Wisconsin Hockey XXXIV: A Season without Chuck

[Timothy A]

Re: Wisconsin Hockey XXXIV: A Season without Chuck

11 true freshman, 2 seniors and 4 juniors. Don't know the count from last fall, but that is tough - two years in row. The sophomores have improve alot for any type of success. The Eaves cycle just sucks.

11/5 Fr.
9/4 So.
4/2 Jr.
2/2 Sr.

First number is total in class/2nd number is number of legit top 4 d/top 9 f D1 players. I think I see 5 players coming in next year (some of these recruiting lists are not that up to date) and UW is losing 2, provided no one bolts. That means there will be 3 more guys than there are lockers for. I see possibly 6 incoming the next year and losing 4, so a net gain of 2 more. Obviously some of the players who are on the roster now will not make it to their Sr. year, which will slightly re-level the the classes.

I'd rather that pipeline be from Edina, Eden Prairie, or Shattuck.

As long as UW can pluck a couple quality guys from MN and a couple from Canada every year UW should be in great shape.

 

[badgerhawk]

Re: Wisconsin Hockey XXXV: A Season without Chuck

Re: Wisconsin Hockey XXXV: A Season without Chuck

I feel the same way right now, but I know that whenever that first Friday night rolls around, I'll be looking everywhere for a stream to check out the team. I've just been a hockey fan for too long to abandon them completely. Thankfully, games are harder to find while in Atlanta, so I won't look all that hard for them.

BTW: Thread title was a on a whim, happy to change it to whatever someone would want.

If this year goes anything like last year you'll have to change the title to "A season with UP CHUCK"

 

[MadCityRich]

Re: Wisconsin Hockey XXXIV: A Season without Chuck

With respect to the players, except for a few that roster isn't a "who's who", more of a "who"?

 

[solovsfett]

With respect to the players, except for a few that roster isn't a "who's who", more of a "who"?

Exactly.

 

[Timothy A]

Re: Wisconsin Hockey XXXV: A Season without Chuck

Re: Wisconsin Hockey XXXV: A Season without Chuck

If this year goes anything like last year you'll have to change the title to "A season with UP CHUCK"

LOL hopefully it doesn't get to that point....

 

[RaceBoarder]

Re: Wisconsin Hockey XXXV: A Season without Chuck

Re: Wisconsin Hockey XXXV: A Season without Chuck

Would anyone know what time puck drop will be for Oct. 10 against NMU? Both teams schedules have the gametime as TBD...

 

[UWisco]

Would anyone know what time puck drop will be for Oct. 10 against NMU? Both teams schedules have the gametime as TBD...

7 or 8. Depends on TV I would assume.

 

[GBBadger14]

7 or 8. Depends on TV I would assume.

Haha, tv. Good one.

 

[WiscDC]

Re: Wisconsin Hockey XXXIV: A Season without Chuck

Haha, tv. Good one.

Even if it is televised in some capacity (probably on a subchannel of a digital subchannel that only the most hard-core fans will ever find), it'll almost certainly be 7, because BTN won't be involved.

 

[Almington]

Would anyone know what time puck drop will be for Oct. 10 against NMU? Both teams schedules have the gametime as TBD...

The FB team plays at Nebraska that day, I suspect that they may move it to 8 if they have the afternoon Football game to give fans time to make it to the arena before puck drop.

 

[RaceBoarder]

Re: Wisconsin Hockey XXXIV: A Season without Chuck

Ok.... I'm actually concerned with the US/Mexico Playoff Match that kicks off at 8:30.... With a 6pm start, I can watch the hockey game then run to an establishment for the soccer match... Not sure about the late start though... Might pass since I'm already missing Friday's game due to having a HS football game down here...

 

[Happy]

Re: Wisconsin Hockey XXXIV: A Season without Chuck

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I don't know if this image will work or not. Wisconsin Men's Hockey posted this all-time line-up thing on FB today.

It just makes me sad looking at it. I understand they're trying to get people excited but the past doesn't sell this program anymore, they're so disconnected from the glory years it seems like Tony Granato played in the 60's...they need to create glory years NOW and use the past to bolster the present. But with no present and no future (for now) to look forward to, selling the past feels like pandering to a dwindling audience and it's really out of touch with reality.

I never knew Mark Johnson was born in Madison. I learn something everyday.

 

[Bonin21]

Re: Wisconsin Hockey XXXIV: A Season without Chuck

Ok.... I'm actually concerned with the US/Mexico Playoff Match that kicks off at 8:30.... With a 6pm start, I can watch the hockey game then run to an establishment for the soccer match... Not sure about the late start though... Might pass since I'm already missing Friday's game due to having a HS football game down here...

badger Hockey: Even away fans find reasons to avoid the Kohl Center

 

[Timothy A]

Re: Wisconsin Hockey XXXV: A Season without Chuck

Re: Wisconsin Hockey XXXV: A Season without Chuck

I am very curious to learn of the season ticket sales for this year and a comparo to previous years. The question is will anyone bother to report it?

I am also curious about what attendance will be for the first home game of the year. Last year they played the sue and got 10605. The year before they played NM and got 8092, so the sue are worth about 2600 extra ticket sales. I'm thinking they will get around 7000. Any other predictions?

 

[solovsfett]

I am very curious to learn of the season ticket sales for this year and a comparo to previous years. The question is will anyone bother to report it?

