice is going to be just terrible.

Basically, UW will have at most ten D1 caliber forwards on the ice in any game. Pathetic, infuriating, and frustrating in equal measure.
 
Re: Wisconsin Hockey Recruiting Vol. XXXIV: Go pick me out a winner, Strand

solovsfett said:
Has eaves finally gone colonel Kurtz?????? *** is happening?!?!
Click to expand...

LOL....What is the most disappointing is the impact that Strand and Bittner are having on recruiting......ZERO, and that's on Eaves. Clearly he is the HEAD coach and he is making these calls. Strand and Bittner must be thinking *** is going on?! If I was Strand or Bittner and Eaves sits down and shows me the film and explains why he wants these guys, I walk out the door to never return. How many more 4th line guys does a team freaking need? Someone needs to interview Eaves when he's able to comment and ask him why he picked these guys up. BA or JK need to ask Eaves why he picked these guys up. It sure looks like business as usual on the recruiting side and that sucks.
 
Re: Wisconsin Hockey Recruiting Vol. XXXIV: Go pick me out a winner, Strand

Timothy A said:
LOL....What is the most disappointing is the impact that Strand and Bittner are having on recruiting......ZERO
Click to expand...

Well I wouldn't go so far as to say "ZERO." There's Will Johnson, who could be very good. Kind of hard to tell for sure with his injury last year but there's certainly some good reasons to be hopeful about him. And despite Chuck's misgivings, which I respect a good deal, Jack Becker is still #164 on NHL central's scouting list, (Freytag #132, Hughes #196) so at least some folks see something they like about him. Decent chance he's drafted this weekend.

I'm as baffled as anyone else by the other guys... Of course there's nothing saying that UW can't have 30+ guys on the "team". Some schools do, I think Tech carries quite a few. Still, as has been mentioned, what bothers me most is how the quality of practice might be affected. Maybe they just want to play a lot of 5 on 10?

Sadly, there's no one at the local paper to call up Eaves and ask him what he's actually thinking about with these guys.
 
Re: Wisconsin Hockey Recruiting Vol. XXXIV: Go pick me out a winner, Strand

Timothy A said:
LOL....What is the most disappointing is the impact that Strand and Bittner are having on recruiting......ZERO, and that's on Eaves. Clearly he is the HEAD coach and he is making these calls. Strand and Bittner must be thinking *** is going on?! If I was Strand or Bittner and Eaves sits down and shows me the film and explains why he wants these guys, I walk out the door to never return. How many more 4th line guys does a team freaking need? Someone needs to interview Eaves when he's able to comment and ask him why he picked these guys up. BA or JK need to ask Eaves why he picked these guys up. It sure looks like business as usual on the recruiting side and that sucks.
Click to expand...

yep. And that's part of the problem, Eaves is really not being held accountable for his ****ty recruiting and battitude that has driven many players away and ****ed off WI HS Coaches.

You can bet anything Alvarez would never allow his minion in football to recruit solely 1-star caliber players. Or emphasize walk-on's but hockey? who cares about them. Let Wisconsin hockey be dismantled and allow for it to become an intramural sport at this point. At least then the Admin would be dealing with this situation in a forthright manner.
 
Re: Wisconsin Hockey Recruiting Vol. XXXIV: Go pick me out a winner, Strand

When the season started last year many of us gave a pass to the team because of the youth factor and waited for the 2nd half of the season to watch the Badgers move up in the standings. We know how that turned out.

I am optimistic this year based on the new assistants, but it will take time for that influence to be seen on the ice. Coach Strand is bringing many qualities lacking in our previous assistants; coaching experience, teaching ability, talent recognition, personality and charisma.

At least 3 factors need to be upgraded in the future and I believe Strand will help with 2 of these.
1) Development/teaching of existing players. Last year’s team made no progress from the beginning of the year to the end. I expect that to change this year. Advantage Strand
2) Recruitment/recognition of Div 1 talent. Strand has a diverse hockey background that will let him bring better recruits to UW. Advantage Strand
3) Encouragement/promotion of offensive creativity. How many times last year did you come away thinking our opponents had impressive/creative forwards? Disadvantage Eaves.

Do I like the Strand hire? Yes, as long as Eaves doesn’t get in the way.
 
Re: Wisconsin Hockey Recruiting Vol. XXXIV: Go pick me out a winner, Strand

Wisko McBadgerton said:
Well I wouldn't go so far as to say "ZERO." There's Will Johnson, who could be very good.

Sadly, there's no one at the local paper to call up Eaves and ask him what he's actually thinking about with these guys.
Click to expand...

I did forget about that already, kind of a gimme but we'll definitely take him. And on him we know Eaves probably had zero effect on him coming to UW.
 
Re: Wisconsin Hockey Recruiting Vol. XXXIV: Go pick me out a winner, Strand

The only reason to bring in guys who would play on UW Platteville's club team is HOPEFULLY UW get some talent down the road and these guys can just disappear from the roster. Equalize classes, all that kind of stuff.

I am not bashing UWP's club hockey team either, I went to UWP, but I think Chuck is spot on, these guys don't belong at a DI program.

Doesn't really help next season or in the development of the actual good players on the team. I wonder if JJ Watt has some time to help at a few practices.
 
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