Wisconsin Women's Hockey 2021-2022

[Timothy A]

I don’t understand the interest in Compher since the Badger women will have 13 Fs next season unless someone is looking to transfer or flip a commitment. The following season they will have 15Fswith the addition of Vasseur, Hall, and Gorbatenko - if nobody transfers or flips commitments. It isn’t until the next Olympic year (25-26) for which current roster projections have major shortages at F and D that will need to be addressed.

She's a proven commodity, whereas the Freshmen, though highly regarded, are still unproven. And you would see her play ahead of someone like GS for sure.

 

[Patricio]

On the issue of portal transfers, when you have a surfeit of players at a position, I prefer playing players who have committed to you out of high school and those on the current roster who will be returning. Supposedly commits were recruited based on expectations that they would respond to coaching and develop to a suitable playing level – admittedly some will be better than others. But they decided to commit based on an understanding they would have an opportunity to play.

A situation like this year’s with the loss of so many players to the Olympics team is one in which transfers are acceptable. But, for me, it seems unfair to both the incoming recruits and the returning players to turn to the portal when you have a full roster. And the Badgers already actually have a surplus of players for the next two years barring transfers and/or commitment flips. Frankly, for returning players (e.g., GS) who have not been given much quality time, it would be an incentive to transfer ala Greig and Grant before their playing careers were over. For incoming commitments, it might raise questions about the expectations they had (perhaps even been given) for playing time and decisions to flip to other teams that seemed more certain to offer opportunities.

So, as for Compher, I am less enthusiastic about offering her a spot on the roster should she be thinking of possibly entering graduate school here. The roster looks more than adequate with the incoming classes the next two years, and I would prefer to honor the new commitments and the returning players to come and stay by investing in them. Even if they fall short of some of the expectations held for them, they still should be formidable.

 

[Sieve1]

”So, as for Compher, I am less enthusiastic about offering her a spot on the roster should she be thinking of possibly entering graduate school here. The roster looks more than adequate with the incoming classes the next two years, and I would prefer to honor the new commitments and the returning players to come and stay by investing in them. Even if they fall short of some of the expectations held for them, they still should be formidable.”



I agree with your views, however that’s just not reality in NCAA D1 sports today, unfortunately.
OSU set the standard last season by dropping committed players (some committed for many years) in favor of proven, experienced transfers. Can’t argue with the end result. The ends justified the means, some would say. UW and others want/need to win now, not 4 years from now after they have “invested” in their recruits.

 

[shelfit]

UW and others want/need to win now, not 4 years from now after they have “invested” in their recruits.

I don't think I'd say schools like WI "need" to win any more national championships. In fact, they've already won so many I find myself rooting against them, MN, and UMD. Having the same few schools winning the title so often is boring. I'm not saying that what those teams have done isn't impressive. I'm just tired of the same teams winning the title all the time. I'm so glad we have a new champion this year. Look at this all-time list of championships per school:

WI - 6
MN - 6
UMD - 5
Clarkson - 3
tOSU - 1

Congratulations to Ohio State on becoming just the 5th school to ever have won the NCAA title!

If we add in the 3 AWCHA champions the all- time winners list looks like this:

MN - 7 (00, 04, 05, 12, 13, 15, 16)
WI - 6 (06, 07, 09, 11, 19, 21)
UMD - 5 (01, 02, 03, 08, 10)
Clarkson - 3 (14, 17, 18)
tOSU - 1 (22)
Harvard - 1 (99)
UNH - 1 (98)

 

[Steamboat]

Is it the reality that women's hockey is about winning at all costs? Should it be? We on the forum had the question posed about what Nadine Muzerall's transfer strategy would do for team cohesion overall. Do we have an answer to that? No, not yet we don't. We don't know or hear about the players who lost opportunity because the coach used the transfer portal to advantage.
I quit following the mens college hockey game because the fans were so rabid and disrespectful of other teams and their fans. As far as I am concerned the women game is more what 'sport ' is all about. Look at the mens hockey page on USCHO and read how many young men are ditching college for a shot at the pros. Is it all about the money? Should it be?
I am happy to support the womens game as they work towards their own identity. Women are different than men, (DUH). They think different and interact different, and I appreciate and respect that difference. I hope to see that in women hockey at least, it is not 'win at all costs.'

 

[Patricio]

Is it the reality that women's hockey is about winning at all costs? Should it be? We on the forum had the question posed about what Nadine Muzerall's transfer strategy would do for team cohesion overall. Do we have an answer to that? No, not yet we don't. We don't know or hear about the players who lost opportunity because the coach used the transfer portal to advantage.

Amen.

