Wisconsin Women's Hockey 2024-2025

[Timothy A]

I get that's your rational Timothy and how you'd think it makes sense but I was wondering if that's awinks thoughts as well since it was their post.

No, I completely agreed. I don't know how heralded Kuntz was coming in but Baker really wasn't at all, it seem like she was just a practice player more than anything else. I don't see them split timing at all, I see Ava running the show. Mark only splits time goalies when one hasn't done enough to get all the playing time. Ava is the clear number one and the workload is such that she could play all the games and not be overworked. ARD or Rigsby never even got time off against cupcakes.

 

[Hockeybuckeye]

I see Ava running the show. Mark only splits time goalies when one hasn't done enough to get all the playing time. Ava is the clear number one and the workload is such that she could play all the games and not be overworked. ARD or Rigsby never even got time off against cupcakes.

It makes me wonder if Kuntz will get any playing time at all?

 

[Timothy A]

It makes me wonder if Kuntz will get any playing time at all?

I doubt it unless McN gets hurt. Also during Soup's and Blair's time they played all the games as well when not injured.

 

[Timothy A]

Now that it feels like the roster seems to be set, been debating about the potential lineup for next year, thought I would pose it to the forum and see what y'all think. This is what I settled on:

Edwards-O'Brien-Simms
McCarthy-Hall-Eden
Wozniewicz-Scannel-Enright
Gorbatenko-Picard-Halverson
Vasseur, Zilisch

Jungels-Harvey
Venusio-Potter
Kotlowski-Murphy
Bickett

McNaughton
Kuntz
Baker

Top forward group and the Viv-KK pair should remain untouched. Hard to know where to pencil in the freshmen without knowing a ton about them, but I anticipate at least one of them will be in the top-6 forwards and Venusio feels like she'll push for a top-4 D spot. Hopeful for good health so that they can ice the full team this year!

I love chewing that phat on lines.....

I think Gorbotenko will be a top 9 player since she spot played up in the line-up last season, even in the big games, but you are right you never know where the highly regarded Fr F's of McCarthy and Scannel will slot in.

My attempt at what I would call a top 9 balanced line-up. To go even more radically balanced, flip Edwards and Gorbatenko.
McCarthy OB Eden
Edwards Hall Simms
Gorbatenko Picard Enright
Woz Scannel Vasseur
Halverson Zilich

 

[Patricio]

The incoming class of Fs and the availability of Enright and Vasseur after missing last season with injuries should enable Bucky to have 4 solid FLines. The continued strides Edwards raises the possibility that the line of her, Simms, and OB may be even more productive than it was last year. I expect Gorbatenko to make major strides as she finally will be on a true FLine with a lot of choices for potential, quality linemates. Overall, the Badger should have 4 solid FLines. My main question is how long it will take them to gel. Hopefully, there will not be a repeat of last season’s injuries that would hamper the development of anyone.

The D corps also looks to be in solid shape with the addition of the incoming recruits. Venusio especially looks she will provide offense along with solid D. And I will not be surprised if Potter and Murphy add more offensive punch as well.

As long as McNaughton avoids any injuries, goalie is in excellent hands. However, should she suffer an injury, I am not confident that Kunst or Baker would be an adequate replacement. McNaughton is an exceptional goalie, so filling in for her would not be an easy task for anyone. But the almost total lack of any playing time for Kunst and Baker is worrisome, and the season could (likely would) unravel if McNaughton were lost for an extended period of time.

So, barring a repeat of last season’s injuries, I expect the Badgers will be very difficult for opponents to handle. And it will be interesting (and hopefully entertaining) to watch as the bevy of talent matures and settles in.

On a related issue, has anyone heard any news about recruiting for the 26-27 season?

 

[Hockeybuckeye]

As long as McNaughton avoids any injuries, goalie is in excellent hands. However, should she suffer an injury, I am not confident that Kunst or Baker would be an adequate replacement. McNaughton is an exceptional goalie, so filling in for her would not be an easy task for anyone. But the almost total lack of any playing time for Kunst and Baker is worrisome, and the season could (likely would) unravel if McNaughton were lost for an extended period of time.

I feel your insight on your goaltending is probably the most accurate I've seen posted on your thread.

 

[awinks]

My attempt at what I would call a top 9 balanced line-up. To go even more radically balanced, flip Edwards and Gorbatenko.
McCarthy OB Eden
Edwards Hall Simms
Gorbatenko Picard Enright
Woz Scannel Vasseur
Halverson Zilich

I like it. I feel like it would be really tough to break up such a productive top group from last year though . . .

Definitely excited to see how Gorbatenko does with consistent ice time and linemates. I will say though, don't sleep on Halverson. I know she wasn't on any of the U18 and USA stuff, but she's an absolute gamer. Played at Edina HS (same as Viv) and was the best player on their title team and absolutely elevated her game in the state tourney when the lights were brightest. Would not be surprised to see her carve out some kind of role early on.

 

[Timothy A]

I feel your insight on your goaltending is probably the most accurate I've seen posted on your thread.

Yeah, Patricio's goaltending insight is spot on. I don't have a whole lot of confidence either behind Ava. I'd venture to guess that no Badger fans are going to disagree.

 

[Timothy A]

I like it. I feel like it would be really tough to break up such a productive top group from last year though . . .

Definitely excited to see how Gorbatenko does with consistent ice time and linemates. I will say though, don't sleep on Halverson. I know she wasn't on any of the U18 and USA stuff, but she's an absolute gamer. Played at Edina HS (same as Viv) and was the best player on their title team and absolutely elevated her game in the state tourney when the lights were brightest. Would not be surprised to see her carve out some kind of role early on.

