What's new
By:
USCHO Fan Forum

This is a sample guest message. Register a free account today to become a member! Once signed in, you'll be able to participate on this site by adding your own topics and posts, as well as connect with other members through your own private inbox!

  • The USCHO Fan Forum has migrated to a new plaform, xenForo. Most of the function of the forum should work in familiar ways. Please note that you can switch between light and dark modes by clicking on the gear icon in the upper right of the main menu bar. We are hoping that this new platform will prove to be faster and more reliable. Please feel free to explore its features.

Wisconsin Recruiting: Filling the foundation with 5 stars

Status
Not open for further replies.
Re: Wisconsin Recruiting: Filling the foundation with 5 stars

Timothy A said:
Besse according to the Red Line Report (picking the only negative): "Rarely finishes a check and is a defensive afterthought.'' He better make great strikes in this area this year if he ends up coming a year early. Poor D by a F will get you in the spectator seats under Eaves.
Click to expand...

Not if he works hard and scores. I really think that the greatest sin to Eaves is showing a poor work ethic in practice and off ice training. The bigger issue for Besse may be when he comes in (given the unbalanced nature of the classes) in and how much he is asked to do right away. Being able to place him on a line with a couple of upperclassmen (what Eaves did with Skille in 06) to help cover and defensive mistakes and keep him off the PK until he has demonstrated in practice that he gets the defensive system 100% (similar to Earl and Davies, who didn't see any PK time as Fr or So, but did as Jr and Sr).
 
Re: Wisconsin Recruiting: Filling the foundation with 5 stars

Almington said:
Not if he works hard and scores. I really think that the greatest sin to Eaves is showing a poor work ethic in practice and off ice training.
Click to expand...

I think you're spot on with this. Davies didn't get benched here and there because Eaves didn't think he wasn't good defensively (because we all know he wasn't), it was because he didn't think he was working hard enough in that area in games/practices, etc.

I thought the full scouting report on Besse from Red Line was actually pretty spot on. I think I saw Besse 5 times last year and thought they described his game well. I'd add in that the kid has a special knack for getting himself in a position to score. Some kids have a sense of where to go to put them in a position to score and he has that. Can't teach it.

Not trying to start a flame war with Minnesota fans, and I know I'm obviously partial but I think it's a great choice for this kid to go to Wisconsin if he ever wants to play pro hockey. I've seen the comments around about why would a kid who has traditionally not cared much for the defensive part of the game go play for Eaves. My question is why wouldn't a kid like that want to play for Eaves? You could be like Kessel and go somewhere that fits your style (aka you don't need to play any defense), or go somewhere that is going to challenge you to become a better two way player.

Again, not trying to start anything with Minnesota, the Kessel example just came to mind. But it makes a hell of a lot of sense to me to go to a place that is going to challenge the weakest parts of my game and make me a better pro down the road right?
 
Re: Wisconsin Recruiting: Filling the foundation with 5 stars

Chuck Schwartz said:
I think you're spot on with this. Davies didn't get benched here and there because Eaves didn't think he wasn't good defensively (because we all know he wasn't), it was because he didn't think he was working hard enough in that area in games/practices, etc.

I thought the full scouting report on Besse from Red Line was actually pretty spot on. I think I saw Besse 5 times last year and thought they described his game well. I'd add in that the kid has a special knack for getting himself in a position to score. Some kids have a sense of where to go to put them in a position to score and he has that. Can't teach it.

Not trying to start a flame war with Minnesota fans, and I know I'm obviously partial but I think it's a great choice for this kid to go to Wisconsin if he ever wants to play pro hockey. I've seen the comments around about why would a kid who has traditionally not cared much for the defensive part of the game go play for Eaves. My question is why wouldn't a kid like that want to play for Eaves? You could be like Kessel and go somewhere that fits your style (aka you don't need to play any defense), or go somewhere that is going to challenge you to become a better two way player.

Again, not trying to start anything with Minnesota, the Kessel example just came to mind. But it makes a hell of a lot of sense to me to go to a place that is going to challenge the weakest parts of my game and make me a better pro down the road right?
Click to expand...

if the kid is mature enough to see the flaws in his game and wants to challenge himself to be the best player he can be you're absolutely spot on, Wisconsin is the place to be for a forward who wants to become a 2-way or more complete player. at least imo it is

I can't wait to see Besse wearing his next RED jersey!
 