Regarding OhSt dropping players to make room for transfers this past season. For the 2020-2021 season they had 21 players of which one went to Canada’s Olympic squad, another simply stopped playing, and 2 transferred (same as UW and both likely because of playing time issues). They then added 8 transfers (2 of whom were from Robt Morris) for 2021-2022 to reach 25 players, a common number for a roster and the same number Bucky had before the injuries to Picard and Nealy. So the OhSt influx does not seem to have been much different in terms of the loss of existing roster players than that of the Badgers. They had a lot of open roster spots and used the portal to fill them. I don't see this as a problem. I prefer to wait and see if this becomes OhSt’s modus operandi before chastising their coach.

Circumstances like those both OhSt and the Badgers faced with their rosters this past year certainly warrant looking at transfers and recruit flips when both parties are interested. But I personally prefer that the first responsibility is to focus on the ongoing development of returning players and incoming recruits to maintain a proper roster size. These players have made commitments to devote time and energy to the success of the team and are owed a similar commitment from the coaching staff that enables them to contribute to that success. When the configuration of new and returning players offers a full complement of players, devote your energies to finding the right mix for them. There certainly is a lot of pressure on winning, but don’t lose track of how it is done.

 

[Lindsay]

Is it the reality that women's hockey is about winning at all costs? Should it be? We on the forum had the question posed about what Nadine Muzerall's transfer strategy would do for team cohesion overall. Do we have an answer to that? No, not yet we don't. We don't know or hear about the players who lost opportunity because the coach used the transfer portal to advantage.
I quit following the mens college hockey game because the fans were so rabid and disrespectful of other teams and their fans. As far as I am concerned the women game is more what 'sport ' is all about. Look at the mens hockey page on USCHO and read how many young men are ditching college for a shot at the pros. Is it all about the money? Should it be?
I am happy to support the womens game as they work towards their own identity. Women are different than men, (DUH). They think different and interact different, and I appreciate and respect that difference. I hope to see that in women hockey at least, it is not 'win at all costs.'

At the D1 level I believe it is win at all costs. Folks need to be patient and let the Covid stuff work thru the system, it will take a few years. There will always be transfers but not at this volume for the stars.

I agree the men’s ncaa has become a pipeline to the pros, just like what college hockey inc wanted to be. Everything is a Double edged sword.

I take less issue with what is happening at the college and pro level and more at the grass roots. From my own experience I feel the game is less accessible to a house league hockey player today than it was 30 years ago. Pretty discouraging, and questioning if my family should stick with the sport.

 

[robertearle]

Before spending more time decrying Compher's transfer to Wisconsin, and all it represents, maybe wait to see if Compher is actually transferring to Wisconsin?

 

[Timothy A]

I used to be anti portal/let's be loyal to the recruits, but for the top 4 wcha teams, it is all about winning like it or not not. Muzzy is kinda following MJs lead on transfers but has taken it to another level last season. Mj also flipped 2 bigtime MN recruits, so players also move pre-enrollment. Frosty countered by bringing in some flashy players from Europe. It's a big chess game. You have to use all the pieces like it or not. If UW falls off the face of the earth performance-wise, attendance will be a couple hundred people. There is alot riding on winning.

 

[Steamboat]

There is alot riding on winning.

That is the sound of a Minnesota Viking fan! I can't stand it when people will only support a team when it is winning. 50% of the time you are likely to be disappointed. It is the process of building a winning team that I enjoy observing. Does losing make a player an inferior human being?
Do people perform to their potential? Do they exceed their potential? Do they never reach their potential? Enjoy the game, and applaud the players for doing their best! Stop harping on what could have been, should have been, would have been. What type of fan are you, and what does that say about the type of person we are? Be gracious in defeat and humble in victory.

 

[Timothy A]

That is the sound of a Minnesota Viking fan! I can't stand it when people will only support a team when it is winning.

I agree. I would go watch them no matter Watts, I like women's hockey a lot. Sadly, the UW men's team has been abandoned by thousands of people. I still watch them every chance I get, but I won't pay big money to watch them in person when they make the same mistakes over and over and over. Player development is nil.

 

[HockeyGuy362]

I agree. I would go watch them no matter Watts, I like women's hockey a lot. Sadly, the UW men's team has been abandoned by thousands of people. I still watch them every chance I get, but I won't pay big money to watch them in person when they make the same mistakes over and over and over. Player development is nil.

Saw on GPL that compher to Wisconsin is official.

 

[Timothy A]

Saw on GPL that compher to Wisconsin is official.

Wow, it actually came true. This sure takes a bit of guesswork out of who will score on the freshman laden line-up. MJ always says it's difficult to rely on Fr for scoring or expect Fr scoring because the off ice changes are huge mentally to deal with and Fr who score a ton prior to college can struggle figuring how to play offensively without the puck, as usually they are used to having the puck a lot in HS. It's only for a year, so I hope the Fr. see the big picture no one bails.

