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Wisconsin Women's Hockey 2022-2023

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Timothy A said:
It also helps blot out the goal the rodents scored on ARD in OT in the semi's, was that in 2016? I still don't know how that goal went in.
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Short side. It's similar to UW's first goal in that game: when the D turns the puck over right in front of the goalie, she's not going to be as ready to defend the net as she typically is.
 
ARM said:
Short side. It's similar to UW's first goal in that game: when the D turns the puck over right in front of the goalie, she's not going to be as ready to defend the net as she typically is.
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My memory of the play was there not a whole lot of space and the shot was from in tight and the D was all over the F.
 
Holes to fill this upcoming season...

Wheeler OB XXXX
Curl XXXX LE
Enright Simms Eden
Woz Picard XXXX

XXXX XXXX
Jungels Harvey
Helgeson Kotlowski

XXXX Gervais Baker
 
Timothy A said:
Holes to fill this upcoming season...

Wheeler OB XXXX
Curl XXXX LE
Enright Simms Eden
Woz Picard XXXX

XXXX XXXX
Jungels Harvey
Helgeson Kotlowski

XXXX Gervais Baker
Click to expand...

Another talented class of freshman coming in to take those spots. Although they still need to add another defender. Potter and Murphy make 6 but you should have 7. Still waiting on whether Chayla Edwards is definitely moving on. She was at SR day but does have another year to play with her sister if she wants.
 
Timothy A said:
Holes to fill this upcoming season...

Wheeler OB XXXX
Curl XXXX LE
Enright Simms Eden
Woz Picard XXXX

XXXX XXXX
Jungels Harvey
Helgeson Kotlowski

XXXX Gervais Baker
Click to expand...

The six freshman (Hall, Gorbatenko, Vasseur, Murphy, Potter, MacNaughton) fill the x's precisely, although in what order will be up in the air.

I could see something like:
Wheeler-OB-Woz
Hall-Curl-LE
Enright-Simms-Eden
Gorbatenko-Picard-Vasseur

Jungels-Harvey
Murphy-Helgeson
Potter-Kotlowski

Gervais-MacNaughton-Baker

For the forwards, I almost switched Hall and Gorbatenko because Gorbatenko's size would hew closer to how that line was used last year, but having seen Cassie Hall play at 2 U18s I just don't see her not having a Top 9 spot. Eden and Hall might switch as well; Hall's play style could work with Simms and Enright quite well. For the defense, I split up Murphy and Potter with experienced players but again, I think both of them are good enough and the Jungels-Harvey line certainly showed that the right freshman can be a deadly pair. I can see Gervais and MacNaughton splitting weekends at the start.

We definitely could use a 7th D from the portal, fortunately that's a depth player so I think there's options for someone who just wants a good chance at a Natty.
 
In their recent posts, Timothy A, Bonzo, and Badger Pete have commented about the makeup of next seasons F and D lines plus how the 3 goalies may be used. Over the past few weeks, I have been pondering the same questions, so I decided to add my thoughts to the discussion.

Beginning with the D lines. I see the pairings of Harvey-Jungels and Helgesen-Kotlowski continuing. I think Jungels will expand on the improvements in her offensive play in the second half of this past season and adopt a more active role on offense, increasing the threats posed by her pairing with Harvey. Helgesen may seek to be more active on offense, but her contributions on that front likely will remain minimal. However, she and Kotlowski will remain a solid D pairing. The 3rd D line will consist of Potter and Murphy. I believe these two have the potential to be another Harvey-Jungels twosome. Both play solid D, have speed, aggressiveness, tough shots, and an eye for open teammates. This will give the Badgers 2 D lines that will serve to add significant pressure when either one is on the ice with any of the O lines.

The O limes are a little trickier in my view. Enright-Simms-Eden started to jell nicely toward the end of the season when Enright was added to the line. Their chemistry should improve unless something changes dramatically. That leaves Edwards-Kurl-?, OB-Wheeler-?, Woz-Picard-?, and the 3 incoming recruits – Hall, Gorbatenko, and Vasseur. While all of the recruits are seen as offering plenty of potential, with Hall being the most heavily publicized, how well they will adjust to the level of the forthcoming competition remains an open question. However, MJ and his staff undoubtedly have thoughts and expectations that will inform the choices for placing them on the O lines. With those notes of caution, here are my suggestions for the O lines:
  • Enright-Simms-Eden for reasons already given.
  • Curl-Edwards-Woz. I believe Woz has a style of play that matches well with Curl’s and the two can fuel Edwards becoming more active in the slot and around the crease.
  • Hall/Picard-OB-Wheeler. All of these players have speed. Picard, OB, and Wheeler also have shown themselves to be aggressive jostling for the puck. Since Hall is regarded as a big time play maker, I assume she is somewhat aggressive as well. The key to me is matching the aggressiveness of OB and Wheeler with the 3[SUP]rd[/SUP] member of this line.
  • Hall/Picard-Gorbatenko-Vasseur. This will be determined by the decision about the members of the previous line.
I want to add that I have no objection to a line consisting of the 3 recruits. While that might prove shaky at first, the talent (if it proves out) is sufficient for them to become a productive threesome. However the lines are configured, I want to see all 4 average a minimum of 12 -13 minutes of playing time per game to ensure Woz and Picard get shots at a healthy amount of playing time (which I think they have earned and to which they will respond well), as well as to provide ample opportunities for them and the recruits to develop with a look to the future. The 24-25 season will have another 3 promising recruits to replace 3 graduating Fs, and I prefer that MJ does not have to address the loss of any more Fs to the portal following the 23-24 season.

