Wisconsin Hockey XXXVII: Waiting for the axe to fall

[BadgerHockey9]

Quite a few who bolt early aren't, but that's what the AHL is for.

See: Turris, Kyle

I think both Kunin and Besse are 50/50 on coming back. I believe it all depends on who drafts Kunin, he definitely won't be in the NHL next year. Hoping whoever the new coach is can sway these guys on 1 more year.

 

[Bonin21]

Re: Wisconsin Hockey XXXVII: Waiting for the axe to fall

Quite a few who bolt early aren't, but that's what the AHL is for.

See: Turris, Kyle

A third overall draft pick that played 63 games in the NHL right out of college. I was also responding to the guy that said NHL bound.

 

[XYZ]

Q. Was the learning, that they somehow survived that third period, or was it learning that this wasn't quite good enough, we've got to do it differently in order to survive in more cases?
COACH EAVES: It was interesting watching the game yesterday at home. I kept writing "SL" down, "SL" "SL", story line, what's the story line here? In terms of things that we were doing in the third period, that weren't the things we talked about or diagrammed, and until you're in that situation and you live it, you have to walk through it and step on the coals do you find out how really hot it is. So we'll look at those story lines here. We won't look at the whole third period but there was definitely themes that we can do better, and we will be better at because of this week and the experience that we had on Saturday.

Wow.....just....WOW

He has no idea what to do, and even less idea what to say to cover up the fact he has no idea what to do. He's completely lost. It's that simple.

 

[Happy]

Re: Wisconsin Hockey XXXVII: Waiting for the axe to fall

I think both Kunin and Besse are 50/50 on coming back. I believe it all depends on who drafts Kunin, he definitely won't be in the NHL next year. Hoping whoever the new coach is can sway these guys on 1 more year.

Some teams would want to yank him out of college.

 

[Timothy A]

Re: Wisconsin Hockey XXXVII: Waiting for the axe to fall

Yea, makes you wonder what is actually going through his head.

Here's food for thought...MM fires Walsh and Shuchuk, they take the fall last spring. It sure looks to me like the new coaches aren't doing a whole lot better, and are benefiting pretty much from Kunin and Malone (guys recruited by Shuchuk), so to the powers that be this should indicate to them MM is the problem, and it wasn't the assistants.

 

[Red_Rob]

Re: Wisconsin Hockey XXXVII: Waiting for the axe to fall

Here's food for thought...MM fires Walsh and Shuchuk, they take the fall last spring. It sure looks to me like the new coaches aren't doing a whole lot better, and are benefiting pretty much from Kunin and Malone (guys recruited by Shuchuk), so to the powers that be this should indicate to them MM is the problem, and it wasn't the assistants.

the names on the jerseys change but we still have the same problems(horrible power play, afraid to take the shot, beat on dump and chase, can't setup plays). it's been pretty apparent it's MM for a while. But, ya know, we're just digging that well, the guys are doing their thing and some day we'll hit water and it'll pay off.

 

[Almington]

Here's food for thought...MM fires Walsh and Shuchuk, they take the fall last spring. It sure looks to me like the new coaches aren't doing a whole lot better, and are benefiting pretty much from Kunin and Malone (guys recruited by Shuchuk), so to the powers that be this should indicate to them MM is the problem, and it wasn't the assistants.

Give the assistant coaches some credit. This year's recruiting class was already signed to NLIs before the new coaches were hired and both have been racking up more frequent flyer miles than Shuchuk or Walsh did.

Anyone who expected new assistants to really change much in just one season with Eaves being at EVERY practice during the week was kidding themselves.

Eaves has been the problem and will continue to be the problem until he is no longer the head coach.

 

[Timothy A]

Re: Wisconsin Hockey XXXVII: Waiting for the axe to fall

Give the assistant coaches some credit. This year's recruiting class was already signed to NLIs before the new coaches were hired and both have been racking up more frequent flyer miles than Shuchuk or Walsh did.

Anyone who expected new assistants to really change much in just one season with Eaves being at EVERY practice during the week was kidding themselves.

Eaves has been the problem and will continue to be the problem until he is no longer the head coach.

