Wisconsin Women's Hockey 2024-2025

[Ditra]

Might be of interest regarding Wisconsin's goalie coach.

https://www.wisconsinprephockey.net/news_article/show/1335902

 

[Timothy A]

Might be of interest regarding Wisconsin's goalie coach.

https://www.wisconsinprephockey.net/news_article/show/1335902

Wow, what a find! Him and Bill Howard are goaltending coach legends. The thing I found the most interesting is he said as time has gone on, the most important quality in a goalie is temperament. "The longer I coach I see a higher premium in temperament. Can they maintain composure. If you get scored on do you get rattled. The position and sport evolve so you need to be open to try new things."

 

[Timothy A]

Apparently Lacy Eden is galivanting around Europe right now per her Instagram account. Shouldn't she be attending school finishing out the semester? Maybe she took the semester off? "Studying" remotely? Of course finishing up a Masters isn't a mega brick and mortar classroom orientated process either. Very Interesting.

 

[Gargoyle]

In the PWHL, Britta Curl is turning into a goon-type hockey player. She never had this reputation at Wisconsin and I am feeling quite sad to see how this is developing. I know she has faced a tough year because of her stand on trans issues, but I honestly never expected such a great leader to turn into this kind of player. I am kind of hoping that she will decide to enter med school in the fall (she deferred this year to play pro). I guess she has a chance of making the Olympic team if she stays in MN another year, but the chance is iffy, isn't it?

 

[Timothy A]

In the PWHL, Britta Curl is turning into a goon-type hockey player. She never had this reputation at Wisconsin and I am feeling quite sad to see how this is developing. I know she has faced a tough year because of her stand on trans issues, but I honestly never expected such a great leader to turn into this kind of player. I am kind of hoping that she will decide to enter med school in the fall (she deferred this year to play pro). I guess she has a chance of making the Olympic team if she stays in MN another year, but the chance is iffy, isn't it?

It is indeed sad. If she keeps playing like this, she'll never get a chance to play on the Olympic team, although Murphy's antics are not preventing her from being on the national team, which is shocking because if you take a dumb penalty in the gold metal game, it's going could be very costly in what is assumed to be a tight game. She isn't worth the risk. Curl isn't either at this point. I'd rather see OB on the team than either of those 2.

 

[Windchill22]

It is indeed sad. If she keeps playing like this, she'll never get a chance to play on the Olympic team, although Murphy's antics are not preventing her from being on the national team, which is shocking because if you take a dumb penalty in the gold metal game, it's going could be very costly in what is assumed to be a tight game. She isn't worth the risk. Curl isn't either at this point. I'd rather see OB on the team than either of those 2.

I found it somewhat interesting that yesterday on the /PWHL reddit feed that I got fed, there was one thread where many redditors were pining over getting Murphy 1st overall in the draft, lamenting that she wasn't entering the draft this coming year, (many wanting her on the Frost) - even grandizing her "style of play" and the next thread I saw was the 'Curl is a goon' thread, applauding her getting kicked out of the game. /s I'm sure they weren't the same redditors.

 

[robertearle]

In the PWHL, Britta Curl is turning into a goon-type hockey player. She never had this reputation at Wisconsin and I am feeling quite sad to see how this is developing. I know she has faced a tough year because of her stand on trans issues, but I honestly never expected such a great leader to turn into this kind of player. I am kind of hoping that she will decide to enter med school in the fall (she deferred this year to play pro). I guess she has a chance of making the Olympic team if she stays in MN another year, but the chance is iffy, isn't it?

I'm looking at the stats page for PWHL: Curl is 28th in total penalty minutes, and 9th in penalty minutes per game. So... ??

 

[Dit Clapper]

It is indeed sad. If she keeps playing like this, she'll never get a chance to play on the Olympic team, although Murphy's antics are not preventing her from being on the national team, which is shocking because if you take a dumb penalty in the gold metal game, it's going could be very costly in what is assumed to be a tight game. She isn't worth the risk. Curl isn't either at this point. I'd rather see OB on the team than either of those 2.

Murphy is an absolute lock for the Olympic team and Curl is 90% at this point. Curl has always taken a few questionable penalties going back to her high school days. The hit she got tossed on last night was definitely head contact, but not as egregious as it looked. Elbow was tucked and didn't come up until well after contact. At the Olympic level, she's a bottom six forward that the USA will likely need to provide grit and chew up minutes prior to the gold medal game, while giving 8-10 hard minutes against Canada. As mentioned by a previous poster, this woman is going to be a doctor and she's had international playing experience. Smart enough to know when to tone it down a bit...