Thanks for the insight on Halverson. I can't wait to see that first line chart.

 

[robertearle]

We should be due for ticket renewal information any day now.

My 'order history' at the UW web site shows the renewal was submitted on July 5th, and the credit card charged on July 17. Two years prior, the credit card charge was in that same July 15 time frame.

(They massively raised volleyball tickets again this year - second time in three years - so I start to get nervous about what might be arriving for W hockey...)

 

[Timothy A]

We should be due for ticket renewal information any day now.

My 'order history' at the UW web site shows the renewal was submitted on July 5th, and the credit card charged on July 17. Two years prior, the credit card charge was in that same July 15 time frame.

(They massively raised volleyball tickets again this year - second time in three years - so I start to get nervous about what might be arriving for W hockey...)

How much have the VB tix gone up the last few years?

 

[robertearle]

How much have the VB tix gone up the last few years?

Prior to the 2021 national championship, my VERY good reserved ticket was under $100 - $85 maybe? - and there was only reserved and general admission.

For 2022, they introduced four different levels of pricing for reserved seating, plus general admission; I opted for the second most expensive, which cost $210 but no mandatory "contribution" required. The top seats were $280 plus a $250 required "contribution".

This year mine went from $210 to $300 plus a $100 "contribution". The top seats went from $280 to $375 with the same $250 "contribution. The other reserved sections got proportional increases.

So I now pay as much or more just to have the "opportunity" to buy the tickets as I paid four years ago for the entire cost. Granted, the cost four years ago was a great bargain, But still...

And if you're expecting any pushback, etc - people dropping their tickets - this year is an entire sellout.

 

[Timothy A]

And if you're expecting any pushback, etc - people dropping their tickets - this year is an entire sellout.

They can keep raising their prices until the pushback happens. That's capitalism. I suspect the same for women's hockey, though VB has a more outgoing headcoach whose charisma certainly equal's his team's performance. The numbers VB draws is amazing.

Two future recruits have been invited to the US U18 camp, Rachel Grobotenko and Mackenzie Jones.
Current players invited to the US O18 include Eden, Edwards, Hall, Harvey, Jungels, McNaughton, O-B, Potter and Simms. Great to see Hall, Jungels, Potter and McNaughton get some ice time with the program.

 

[robertearle]

They can keep raising their prices until the pushback happens. That's capitalism. I suspect the same for women's hockey, though VB has a more outgoing headcoach whose charisma certainly equal's his team's performance. The numbers VB draws is amazing.

The 'shame' is the people most likely to get squeezed out are the older fans who've had season tickets for decades, and families who can't afford to pay those prices to take their kids on a regular basis.

No-shows haven't been a problem - the numbers on 'tickets scanned' last year were really good - but the fear is that big-money football people will see or have seen buying 'cheap' VB tickets as a way to boost the 'donor ranking' so as to move up on the football ticket food chain.

One encouraging thing is that they warned ticket holders against re-selling their tickets on StubHub etc, that they are monitoring that possible behavior. Two years ago now, they made a show of revoking a number of football season tickets who were reselling "excessively".

What seemed to trigger it all - other than Chris McIntosh replacing Barry, maybe - was winning the 2021 national VB championship. If winning a championship was going to trigger increased WH tickets, we'd have seen that happen long ago.

 

[Claygr]

We have a very good chance of winning national championships in both VB and WH this year so that my bet (literally) is that the season ticket money is going to end up as a great investment on lifetime memories.

 

[Patricio]

Two future recruits have been invited to the US U18 camp, Rachel Gorbenko and Mackenzie Jones.
Current players invited to the US O18 include Eden, Edwards, Hall, Harvey, Jungels, McNaughton, O-B, Potter and Simms. Great to see Hall, Jungels, Potter and McNaughton get some ice time with the program.

Rachel Gorbatenko and Mackenzie Jones look like they could be an interesting tandem at D. Both are listed as 5’11” and their offensive stats over the past couple years have been more typical of solid forwards. Their selection to the U18 team suggests their overall play as Ds is considerably above average as well. Might they be paired on a DLine?

 

[Timothy A]

Rachel Gorbatenko and Mackenzie Jones look like they could be an interesting tandem at D. Both are listed as 5’11” and their offensive stats over the past couple years have been more typical of solid forwards. Their selection to the U18 team suggests their overall play as Ds is considerably above average as well. Might they be paired on a DLine?

I like that size. Some of our D are on the smaller size right now but speed and technique makes up for that. They could easily play together as freshmen, like Bowlby and Buchbinder did. And scoring will be important as well because when they're upperclassmen they will need to replace the points of Jungles and Harvey, an extremely tall task.

 

[Gargoyle]

No word yet on season ticket renewals? I'm worried that I was somehow dropped off the renewal email list.

 

[robertearle]

No word yet on season ticket renewals? I'm worried that I was somehow dropped off the renewal email list.

Nothing here yet, either.

If you go to the web site and click on "tickets" for women's hockey, you still get a page talking about the 2023-24 season. So they're just not ready for us yet.

 

[Ooftah]

...they're just not ready for us yet.

I received a reply from the ticket office 10 days that said the website should be updated "in the next few weeks." I am also awaiting a response to the ticket information form I submitted at https://app.bucky.uwbadgers.com/Womens-Hockey-Interest.

Two years ago, the notice went out on 7/20. Last year, it was on 7/17. We should be getting close.

Meanwhile, I am being bombarded with invitations to buy tickets I have no interest in whatsoever (football, men's hockey, etc.).