 

[Timothy A]

Apparently she has a good amount of experience playing center and is very good on faceoffs. Pettet was good on those too, so a big hole has been filled there. Potential centers are Compher, OB, GS with Eden and Wheeler having international experience there. I have no idea if any of the incoming F's were centers.

Lines...
Wheeler Compher SS. Compher is an assist orientated player and it could really unleash SS.
Woz OB Web
Curl Eden Picard
Fr - GS - Fr

I have Woz and Picard ahead of the Fr just due to the experience factor. Picard showed flashes before in injury. In fact she and Woz were on the same line and it was kinda funny watching them both go after the same puck as in they had to learn how to play without the puck. It will be fascinating to see where the Fr. slot into the hierarchy at F.

One other point on Fr F's is in HS they probably don't have to play much D so that is also a learning curve.

 

[BadgerPete]

I saw the lines a little different, but naturally it's a good problem to have.

Shirley-O'Brien-Webster

Plug Sophie in Watts' spot on one of the highest scoring lines in the game and see what happens. I can't imagine breaking up Webster and O'Brien.

Eden-Compher-Curl

Let's roll with a centralization line, put Compher between the two gunners and let it ride. Also, I tried this line out on NHL 22 last night because I could and it put up three goals on Switzerland.

Wheeler-GS-Woz

I actually like the look of this as a third line; there's some scrap in there and they can provide a spark as well.

Edwards-Simms-Enright

Sure, I don't know much about the kids yet, but these are the three I get to see in the previews at LaBahn in June so let's see if we can recreate that Webster/O'Brien/Wheeler magic from two years ago.

Holloway/Picard

I didn't add Picard since coming back from bad leg injuries can always be touch and go, and I saw Holloway as a notch below the three U18 players. And they will both be the crucial depth we did not have this year when the inevitable injuries strike.

 

[Gargoyle]

TM has a nice article in the State Journal this morning about Jesse Compher.

 

[Timothy A]

TM has a nice article in the State Journal this morning about Jesse Compher.

Thanks for pointing that out, I missed it on the tweeder feed. I think I have to cull the tweeder follows a bit, it gets too packed when Indy and F1 get rolling. She is just Watts the team needs going into this season. I assume being from the Mission that MJ recruited her out of HS to come to UW, unless she was under the radar in HS and exploded at BU. At least much of her wardrobe is transferable, those reds are pretty close.

 

[robertearle]

Thanks for pointing that out, I missed it on the tweeder feed. I think I have to cull the tweeder follows a bit, it gets too packed when Indy and F1 get rolling. She is just Watts the team needs going into this season. I assume being from the Mission that MJ recruited her out of HS to come to UW, unless she was under the radar in HS and exploded at BU. At least much of her wardrobe is transferable, those reds are pretty close.

Officially, BU's red is value #CC0000; pure red, no blue or green at all.
Wisconsin is #c5050c, which is "red value is 197, green value is 5 and the blue value of its RGB is 12". Meaning (I think) if you mix equal quantities of paint, for example, 197 units of red paint, 5 of green and 12 of blue, you get Badgers' red. Meaning it is slightly darker.

I don't really see it; maybe just the slightest bit...

https://www.color-hex.com/color/cc0000

https://www.color-hex.com/color/c5050c

 

[Steamboat]

Officially, BU's red is value #CC0000; pure red, no blue or green at all.
Wisconsin is #c5050c, which is "red value is 197, green value is 5 and the blue value of its RGB is 12". Meaning (I think) if you mix equal quantities of paint, for example, 197 units of red paint, 5 of green and 12 of blue, you get Badgers' red. Meaning it is slightly darker.

I don't really see it; maybe just the slightest bit...

https://www.color-hex.com/color/cc0000

https://www.color-hex.com/color/c5050c

I love it! Another example of the fan forum expanding knowledge to all corners of the hockey world.

 

[Timothy A]

Officially, BU's red is value #CC0000; pure red, no blue or green at all.
Wisconsin is #c5050c, which is "red value is 197, green value is 5 and the blue value of its RGB is 12". Meaning (I think) if you mix equal quantities of paint, for example, 197 units of red paint, 5 of green and 12 of blue, you get Badgers' red. Meaning it is slightly darker.

I don't really see it; maybe just the slightest bit...

https://www.color-hex.com/color/cc0000

https://www.color-hex.com/color/c5050c

I recall when BU played @ UW in the NCAA's a few years back their red seemed a bit brighter than UW's and I found that odd. How in the world were you able to come up this this info?!?