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Wisconsin Women's Hockey 2023-2024

With two departures on defense and one incoming freshman, Kotlowski could return and put Helgeson in competition with Venusio for ice time. If Katie returns, I would not be surprised if Sophie exits via the transfer portal like her twin sister did from Quinnipiac.

With one departure at forward and three incoming freshman, depth on offense will be less of an issue. However, I would not be surprised if O’Brien returns in a Curl-like leadership role. Not so sure about Wheeler.

Any thoughts about incoming transfers? Unlike the Muzzer-menace, Wisconsin has not relied on the portal for team building. However, players like Wilgren, Blair, and Campbell have been key in recent years.
 
eastcoastgopher said:
With Wilgren's injury last year, shouldn't she theoretically have one more year of eligibility? Or am I off base here.
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The Badger roster page had her as "grad student", and I should have known better, but I didn't look further. It's way more complicated than that!

2018-19 (!): 35 games for Mankato
2019-20: 37 games for Mankato
2020-21: COVID year that doesn't count, 16 games Mankato
2021-22: centralized with the national team, year doesn't count
2022-23: 3 games, then medical hardship year.
2023-24: full season with Wisconsin.

Years on clock - (spring of the year) 2019, 2020, 2023, 2024
Years eligibility used - 2019, 2020, 2024

Three eligibility years used and fur years on 'the clock. Yes, you are correct, I am happily wrong. With "Animal House" echoing in my head ("Seven years of college, down the drain!"), I believe she has another year to go.
 
robertearle said:
The Badger roster page had her as "grad student", and I should have known better, but I didn't look further. It's way more complicated than that!

2018-19 (!): 35 games for Mankato
2019-20: 37 games for Mankato
2020-21: COVID year that doesn't count, 16 games Mankato
2021-22: centralized with the national team, year doesn't count
2022-23: 3 games, then medical hardship year.
2023-24: full season with Wisconsin.

Years on clock - (spring of the year) 2019, 2020, 2023, 2024
Years eligibility used - 2019, 2020, 2024

Three eligibility years used and fur years on 'the clock. Yes, you are correct, I am happily wrong. With "Animal House" echoing in my head ("Seven years of college, down the drain!"), I believe she has another year to go.
Click to expand...

This is cool. I had just assumed she was done. Definitely trying to beat Kessel for number of years used to complete eligibility.
 
It is hard to see both Wilgren and Kotlowski returning. If it is only one of them, wouldn't Wilgren be the more likely of the two? Apart from the disparity in playing time, if Wilgren continues to develop at UW, it opens up another shot at the Olympics and possibly the PWHL.

Unless the PWHL salary cap increases, players like Eden will probably be content to slow-roll their college experience. The average salary is similar to that of a recent college graduate in most fields.
 
NMH said:
Cayla Barnes has to be up there. She enrolled in 17/18, but left quickly when she was called into centralization as a late add.
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Eden - COVID freshman year that "doesn't count", then centralized in 2022, and a chance to centralize again in 2026, pushing "senior year" to 2027. (And with possible redshirt and/or 'medical hardship' years in there as well.)

She's won two NCAA championships while using only one year of eligibility!
 
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Ooftah said:
It is hard to see both Wilgren and Kotlowski returning. If it is only one of them, wouldn't Wilgren be the more likely of the two? Apart from the disparity in playing time, if Wilgren continues to develop at UW, it opens up another shot at the Olympics and possibly the PWHL.

Unless the PWHL salary cap increases, players like Eden will probably be content to slow-roll their college experience. The average salary is similar to that of a recent college graduate in most fields.
Click to expand...

Wilgren is playing over Kotlowski, so if Kotlowski wants more PT, she'd want to leave. If she's digging the UW experience this year, she'll stay. Same for Helgeson. I know we all value their presence on the team.

I think Eden has another gear that needs to be developed yet.
 
Just a few comments on roster issues.

I too had understood that Wilgren had only one year of eligibility left and she would be leaving after this season. However, several of the previous posts suggest she still will have a year left after this season. If so, I expect she will return next season and likely would be paired with Vesuvio. Vesuvio simply is seen as too dynamic a player not to be on one of the DLines. How that impacts Kotlowski and Helgesen is unclear, but they both stayed this year with 8 Ds and may decide to do it again. Given the number of injuries the Badgers suffered this season, a vacancy at D might occur.

The situation for the Fs is somewhat more complicated. Next season I expect O’Brien and Wheeler to return. With the incoming recruits and the recoveries from their injuries by Enright and Vasseur, that will give 14 Fs. Given this season’s experience with injuries, this unfortunately may prove to be needed. Also, I remain unclear about the severity and nature of Vasseur’s injury and its implications for her next season. In any case, this surplus will be temporary.

The 25-26 season brings on the Olympics team draft which likely will impact the numbers at D and F. Harvey certainly will be a prime target for the US and Vesuvio may prove to be one for Canada. Eden, Laila, and Simms look like potential F prospects for the US, and Adel Šapovalivov may be one for Czechia. Then the following season should revert to traditional numbers for both Ds and Fs.

On a related matter that may impact Badger recruiting, I believe August 1 of this summer is the date when teams can make their initial offers to players who will be entering their junior years in high school. Notable among them will be Nela Lopusanova. While she mentioned the UW after her arrival at Bishop Kearney, she certainly will receive offers from the other top schools, and she too may be tapped by Slovakia to play for its Olympics team which could delay her arrival at her college destination. But eventually, wherever and whenever she finally suits up for a college team, that team will be in an enviable position.
 
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Ooftah said:
Unless the PWHL salary cap increases, players like Eden will probably be content to slow-roll their college experience. The average salary is similar to that of a recent college graduate in most fields.
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Another point to consider for many of these players is will there be room at the PWHL level for them? Currently the teams are stocked with superb talent that aren't set to retire after a single season. So those 2nd tier players may want to stick around as long as possible hoping for either more retirements or better yet some expansion. Hell, even the top tier talent may have a harder time finding a roster spot.
 
Windchill22 said:
Another point to consider for many of these players is will there be room at the PWHL level for them? Currently the teams are stocked with superb talent that aren't set to retire after a single season. So those 2nd tier players may want to stick around as long as possible hoping for either more retirements or better yet some expansion. Hell, even the top tier talent may have a harder time finding a roster spot.
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Good point, is OB good enough to play a regular shift in the PWHL?

Playoff tix go on sale Monday I do believe?
 
PWHL has scheduled a “Takeover Weekend” on March 16 and 17 in Detroit and Pittsburgh, respectively. With the amount of talent the women’s hockey world is generating, and the attendance numbers the current six teams are putting up, expansion will come quickly. It might not happen in those cities but they would be two good bets. A team in the Green Bay-Milwaukee-Chicago corridor would be nice.
 
wheel snipe celly said:
Kotlowski and Helgeson are out this weekend due to injuries
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Yikes, now is not the time for injuries. What is the prognosis for return?

Stay out of the box this weekend. No dumb penalties. Stay all over 18, then when the whistle blows to stop play, get away from her as quickly as possible.
 
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