JK and BA expected change.....otherwise why allow MM to do what he did if they didn't believe it was going to help.

 

[Almington]

JK and BA expected change.....otherwise why allow MM to do what he did if they didn't believe it was going to help.

Because they didn't want to have to pony up the cash for the buy-out and a new coach.

 

[Timothy A]

Re: Wisconsin Hockey XXXVII: Waiting for the axe to fall

Because they didn't want to have to pony up the cash for the buy-out and a new coach.

That's a pizz poor reason for not fixing the program. We all know BA and JK aren't serious about fixing this. BA called the wbb a sleeping giant. Men's hockey is a dead giant. The big difference is there's no waking up the dead. BA probably left the oxygen off a little too long.

 

[Badger Booster]

Re: Wisconsin Hockey XXXVII: Waiting for the axe to fall

That's a pizz poor reason for not fixing the program. We all know BA and JK aren't serious about fixing this. BA called the wbb a sleeping giant. Men's hockey is a dead giant. The big difference is there's no waking up the dead. BA probably left the oxygen off a little too long.

At what point would the buy-out be affordable? After not getting an extension last year, aren't the options either a 1-year extension or termination? If Eaves gets the extension, seems like he is going to be able to go out on his own terms whenever that may be.

Because men's hockey and women's basketball have different associate ADs, I don't know why they couldn't make changes with both programs.

 

[markwojo]

Re: Wisconsin Hockey XXXVII: Waiting for the axe to fall

If the reasoning was the buyout....my how short sighted that was based on the the implosion of attendance and loss of revenue in the program. Add in the fact that UW has been on the beneficiary side of buyout payments on two football coaches leaving with the last handful of years (that I'm sure were each significantly more then the cost to buyout Eaves), and this train of though becomes even more ridiculous. Keeping Eaves has cost the program probably pushing a couple million at this point in lost ticketing sales, concession profits, parking, Badger Fund donations (I only donated to meet seating requirements for hockey season tickets...and now...well...don't do that any more), advertising (advertisers don't pay as much to advertise to a shrinking audience), etc.

 

[Decatur Spartan]

Re: Wisconsin Hockey XXXVII: Waiting for the axe to fall

We will trade you Anastos for Eves. I'll even send over a case of Coca-Cola.

 

[Timothy A]

Re: Wisconsin Hockey XXXVII: Waiting for the axe to fall

We will trade you Anastos for Eves. I'll even send over a case of Coca-Cola.

The best you can do is a case of Coca-Cola?

 

[Red_Rob]

Re: Wisconsin Hockey XXXVII: Waiting for the axe to fall

If the reasoning was the buyout....my how short sighted that was based on the the implosion of attendance and loss of revenue in the program. Add in the fact that UW has been on the beneficiary side of buyout payments on two football coaches leaving with the last handful of years (that I'm sure were each significantly more then the cost to buyout Eaves), and this train of though becomes even more ridiculous. Keeping Eaves has cost the program probably pushing a couple million at this point in lost ticketing sales, concession profits, parking, Badger Fund donations (I only donated to meet seating requirements for hockey season tickets...and now...well...don't do that any more), advertising (advertisers don't pay as much to advertise to a shrinking audience), etc.

and it's cost them Longterm as WiscDC has pointed out from his student experiences. Recent (and current)students see the lackluster shape of the program, they haven't been able to witness a great student section filled to capacity that brings a lot of entertainment/enjoyment to the game. While i was never a student here it's why I got my seats near the student section. The fact that it's so sparsely attended that the security staff has to wave the flag because of the lack of students doesn't give the casual fans a reason to really want to go in the future.

 

[markwojo]

Re: Wisconsin Hockey XXXVII: Waiting for the axe to fall

and it's cost them Longterm as WiscDC has pointed out from his student experiences. Recent (and current)students see the lackluster shape of the program, they haven't been able to witness a great student section filled to capacity that brings a lot of entertainment/enjoyment to the game. While i was never a student here it's why I got my seats near the student section. The fact that it's so sparsely attended that the security staff has to wave the flag because of the lack of students doesn't give the casual fans a reason to really want to go in the future.