For the goalies, I expect Gervais to be #1 at the beginning of the season, but McNaughton will play substantial minutes given her status as a very promising prospect. However, I also would like Baker be given some time in goal in at least several of the early games against less challenging opponents to see if she would be a viable choice to fill in should one of the other suffer an injury requiring her to sit out for a week or two – like the situation with Gervais this past season.

So, those are my musings. Regardless of how accurate they prove to be, I am confident MJ and his staff will put 7 solid lines and several quality Gs on the ice with a good chance of landing an 8[SUP]th[/SUP] championship.
 
I'm on board with Patricio in giving Picard and Woz opportunities up the line chart. From what I have seen, Picard can be a distributor. Can she win faceoffs against the top opposing C's? I struggle with wanting the most talented Fr F not on the 4th line, yet getting Woz up the chart. Freshmen can go 2 ways, start out hot then hit a wall, or start slow then get hot. This last year it was get hot at the end for all 3. I like the idea of Potter and Murphy being together. WI has a great history of Fr D pairs being solid from day 1 and their talent level coming in should be between KK and Jungels. No extra F's and no extra D, a very lean ship. I'd like to see another D come on board, I'm not a big fan of the rotating 5 D system.

Enright OB Eden
Curl Picard LE
Wheeler Simms Hall
Gorbatenko Woz Vassuer

Jungels Harvey
Potter Murphy
Helgeson Kotlowski

Gervais McNaughton Baker
 
Looking at the +/- from last year and a few things jump out at me. First off, Jungels lead the team and the D at +45. KK +42, LaMantia and LE +27, Kotlowski +18. Buchbinder was +24 in 24 games, so she was one pace to challenge Jungels. Helgeson was +10 in 38, about half of those games were not significant playing games. I am really shocked that LaMantia was so far behind those 2 Fr. It truly shows those 2 Fr were impact players; KK gets all the juice, but Jungels was better with half the points. I can't recall who she was paired up with prior to KK. It's probably safe to presume Potter and Murphy are going to be in the 30's, which means the D corp will be even better next year with 2 more fantastic Fr.
 
Rumor over on the UMT(tunneler)C(central) thread F King and D Wilgren from Kato may be becoming Badgers. It was on a podcast, so it has to be true, eh? It's one thing to type something untrue, it's another thing to actually say the untrue thing out loud, right? UW could use depth and a player who is actually from WI. King had 14 pts last year and Wilgren is a USA hockey residency player. It would be wickedly sick to pick up Wilgrin, Watts an absurd D corps UW would have. Anyway, an interesting rumor to pass the time.
 
Timothy A said:
Rumor over on the UMT(tunneler)C(central) thread F King and D Wilgren from Kato may be becoming Badgers. It was on a podcast, so it has to be true, eh? It's one thing to type something untrue, it's another thing to actually say the untrue thing out loud, right? UW could use depth and a player who is actually from WI. King had 14 pts last year and Wilgren is a USA hockey residency player. It would be wickedly sick to pick up Wilgrin, Watts an absurd D corps UW would have. Anyway, an interesting rumor to pass the time.
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https://twitter.com/OhioStateWHKY/status/1643767763805040640?s=20

Muzerall got King
 
BadgerPete said:
And so it is. Anna Wilgren is a Badger: https://uwbadgers.com/news/2023/4/20/womens-hockey-wilgren-to-join-badgers-for-2023-24-season.aspx
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BAM. Love it. A multiple captain to boot. I guess it's safe to assume that CE is not coming back with this signing, although it was apparent she wasn't anyway. UW will have the best D corps in the country if the roster holds up. Or MJ knows of a defector and is filling a future hole. You never know until September arrives, and that's a long way away.
 
Timothy A said:
BAM. Love it. A multiple captain to boot. I guess it's safe to assume that CE is not coming back with this signing, although it was apparent she wasn't anyway. UW will have the best D corps in the country if the roster holds up. Or MJ knows of a defector and is filling a future hole. You never know until September arrives, and that's a long way away.
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CE is returning
 
Timothy A said:
Or MJ knows of a defector and is filling a future hole. You never know until September arrives, and that's a long way away.
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The current 60-day time period for entering the portal ends on May 4th (give or take a day). So only two more weeks to worry about hearing bad news.

(Football has a second 15 window, but their first window is only 45 days; so maybe this 60 day period is hockey's only one.)
 
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