Fire Mike Eaves?

[JDUBBS1280]

McCabe came from the NTDP not straight from WIAA, that was the point.

Not all kids can go right from MNHS hockey to D1 either. I agree with you, some time playing Juniors is in the best interest of most kids. But it will be hard to not offer any of those kids until after they have succeeded in juniors and still get the majority of the good ones. There is risk in recruiting and you cannot mitigate it all.

[Timothy A]

Re: Fire Mike Eaves?

That's where you are wrong....Eaves should make an all out effort to get early commitments from Wisconsin BLUE CHIPPERS, but stop offering any WIAA players anything until they play AND SUCCEED in the USHL!

If you look at the track records of the players in Juniors, I would bet Eaves would not have offered scholarships to any of the players mentioned earlier, while a player like Navin would actually have the chance to develop in junior hockey instead of looking lost at the NCAA pace of play after coming directly from WIAA hockey.

I agree 100%.

The Navin thing just mystified me when he brought him in when he did. Of course, he could have lit up the USHL, but still end up on the pine and/or miscast on the 4th line like Turnbull and Gorowsky most of their careers.

WI needs more kids from Canada on the roster. The talent pool size difference between WI and Canada almost incomprehensible.

[JDUBBS1280]

I agree 100%.

The Navin thing just mystified me when he brought him in when he did. Of course, he could have lit up the USHL, but still end up on the pine and/or miscast on the 4th line like Turnbull and Gorowsky most of their careers.

WI needs more kids from Canada on the roster. The talent pool size difference between WI and Canada almost incomprehensible.

That's like comparing the talent pool size of table tennis players between Wisconsin and China. You don't think Eaves is trying to land top recruits in Canada?

I don't get why some people act like there are lines of kids up in Canada waiting to come here to play hockey. In case no one has noticed, the CHL has stepped up efforts to retain the best of those kids, and to nab our best down here.

I'm not saying don't recruit in Canada, but to plan sustained success on it is a mistake.

[willythekid]

Re: Fire Mike Eaves?

WI needs more kids from Canada on the roster. The talent pool size difference between WI and Canada almost incomprehensible.

Please leave all of the overage ones for UND though.

[cross cheque]

Re: Fire Mike Eaves?

Gotta love how a "Fire the Badger Coach" thread turns into yet another thread hijacked by a Gopher circle-jerk.

It's the return of jdumbbs, he's like cancer. Has UW found a new assistant coach yet?

[oldtyme25]

Re: Fire Mike Eaves?

Youare going to miss out on lots of talent if you wait that long to offer some kids. Every program has misses. Gophers have had their fair share too. Bigger problem is bringing in guys who aren't ready directly from high school. For instance, Navin has talent, but I'm sure he would have benefited from some time in the USHL before coming in.

Once again I have to disagree with you JDUBBS!

The last WIAA player to come out of the state of Wisconsin who had an impact on the Badger hockey program was Craig Smith. If I recall correctly, he was not extended a scholarship offer until he was playing AND having success at Waterloo of the USHL (where he played 3 seasons). The same is true for Keegan Meuer.

If you look at the rest of the WIAA Wisconsin players who were offered before Juniors, do you really think an scholarship offer would have been made to any of these players (other than Dahl) if they went off of the success they had in the USHL. Jefferson Dahl's production would have gotten him a ride somewhere, but most likely not a Wisconsin level school.

We are supposed to be an elite program, thus we should be getting elite talent!

[JDUBBS1280]

Once again I have to disagree with you JDUBBS!

The last WIAA player to come out of the state of Wisconsin who had an impact on the Badger hockey program was Craig Smith. If I recall correctly, he was not extended a scholarship offer until he was playing AND having success at Waterloo of the USHL (where he played 3 seasons). The same is true for Keegan Meuer.

If you look at the rest of the WIAA Wisconsin players who were offered before Juniors, do you really think an scholarship offer would have been made to any of these players (other than Dahl) if they went off of the success they had in the USHL. Jefferson Dahl's production would have gotten him a ride somewhere, but most likely not a Wisconsin level school.

We are supposed to be an elite program, thus we should be getting elite talent!

First off, no program is entitled to be an elite program. And if there were such a thing, UW wouldn't be in the Top 5 of that list. Every program struggles at points in their history. Minnesota just went thru it and Michigan was virtually irrelevant for a few decades. So please, spare us the sense of entitlement.

As for your point on WIAA players, you bring up some valid points. History certainly seems to support your theory. But my question is, how can you expect to have sustained success in a sport when you rely on winning recruits from places where it's an uphill battle?

Again, not saying don't recruit in Canada, but you're fighting the CHL for those kids. In Minnesota you are fighting other MN schools. Penn State just added a D1 program. Before long, getting kids out of PA will be a bigger battle than it already is. What if Illinois adds a program soon?

In every other sport the mantra is that getting the best in-stste guys is a must. IMO, if the Badgers want to see the kind of sustained success that Michigan, Boston College, etc.. has had recently, they need to continue to grow the sport locally and land all the top in-state guys.

That means, if a kid has loads of potential and is playing in WIAA, you can't always wait to offer him. Though I wouldn't bring many straight in.

[JDUBBS1280]

Re: Fire Mike Eaves?

And I still think people are missing a really good point Shirtless made on kids leaving early.

[Timothy A]

Re: Fire Mike Eaves?

He's signing so many WI kids who have proved basically nothing other than they can score or play against on other kids from WI, big deal. Spend less time recruiting marginal kids from WI and more time recruiting kids from Canada. Recruit the few blue chippahs heavy, then get out of state.

[dggoddard]

Re: Fire Mike Eaves?

You can't blame Eaves for losing Will Butcher. His family had strong ties to the DU coaching staff.

The hockey world is tiny and odds are high that elite players are the sons of ex-elite players. Expecting geographic borders to contain recruits is ridiculous.

That being said, DU has seven Colorado players on the roster, including 5 of the top 10 scorers on the team. Colorado youth hockey is producing results and Wisconsin may not be is due to a couple of factors. Larger population base, more disposable income, NHL youth programs set up by the Avs, almost all the rinks have elite programs and 99% the elite kids play USHL hockey instead of high school hockey.

[Chuck Schwartz]

Re: Fire Mike Eaves?

There's too many inaccuracies on recruits in this thread to even begin to correct. My head wants to explode reading through the last few pages of this thing.

[Innova]

Re: Fire Mike Eaves?

There's too many inaccuracies on recruits in this thread to even begin to correct. My head wants to explode reading through the last few pages of this thing.

But the first pages made sense?

[Chuck Schwartz]

Re: Fire Mike Eaves?

But the first pages made sense?

Well, the first few pages were Dubbs free so at least it was coherent.

[NEWI Badger Fan]

Re: Fire Mike Eaves?

Well, the first few pages were Dubbs free so at least it was coherent.

We were Dubb'ed. Everybody check your Anti-Virus!

[JDUBBS1280]

There's too many inaccuracies on recruits in this thread to even begin to correct. My head wants to explode reading through the last few pages of this thing.

It's just a discussion. No reason for anyone's head to explode.