Re: Wisconsin Recruiting: Filling the foundation with 5 stars

mnstate0fhockey said:
Especially considering St Thomas' enrollment is all-male. And schools like STA and Breck play largely Class AA schedules during the season.

Holy Family Catholic moved up. Time for STA and Breck to as well IMO.
Click to expand...

In considering all-male schools they double the actual population to compare to the size cut-off.
 
Re: Wisconsin Recruiting: Filling the foundation with 5 stars

Chuck Schwartz said:
I think you're spot on with this. Davies didn't get benched here and there because Eaves didn't think he wasn't good defensively (because we all know he wasn't), it was because he didn't think he was working hard enough in that area in games/practices, etc.

I thought the full scouting report on Besse from Red Line was actually pretty spot on. I think I saw Besse 5 times last year and thought they described his game well. I'd add in that the kid has a special knack for getting himself in a position to score. Some kids have a sense of where to go to put them in a position to score and he has that. Can't teach it.

Not trying to start a flame war with Minnesota fans, and I know I'm obviously partial but I think it's a great choice for this kid to go to Wisconsin if he ever wants to play pro hockey. I've seen the comments around about why would a kid who has traditionally not cared much for the defensive part of the game go play for Eaves. My question is why wouldn't a kid like that want to play for Eaves? You could be like Kessel and go somewhere that fits your style (aka you don't need to play any defense), or go somewhere that is going to challenge you to become a better two way player.

Again, not trying to start anything with Minnesota, the Kessel example just came to mind. But it makes a hell of a lot of sense to me to go to a place that is going to challenge the weakest parts of my game and make me a better pro down the road right?
Click to expand...

Every team coaches defensive responsibility. Of course, some coaches are better at it than others (i.e. why Guentzel improved matters with many of the same defensemen from the prior year). Under Lucia, the Gophers have generally played a more creative style of hockey based on puck possession (your best defense is a good offense... can't get scored on when the puck is in the opponent's end and on your team's stick). Lucia isn't focused on a system as much as skating and creativity. That doesn't mean guys aren't expected to play defense though.

Besse has generally been a player that isn't engaged in the play unless there is a chance for somebody to feed him the puck. He floats on the perimeter and waits. That's not going to get it done at higher levels and it isn't an easy habit to break out of when you've been able to get away with it for so long. That's why Danny Mattson struggled so much after leaving Holy Angels. At Holy Angels, he played the same way. He could dipsy do around and wait for the puck. He didn't play good two way hockey. He goes off to the USHL, is asked to adapt his game, and he struggles. He gets dropped by UND and ends up at Bemidji. He didn't lose his skill from the Holy Angels days. He just couldn't adapt to be asked to be more engaged on both ends. We'll see how Besse adapts because there is going to hit a point where he'll be expected to.
 
Hammy said:
Every team coaches defensive responsibility. Of course, some coaches are better at it than others (i.e. why Guentzel improved matters with many of the same defensemen from the prior year). Under Lucia, the Gophers have generally played a more creative style of hockey based on puck possession (your best defense is a good offense... can't get scored on when the puck is in the opponent's end and on your team's stick). Lucia isn't focused on a system as much as skating and creativity. That doesn't mean guys aren't expected to play defense though.

Besse has generally been a player that isn't engaged in the play unless there is a chance for somebody to feed him the puck. He floats on the perimeter and waits. That's not going to get it done at higher levels and it isn't an easy habit to break out of when you've been able to get away with it for so long. That's why Danny Mattson struggled so much after leaving Holy Angels. At Holy Angels, he played the same way. He could dipsy do around and wait for the puck. He didn't play good two way hockey. He goes off to the USHL, is asked to adapt his game, and he struggles. He gets dropped by UND and ends up at Bemidji. He didn't lose his skill from the Holy Angels days. He just couldn't adapt to be asked to be more engaged on both ends. We'll see how Besse adapts because there is going to hit a point where he'll be expected to.
Click to expand...

Dave Spehar struggled with that too.
 
Re: Wisconsin Recruiting: Filling the foundation with 5 stars

Hammy said:
Besse has generally been a player that isn't engaged in the play unless there is a chance for somebody to feed him the puck. He floats on the perimeter and waits. That's not going to get it done at higher levels and it isn't an easy habit to break out of when you've been able to get away with it for so long. That's why Danny Mattson struggled so much after leaving Holy Angels. At Holy Angels, he played the same way. He could dipsy do around and wait for the puck. He didn't play good two way hockey. He goes off to the USHL, is asked to adapt his game, and he struggles. He gets dropped by UND and ends up at Bemidji. He didn't lose his skill from the Holy Angels days. He just couldn't adapt to be asked to be more engaged on both ends. We'll see how Besse adapts because there is going to hit a point where he'll be expected to.
Click to expand...