 

[BowWowWow]

I'm looking at the stats page for PWHL: Curl is 28th in total penalty minutes, and 9th in penalty minutes per game. So... ??

She was suspended for one game twice this season. Each time was a minor penalty, and she was suspended a few days later. Tereza Vanišová on the Ottawa Charge is the most penalized player the past two years, which I think makes sense, though I haven't seen much of Ottawa's play lately.

 

[robertearle]

She was suspended for one game twice this season. Each time was a minor penalty, and she was suspended a few days later. Tereza Vanišová on the Ottawa Charge is the most penalized player the past two years, which I think makes sense, though I haven't seen much of Ottawa's play lately.

My point is if you're going to start trying to compare Curl to Murphy as a "goon", I would expect it to be reflected in total penalty numbers, not based on a few isolated calls.

This past season, Murphy not only led the WCHA in penalties and minutes, her minute total was 58% higher than second place - 87 vs 55 minutes - and fully double that of the 5th place player. In 2023-24, it was even worse, both in total minutes and as compared to the second skater - 118 minutes, more than double the second place total of 56. (Curl, BTW was 17th in the WCHA that year, with 27 minutes.)

The "Abby Murphy of the PWHL" isn't going to be 28th in minutes.

 

[Ditra]

My point is if you're going to start trying to compare Curl to Murphy as a "goon", I would expect it to be reflected in total penalty numbers, not based on a few isolated calls.

This past season, Murphy not only led the WCHA in penalties and minutes, her minute total was 58% higher than second place - 87 vs 55 minutes - and fully double that of the 5th place player. In 2023-24, it was even worse, both in total minutes and as compared to the second skater - 118 minutes, more than double the second place total of 56. (Curl, BTW was 17th in the WCHA that year, with 27 minutes.)

The "Abby Murphy of the PWHL" isn't going to be 28th in minutes.

I wonder if teams actually work on checking so it's done correctly, both giving and receiving? I haven't watch a lot of PWHL games, but since it's basically transition form checking not being allowed to now legal I would expect there might be some issues with checking.

 

[Timothy A]

My point is if you're going to start trying to compare Curl to Murphy as a "goon", I would expect it to be reflected in total penalty numbers, not based on a few isolated calls.

This past season, Murphy not only led the WCHA in penalties and minutes, her minute total was 58% higher than second place - 87 vs 55 minutes - and fully double that of the 5th place player. In 2023-24, it was even worse, both in total minutes and as compared to the second skater - 118 minutes, more than double the second place total of 56. (Curl, BTW was 17th in the WCHA that year, with 27 minutes.)

The "Abby Murphy of the PWHL" isn't going to be 28th in minutes.

She gonna be #1 BABY!

The hit on KK was the worst hit I've ever seen in women's hockey. Period.

 

[BowWowWow]

I wonder if teams actually work on checking so it's done correctly, both giving and receiving? I haven't watch a lot of PWHL games, but since it's basically transition form checking not being allowed to now legal I would expect there might be some issues with checking.

Yes, that is a good question; they are working on checking in both those regards. The PWHL had instruction from ex-NHL player Ryan Getzlaf in the preseason camps this past November (per this Athletic article from December 2024). Executive Jayna Hefford sent out various instructional videos. The article says the Ottawa Charge had an additional clinic from another former player Marc Methot, other players worked on it over the summer, and the coaches are providing guidance.
The article may be paywalled unfortunately. So here are a few bits of it:
"And while protecting yourself is important, [MN coach] Klee has also emphasized to players the lines that should not be crossed, particularly when it comes to dangerous boarding penalties....
"“If you see numbers (on the back of their jersey) you have to let up,” he said. “If you see numbers, you can’t go finish them and say it’s on her because she didn’t look.”"
...
"At a recent Toronto Sceptres practice, [TO coach] Ryan spent most of the skate working with players on angling while on the defensive side of the puck....

"“I want physicality. I think it’s a big part of the game, but I don’t want it to be reckless,” he said. “It’s our job to make as many adjustments as we can to get athletes ready for physical play – it’s no different than helping an athlete get ready for our power play or penalty kill.”"

