Wisconsin Recruiting: Filling the foundation with 5 stars

[Chuck Schwartz]

Re: Wisconsin Recruiting: Filling the foundation with 5 stars

Guy on the Buckyville board says UW brought in Michael Zajac (Eagan, MN) for an unofficial visit recently. Zajac is a senior and we're pretty full on forwards for 2012. Would be a solid get for 2013.

 

[JDUBBS1280]

Guy on the Buckyville board says UW brought in Michael Zajac (Eagan, MN) for an unofficial visit recently. Zajac is a senior and we're pretty full on forwards for 2012. Would be a solid get for 2013.

He's a nice player. Would be a good get for Sconnie.

<A HREF="http://www.mnhockeyhub.com/roster_player/show.js?id=512080">ELITE LEAGUE STATS</A>

 

[Chuck Schwartz]

Re: Wisconsin Recruiting: Filling the foundation with 5 stars

He's a nice player. Would be a good get for Sconnie.

Yeah, I think so too.

Good sized kid, 6'2, 190 pounds (edit: now listed at 6'1 3/4, 213). 56 points in 31 games last year, led Eagan to the state tournament.

If he's willing to play a year of junior and come in 2013, he would be a solid addition.

Edit: Looks like he's put on some weight from last year to this year. Hopefully that's good weight, and not Chuck weight.

 

[JDUBBS1280]

Yeah, I think so too.

Good sized kid, 6'2, 190 pounds (edit: now listed at 6'1 3/4, 213). 56 points in 31 games last year, led Eagan to the state tournament.

If he's willing to play a year of junior and come in 2013, he would be a solid addition.

Edit: Looks like he's put on some weight from last year to this year. Hopefully that's good weight, and not Chuck weight.

Just read the <A HREF="http://buckyville.yuku.com/topic/46748/Who-are-we-looking-at-for-next-year">comments</A> from his dad. Just another reason why getting rid of John Hill was a great decision.

 

[Chuck Schwartz]

Re: Wisconsin Recruiting: Filling the foundation with 5 stars

Just read the <A HREF="http://buckyville.yuku.com/topic/46748/Who-are-we-looking-at-for-next-year">comments</A> from his dad. Just another reason why getting rid of John Hill was a great decision.

To be fair to Hill, I've heard he's super nice. And Guentzel rubbed me the wrong way the only time I met him. Probably depends on what day you catch these guys on.

 

[JDUBBS1280]

To be fair to Hill, I've heard he's super nice. And Guentzel rubbed me the wrong way the only time I met him. Probably depends on what day you catch these guys on.

You may be right. This isn't the first kid I've heard call Hill arugent though.

 

[Chuck Schwartz]

Re: Wisconsin Recruiting: Filling the foundation with 5 stars

Wisconsin Hockey Recruit Stats from Bucky's 5th Quarter

 

[Chuck Schwartz]

Re: Wisconsin Recruiting: Filling the foundation with 5 stars

Interview I did today with 2014 recruit Jake Linhart for Bucky's 5th Quarter.

 

[nopuckluck]

Re: Wisconsin Recruiting: Filling the foundation with 5 stars

http://www.mnhockeyhub.com/team_instance/stats/76497?subseason=43176
The link above to the Team Southeast page for the Upper Midwest High School Elite League. Michael Zajac finished 10th among his teammates in the eight team league. While scoring is not a barometer of future success, the Badgers are developing a rap in the Twin Cities that they are average recruiters. Like the previous posting relating to parallels with the Gophers recent woes, they are taking commitments too early. If a recruit is languishing in the EJHL (as mentioned above) it is highly unlikely they'll be a contributor in the WCHA/Big Ten. The EJHL is Tier III. The NAHL is Tier II and the USHL is Tier 1. Current players like Barmes and Ramage are why they need to focus on Tier 1 players.

 

[Chuck Schwartz]

Re: Wisconsin Recruiting: Filling the foundation with 5 stars

http://www.mnhockeyhub.com/team_instance/stats/76497?subseason=43176
The link above to the Team Southeast page for the Upper Midwest High School Elite League. Michael Zajac finished 10th among his teammates in the eight team league. While scoring is not a barometer of future success, the Badgers are developing a rap in the Twin Cities that they are average recruiters. Like the previous posting relating to parallels with the Gophers recent woes, they are taking commitments too early. If a recruit is languishing in the EJHL (as mentioned above) it is highly unlikely they'll be a contributor in the WCHA/Big Ten. The EJHL is Tier III. The NAHL is Tier II and the USHL is Tier 1. Current players like Barmes and Ramage are why they need to focus on Tier 1 players.