I wonder if going to a school with a well defined system might be the best thing for a player like that. Having specifically defined roles might assist in changing those habits that may not work at higher levels.
 
Re: Wisconsin Recruiting: Filling the foundation with 5 stars

Waterloo (USHL) defenseman Eddie Wittchow told me today he'll sign his letter of intent this week for the class of 2012. Nic Kerdiles, Morgan Zulinick, and Kevin Schulze signed in the fall. At this point UW doesn't plan to sign anyone else.
 
Re: Wisconsin Recruiting: Filling the foundation with 5 stars

Christian Horn committed to Minnesota for this fall. He had some Wisconsin interest. Solid player, teammate of Besse's at Benilde. Would have been a nice recruit for UW for 2013 but obviously no way UW could have fit him into this recruiting class.
 
Re: Wisconsin Recruiting: Filling the foundation with 5 stars

Final tournament for Nic Kerdiles before coming to Madison and he didn't disappoint. 4g, 5a, 9pts in 6 games at the U18 World Championships, including 2g, 3a, 5pts in gold medal game. Will be an immediate contributor in a top six role next season. First time the Badgers have had a legit top 6 up front since the 2010 Frozen Four run.
 
Re: Wisconsin Recruiting: Filling the foundation with 5 stars

Mentioned this on twitter today but there should be a number of top end Wisconsin kids in Chicago this weekend for the USHL combine for 96 born players. I would presume Anders Bjork (Notre Dame) Luke Davison, Cooper Watson, Brett Gruber, Mason Appleton, Charley Grasskamp, Kyler Pollitt, Ryan Wischow, and Matt Berkovitz to be in attendance as well as possibly some other Wisconsin kids. The USHL futures draft is next week so this is a big weekend for these kids.

The 1996 class is very deep for the state of Wisconsin. All of the kids mentioned are supposed to be very good prospects and that's not even including Jake Linhart (Wisconsin commit, tendered with Green Bay), Nick Schmaltz (North Dakota commit, going to Green Bay) and Keegan Ford (uncommitted, tendered with Dubuque).

Since we're talking 96's, don't forget about Seamus Malone, 2015 UW commit who has tendered with Dubuque and is from Illinois.
 
Last edited:
Re: Wisconsin Recruiting: Filling the foundation with 5 stars

Max Gardiner is heading to PSU, what was UW's interest level in the young lad?
 
Re: Wisconsin Recruiting: Filling the foundation with 5 stars

Timothy A said:
Max Gardiner is heading to PSU, what was UW's interest level in the young lad?
Click to expand...

UW was heavily interested in his initial recruitment in high school and from my memory finished runner up to Minnesota at the time. When he decided to transfer I honestly don't know if UW had much interest of even if they could have much interest. Transferring in the conference is rare, although it does happen. I don't have any knowledge but I'd be shocked if a player transferred out of Minnesota and Lucia allowed him to transfer to Wisconsin, especially given that his brother played at UW. Even if he wasn't restricted, UW returns 15 forwards and still has Zulinick and Kerdiles coming in. There wouldn't have been any room.
 
Re: Wisconsin Recruiting: Filling the foundation with 5 stars

Chuck Schwartz said:
UW was heavily interested in his initial recruitment in high school and from my memory finished runner up to Minnesota at the time. When he decided to transfer I honestly don't know if UW had much interest of even if they could have much interest. Transferring in the conference is rare, although it does happen. I don't have any knowledge but I'd be shocked if a player transferred out of Minnesota and Lucia allowed him to transfer to Wisconsin, especially given that his brother played at UW. Even if he wasn't restricted, UW returns 15 forwards and still has Zulinick and Kerdiles coming in. There wouldn't have been any room.
Click to expand...

Technically, transferring to PSU is an in-conference transfer, but only technically. In looking at his numbers and after reading up a bit, he would not have been some massive upgrade that you couldn't turn away. At this point Eaves seems to have a well balanced group of forwards on the roster for next year.

Too bad Max didn't come to UW, he would have been in great position to get a ton of ice time last year.
 
Re: Wisconsin Recruiting: Filling the foundation with 5 stars

Pretty sure Lucia blocked Max from transferring within WCHA.
 
Status
Not open for further replies.
Back
Top