 

[Claygr]

I am not defending the penalty she took for the hit on Fast - I agree with Klee it was not malicious but it did look like she lowered her shoulder to deliver a check up against the boards and unfortunately made contact with the head. However, I do think that Britta is getting hounded out of the league by a lot of people (players, fans, so-called "journalists") who made up their mind who she is as a person and decided she does not belong in the league. She gets booed every time she touches the puck (even at home) and her head has to be on a swivel because she is a target for certain players (Poulin being one of many who obviously have a problem with her presence on the ice). That has to affect how she plays the game. I don't think she would have been voted UW captain for two seasons if she was a person worthy of such condemnation but unfortunately she has not been a given a chance to prove otherwise and the situation seems to be spiraling downward.

 

[Timothy A]

However, I do think that Britta is getting hounded out of the league by a lot of people (players, fans, so-called "journalists") who made up their mind who she is as a person and decided she does not belong in the league. She gets booed every time she touches the puck (even at home) and her head has to be on a swivel because she is a target for certain players (Poulin being one of many who obviously have a problem with her presence on the ice). That has to affect how she plays the game. I don't think she would have been voted UW captain for two seasons if she was a person worthy of such condemnation but unfortunately she has not been a given a chance to prove otherwise and the situation seems to be spiraling downward.

It's funny that those who preach tolerance are themselves not so tolerant.

 

[Lindsay]

I am not defending the penalty she took for the hit on Fast - I agree with Klee it was not malicious but it did look like she lowered her shoulder to deliver a check up against the boards and unfortunately made contact with the head. However, I do think that Britta is getting hounded out of the league by a lot of people (players, fans, so-called "journalists") who made up their mind who she is as a person and decided she does not belong in the league. She gets booed every time she touches the puck (even at home) and her head has to be on a swivel because she is a target for certain players (Poulin being one of many who obviously have a problem with her presence on the ice). That has to affect how she plays the game. I don't think she would have been voted UW captain for two seasons if she was a person worthy of such condemnation but unfortunately she has not been a given a chance to prove otherwise and the situation seems to be spiraling downward.

I don’t think it’s fair Poulin is singled out in this. What has Poulin ever done to suggest she has a problem with Curl? Nothing I’m aware of. I think a lot of assumptions are being made about what other players in the league think of Curl. I don’t get the sense the players in general have a problem with her other than knowing she’s a gritty skilled player.

 

[Huffpluff]

I don’t think it’s fair Poulin is singled out in this. What has Poulin ever done to suggest she has a problem with Curl? Nothing I’m aware of. I think a lot of assumptions are being made about what other players in the league think of Curl. I don’t get the sense the players in general have a problem with her other than knowing she’s a gritty skilled player.

I agree. I think that so many fans who have an opinion about Curl one way or the other see everything through that lens. I’ve seen people who hate her accuse her of being put on the ice specifically to target lesbians for dangerous hits, suggest that some of her penalties should receive criminal charges, and say that actually she sucks at hockey and the only reason she’s in the league is that the league didn’t want to look “too gay”. People will talk about her when she’s not even relevant, like commenting in a Boston-Ottawa game thread to say “at least we don’t have to watch Britta Hurl play tonight!” People who support her aren’t as loud about it, but I have seen people say that she’s being targeted by all of the gay players just for being Christian. All of this is just fans making up stories based on what they want to be true, and pretending that therefore they must be true.

I haven’t seen anything to suggest that any of her teammates or opponents on any level have a problem with her personally, and I would think that deliberately going after someone on the ice for non-hockey reasons is probably not a great strategy.

 

[Claygr]

I don’t think it’s fair Poulin is singled out in this. What has Poulin ever done to suggest she has a problem with Curl? Nothing I’m aware of. I think a lot of assumptions are being made about what other players in the league think of Curl. I don’t get the sense the players in general have a problem with her other than knowing she’s a gritty skilled player.

I've seen Poulin lay out Britta several times. One shoulder to the chest took Britta right off her skates. The Victoire fans frequently comment on it when they are playing the Frost. Don't get me wrong, I think Poulin is a great player but she does seem to have an issue with Britta.

 

[Claygr]

I don’t think it’s fair Poulin is singled out in this. What has Poulin ever done to suggest she has a problem with Curl? Nothing I’m aware of. I think a lot of assumptions are being made about what other players in the league think of Curl. I don’t get the sense the players in general have a problem with her other than knowing she’s a gritty skilled player.

I've seen Poulin lay out Britta several times. One shoulder to the chest took Britta right off her skates. The Victoire fans frequently comment on it when they are playing the Frost.

 

[Claygr]

For example:

- YouTube

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www.youtube.com

- YouTube

Enjoy the videos and music you love, upload original content, and share it all with friends, family, and the world on YouTube.

www.youtube.com