First of all, no one even knows if Zajac has an offer from Wisconsin.

Second of all, the Badgers are developing a rap in the TC that they are average recruiters? If Eaves and company are such terrible recruiters, it's amazing they've landed Morgan Zulinick, Nic Kerdiles, Kyle Turris, Ryan McDonagh, Jamie McBain, Derek Stepan, Blake Geoffrion, Brendan Smith, Cody Goloubef, Jake Gardiner, Joe Pavelski, Justin Schultz, John Ramage, Michael Mersch, Mark Zengerle, Tyler Barnes, Joseph LaBate, Jake McCabe etc, etc, etc, etc, etc....

If that's developing a bad rap, then I'd like to speak with the people doing the rapping.

As for a kid struggling in the EJHL...god forbid 1 recruit struggle ever, especially one coming off a season where he missed almost the entire year due to a concussion. Kid is 17 years old, maybe he's not Gretzky but it's a bit too early to say he'll never be a contributor in the WCHA/Big 10.

 

[solovsfett]

Re: Wisconsin Recruiting: Filling the foundation with 5 stars

http://www.mnhockeyhub.com/team_instance/stats/76497?subseason=43176
The link above to the Team Southeast page for the Upper Midwest High School Elite League. Michael Zajac finished 10th among his teammates in the eight team league. While scoring is not a barometer of future success, the Badgers are developing a rap in the Twin Cities that they are average recruiters. Like the previous posting relating to parallels with the Gophers recent woes, they are taking commitments too early. If a recruit is languishing in the EJHL (as mentioned above) it is highly unlikely they'll be a contributor in the WCHA/Big Ten. The EJHL is Tier III. The NAHL is Tier II and the USHL is Tier 1. Current players like Barmes and Ramage are why they need to focus on Tier 1 players.

I think the gopher fans are feeling the same thing I'm feeling and are fearful the 7th banner will be hung up at the Kohl sooner than they'd like, as in 2013 or 2014.

meaning this UW team is on it's way with the talent they've got to be **** good by the end of this year, even better next year. add in Kerdiles and Zulinick, look out!

 

[JDUBBS1280]

I think the gopher fans are feeling the same thing I'm feeling and are fearful the 7th banner will be hung up at the Kohl sooner than they'd like, as in 2013 or 2014.

meaning this UW team is on it's way with the talent they've got to be **** good by the end of this year, even better next year. add in Kerdiles and Zulinick, look out!

Yeah. But really, no. I don't worry about that.

 

[JDUBBS1280]

First of all, no one even knows if Zajac has an offer from Wisconsin.

Second of all, the Badgers are developing a rap in the TC that they are average recruiters? If Eaves and company are such terrible recruiters, it's amazing they've landed Morgan Zulinick, Nic Kerdiles, Kyle Turris, Ryan McDonagh, Jamie McBain, Derek Stepan, Blake Geoffrion, Brendan Smith, Cody Goloubef, Jake Gardiner, Joe Pavelski, Justin Schultz, John Ramage, Michael Mersch, Mark Zengerle, Tyler Barnes, Joseph LaBate, Jake McCabe etc, etc, etc, etc, etc....

If that's developing a bad rap, then I'd like to speak with the people doing the rapping.

As for a kid struggling in the EJHL...god forbid 1 recruit struggle ever, especially one coming off a season where he missed almost the entire year due to a concussion. Kid is 17 years old, maybe he's not Gretzky but it's a bit too early to say he'll never be a contributor in the WCHA/Big 10.

Completely agree. And to add to that, not every player is recruited to be a top line forward or a first pair defenseman.

 

[solovsfett]

Re: Wisconsin Recruiting: Filling the foundation with 5 stars

http://www.mnhockeyhub.com/team_instance/stats/76497?subseason=43176
The link above to the Team Southeast page for the Upper Midwest High School Elite League. Michael Zajac finished 10th among his teammates in the eight team league. While scoring is not a barometer of future success, the Badgers are developing a rap in the Twin Cities that they are average recruiters. Like the previous posting relating to parallels with the Gophers recent woes, they are taking commitments too early. If a recruit is languishing in the EJHL (as mentioned above) it is highly unlikely they'll be a contributor in the WCHA/Big Ten. The EJHL is Tier III. The NAHL is Tier II and the USHL is Tier 1. Current players like Barmes and Ramage are why they need to focus on Tier 1 players.

average recruiters: http://www.nhl.com/ice/news.htm?id=598307

 

[Chuck Schwartz]

Re: Wisconsin Recruiting: Filling the foundation with 5 stars

Sounds like Kevin Schulze has been traded from Muskegon to Omaha of the USHL.