Agree completely...I feel to a degree that there has already been a lost generation so to speak because of the success of basketball/football over the last decade plus. In the 70's, 80's and through a big part of the 90's....hockey was the thing if you wanted to be on the band wagon of a successful team. Bouncyball and foodyball success diminished the place of hockey on the totem pole, and when you add in the sucktitude of the last couple seasons (along with the rotten year every four prior to that with Eaves unbalanced recruiting class issue), that doesn't help bring students into the mix with the same level of excitement.

 

[WiscDC]

and it's cost them Longterm as WiscDC has pointed out from his student experiences. Recent (and current)students see the lackluster shape of the program, they haven't been able to witness a great student section filled to capacity that brings a lot of entertainment/enjoyment to the game. While i was never a student here it's why I got my seats near the student section. The fact that it's so sparsely attended that the security staff has to wave the flag because of the lack of students doesn't give the casual fans a reason to really want to go in the future.

Indeed, I was about to bring up the future fans that can be lost. One of the trickiest things about the business side of spectator sports is that building a fan base requires getting people to care about taking part in following (and caring about) the team continuously. That's the hurdle that the Capitols, like any new team, has to clear. If you compare a Madison Capitols crowd to a Dubuque Fighting Saints crowd, there's a clear difference in how many fans are just there to see some local USHL hockey and how many are legitimate, active fans of the home team.

It's that passion that drives attendance and fan energy at games, which we know is a part of the value of a ticket. With college hockey, you have got to suck in those freshmen and get them into not just attending games, but caring about what happens over the course of the season. It's easier to suck in new fans when all the "old people" and older students show what a big deal UW hockey is to them

 

[WiscTJK]

Re: Wisconsin Hockey XXXVII: Waiting for the axe to fall

Indeed, I was about to bring up the future fans that can be lost. One of the trickiest things about the business side of spectator sports is that building a fan base requires getting people to care about taking part in following (and caring about) the team continuously. That's the hurdle that the Capitols, like any new team, has to clear. If you compare a Madison Capitols crowd to a Dubuque Fighting Saints crowd, there's a clear difference in how many fans are just there to see some local USHL hockey and how many are legitimate, active fans of the home team.

It's that passion that drives attendance and fan energy at games, which we know is a part of the value of a ticket. With college hockey, you have got to suck in those freshmen and get them into not just attending games, but caring about what happens over the course of the season. It's easier to suck in new fans when all the "old people" and older students show what a big deal UW hockey is to them

Your way over my head with this, but I certainly want my favorite UW team to be a consistently good team again....I don't see that happening without a change of head coach.

 

[ExileOnDaytonStreet]

Re: Wisconsin Hockey XXXVII: Waiting for the axe to fall

Agree completely...I feel to a degree that there has already been a lost generation so to speak because of the success of basketball/football over the last decade plus. In the 70's, 80's and through a big part of the 90's....hockey was the thing if you wanted to be on the band wagon of a successful team. Bouncyball and foodyball success diminished the place of hockey on the totem pole, and when you add in the sucktitude of the last couple seasons (along with the rotten year every four prior to that with Eaves unbalanced recruiting class issue), that doesn't help bring students into the mix with the same level of excitement.

Screw that. It was awesome well into the football/basketball heyday. The student section experience was GREAT for most of my tenure (03-08), so while I might blame general quasi-xenophobic hockey hatred for the reason most casual Badger fans don't give a **** about hockey, I'm not going to say that it really has much to do with how well the "real" Badger sports are performing.

Not to dismiss you outright here. I'll admit it's easier to draw the casual idiot when they're as disenchanted with "real" sports as we are with the hockey program, so it probably doesn't help us to have a strong football and bouncyball team. Just saying that it's not a requisite for excitement for the hockey program.

 

[ExileOnDaytonStreet]

Re: Wisconsin Hockey XXXVII: Waiting for the axe to fall

Meanwhile...

Don't look now*, but we don't have the worst RPI or the worst PWR in the B1Gs.

* Just kidding, you should totally look now. Unless Sparty gets swept by Ohio State this weekend, I don't expect this to last.