I am also curious about what attendance will be for the first home game of the year. Last year they played the sue and got 10605. The year before they played NM and got 8092, so the sue are worth about 2600 extra ticket sales. I'm thinking they will get around 7000. Any other predictions?

That sounds right. I'd be surprised if they eclipsed 7,500-8,000. Season average could be around 6,000 I think. The hole they've dug with terrible recruiting means the hardcore fans are generally expressing casual interest while the novice or casual fans will quickly tune out

 

[WiscDC]

Re: Wisconsin Hockey XXXIV: A Season without Chuck

That sounds right. I'd be surprised if they eclipsed 7,500-8,000. Season average could be around 6,000 I think. The whole they've dug with terrible recruiting means the hardcore fans are generally expressing casual interest while the novice or casual fans will quickly tune out

The problem with this drop-off compared to a similar one in football or basketball is that the novice/casual fans will not see Badger hockey the same way I do, and especially the way most of you do, having actually attended games when the place was regularly full. The brand equity of Wisconsin hockey games in the mind of most of those casual fans doesn't at all align with what they want, which is a big-time college sports atmosphere suitable for a venue the size of the Kohl Center. There's no insurance, so to speak, from the national sports media. In the Madison market, it's not just Wisconsin Badgers hockey at stake. It's college hockey.

I want to say I'd be surprised if the season average got that low (even sub-8000), but I don't think I should be surprised by anything like that, given the current state of things. I'm afraid we're losing generations of fans. By "generations," I don't just mean an actual generation of local/regional kids (though I'm not disregarding that) - each cycle of UW students is like another kind of generation. I was talking with an alumnus who graduated in 2013. He told me about how hockey definitely isn't his main thing, but he went to games as a student. While this view wasn't entirely correct if you look at each W/L record over his time here, he told me about how when he was going to games, the Badgers were regular contenders. His class went through school with a much different mental idea of what UW hockey is than most casual-to-moderately-more-than-casual fans currently enrolled here.

That giant change in perception, in addition to (and largely because of) the disasterous on-ice results, tells me I shouldn't bank on the past to predict the future, especially since there hasn't been a spark to inspire the local hockey community to come out in large numbers.

 

[ExileOnDaytonStreet]

Re: Wisconsin Hockey XXXIV: A Season without Chuck

Great point about the "generations" of fans.

I think a renaissance can happen for this program. Or maybe it'd be more of a resurrection. I don't think it might happen soon, but a lot can happen in 20 years or so.

But until then, how much damage will be done to UW hockey? How many fans will continue the trend of Badger fans only caring about football and basketball? How low will attendance get?

Until we're back in the Frozen Four, and polling high consistently, I think we're more likely to see Barry axe the program than we are to see a regularly full Kohl Center with the levels of vibrant passion that we haven't seen since Jack Skille wore our sweater.

 

[solovsfett]

Great point about the "generations" of fans.

I think a renaissance can happen for this program. Or maybe it'd be more of a resurrection. I don't think it might happen soon, but a lot can happen in 20 years or so.

But until then, how much damage will be done to UW hockey? How many fans will continue the trend of Badger fans only caring about football and basketball? How low will attendance get?

Until we're back in the Frozen Four, and polling high consistently, I think we're more likely to see Barry axe the program than we are to see a regularly full Kohl Center with the levels of vibrant passion that we haven't seen since Jack Skille wore our sweater.

Tony Granato and Chris Chelios on the red wings coaching staff...if Barry Alvarez was serious about the program... Just think of no eaves and Instead have Chrelios and Granato in Madison? That would ignite a spark for us.

I don't belive BA would axe the program though I think he's just fine with 10 win seasons for them. Right now he's consumed with football (what's new).

Chryst was the wrong choice, no-one wanted him anywhere.
That will sink in with BA shortly and hockey won't be on the table for him insofar as assessing eaves until he's got football handled.

I'm so exasperated I wanna scream.

I'm reduced to hoping Bo Ryan wins his power struggle by quitting mis-season leaving BA no choice but to hire Ryan's protege

 

[Timothy A]

Re: Wisconsin Hockey XXXIV: A Season without Chuck

Tony Granato and Chris Chelios on the red wings coaching staff...if Barry Alvarez was serious about the program... Just think of no eaves and Instead have Chrelios and Granato in Madison? That would ignite a spark for us.

I don't belive BA would axe the program though I think he's just fine with 10 win seasons for them. Right now he's consumed with football (what's new).

Chryst was the wrong choice, no-one wanted him anywhere.
That will sink in with BA shortly and hockey won't be on the table for him insofar as assessing eaves until he's got football handled.

I'm so exasperated I wanna scream.

I'm reduced to hoping Bo Ryan wins his power struggle by quitting mis-season leaving BA no choice but to hire Ryan's protege

I agree on all accounts. BA's ego is way too big to allow Bo's protege to get the head job.

 

[MadCityRich]

Re: Wisconsin Hockey XXXIV: A Season without Chuck

Thinking of hockey......I paid my first of "4" $35.00 payments to DirecTv for NHL Center Ice.......I thought I'd stop in to see what's going on. Move on sir, nothing to see here..........

My secret NHL fund (the one that I used for UW hockey & Mrs. MadCity knows nothing about) is quickly filling up with NHL money!