Edit: Deal confirmed.

 

[MaizeRage]

Re: Wisconsin Recruiting: Filling the foundation with 5 stars

Current players like Barmes and Ramage are why they need to focus on Tier 1 players.

John Ramage played in the NAHL. Clint Barmes plays baseball. Not the two greatest examples ever.

 

[Gandalf the Red]

Re: Wisconsin Recruiting: Filling the foundation with 5 stars

John Ramage played in the NAHL. Clint Barmes plays baseball. Not the two greatest examples ever.

John Ramage did play for the USNTDP his senior year in high school. While they played in the NAHL then, I certainly don't think anyone considers them Tier II.

How many players haven't turned out for the gophers in the past few years? Jake Youso (I think that is how it is spelled) comes to mind. Recruited early, turned out he never developed and tDon kept pushing him back and then sent him packing. Max Gardiner was suppose to be a stud too. Not to mention most of the defensemen John Hill brought in who all sucked on the back end, well in all ends really, for the last several seasons.

It happens to even the "best" programs, not every 16 year old blue chipper is going to be a 19 year old blue chipper.

 

[JDUBBS1280]

John Ramage did play for the USNTDP his senior year in high school. While they played in the NAHL then, I certainly don't think anyone considers them Tier II.

How many players haven't turned out for the gophers in the past few years? Jake Youso (I think that is how it is spelled) comes to mind. Recruited early, turned out he never developed and tDon kept pushing him back and then sent him packing. Max Gardiner was suppose to be a stud too. Not to mention most of the defensemen John Hill brought in who all sucked on the back end, well in all ends really, for the last several seasons.

It happens to even the "best" programs, not every 16 year old blue chipper is going to be a 19 year old blue chipper.

is that guy even a Gopher fan? If he is, he isn't very knowledgable. As a Gopher fan, I don't see how we have any room to talk about players not panning out. To your list, you can add Pat White, Kevin Weirs, Cade Fairchild, and to some extent Aaron Ness.

 

[Hammy]

Re: Wisconsin Recruiting: Filling the foundation with 5 stars

Second of all, the Badgers are developing a rap in the TC that they are average recruiters? If Eaves and company are such terrible recruiters, it's amazing they've landed Morgan Zulinick, Nic Kerdiles, Kyle Turris, Ryan McDonagh, Jamie McBain, Derek Stepan, Blake Geoffrion, Brendan Smith, Cody Goloubef, Jake Gardiner, Joe Pavelski, Justin Schultz, John Ramage, Michael Mersch, Mark Zengerle, Tyler Barnes, Joseph LaBate, Jake McCabe etc, etc, etc, etc, etc....

If that's developing a bad rap, then I'd like to speak with the people doing the rapping.

How many of those players you mention had anything to do with UW's current assistants during their recruitment?

People can talk about players recruited under a head coach but the reality is a lot of the work is done by the assistant coaches. Those guys matter more than people often understand. Assistants won't necessarily be the main reason a kid does (or does not) select a school but you'd be kidding yourself if they don't play a healthy sized role. It certainly didn't help the Gophers cause with Hill. If they didn't have such a big advantage recruiting in MN, Hill's presence would have been more damaging than it was.

 

[solovsfett]

Re: Wisconsin Recruiting: Filling the foundation with 5 stars

How many of those players you mention had anything to do with UW's current assistants during their recruitment?

People can talk about players recruited under a head coach but the reality is a lot of the work is done by the assistant coaches. Those guys matter more than people often understand. Assistants won't necessarily be the main reason a kid does (or does not) select a school but you'd be kidding yourself if they don't play a healthy sized role. It certainly didn't help the Gophers cause with Hill. If they didn't have such a big advantage recruiting in MN, Hill's presence would have been more damaging than it was.

UW has had about 4-5 assistant coaches since Coach Eaves took over, most of whom have moved on to head coaching jobs on their own, there really hasn't been a drop off in recruiting that I can see.

if you want to pin recruits on Shuchuk and Butters you can say Joseph Labate, Tim Davison, Linhart, I believe Kerdiles and Zulinick as well? Jason Clark?