Wisconsin Recruiting: Filling the foundation with 5 stars

[mnstate0fhockey]

I'm not 100% sure but I believe the largest 64 schools in student enrollment are automatically considered Class AA. A small number decide to opt up into Class AA (i.e. Grand Rapids, Roseau, Benilde). Since private schools tend to be smaller in enrollment size, they can get away with playing Class A even though they should be playing up. The worst offender IMO is St. Thomas Academy. There's no good reason for them to not be playing AA.

Especially considering St Thomas' enrollment is all-male. And schools like STA and Breck play largely Class AA schedules during the season.

Holy Family Catholic moved up. Time for STA and Breck to as well IMO.

[Almington]

Re: Wisconsin Recruiting: Filling the foundation with 5 stars

I don't disagree that MNHS will be down next year. When you consider the level of talent in next year's senior class that could be there but won't be (some of this year's best juniors will leave for junior hockey), it will be a shadow of what it could have been.

But seniors leaving for the USHL/NTDP has been going on for over the last decade+. Are larger number of seniors-to-be leaving or is the junior-to-be class just down relative to the recent past?

[Hammy]

Re: Wisconsin Recruiting: Filling the foundation with 5 stars

But seniors leaving for the USHL/NTDP has been going on for over the last decade+. Are larger number of seniors-to-be leaving or is the junior-to-be class just down relative to the recent past?

I think it is a little more severe for next year's senior class.

[MaizeRage]

Re: Wisconsin Recruiting: Filling the foundation with 5 stars

I agree with the private school comment and loyalty. I don't understand how some privates play in A and some play in AA. Do you know what the cut off is for this? Do some private schools just decide to play up or are they just much bigger private schools?

There's only four private schools that play AA: Hill-Murray, Holy Angels, Benilde-St. Margaret's, and Holy Family Catholic. By size, they would all be allowed to play Class A, but opted up to AA.

[Timothy A]

Re: Wisconsin Recruiting: Filling the foundation with 5 stars

Besse according to the Red Line Report (picking the only negative): "Rarely finishes a check and is a defensive afterthought.'' He better make great strikes in this area this year if he ends up coming a year early. Poor D by a F will get you in the spectator seats under Eaves.

[Almington]

Re: Wisconsin Recruiting: Filling the foundation with 5 stars

Besse according to the Red Line Report (picking the only negative): "Rarely finishes a check and is a defensive afterthought.'' He better make great strikes in this area this year if he ends up coming a year early. Poor D by a F will get you in the spectator seats under Eaves.

Not if he works hard and scores. I really think that the greatest sin to Eaves is showing a poor work ethic in practice and off ice training. The bigger issue for Besse may be when he comes in (given the unbalanced nature of the classes) in and how much he is asked to do right away. Being able to place him on a line with a couple of upperclassmen (what Eaves did with Skille in 06) to help cover and defensive mistakes and keep him off the PK until he has demonstrated in practice that he gets the defensive system 100% (similar to Earl and Davies, who didn't see any PK time as Fr or So, but did as Jr and Sr).

[Chuck Schwartz]

Re: Wisconsin Recruiting: Filling the foundation with 5 stars

Not if he works hard and scores. I really think that the greatest sin to Eaves is showing a poor work ethic in practice and off ice training.

I think you're spot on with this. Davies didn't get benched here and there because Eaves didn't think he wasn't good defensively (because we all know he wasn't), it was because he didn't think he was working hard enough in that area in games/practices, etc.

I thought the full scouting report on Besse from Red Line was actually pretty spot on. I think I saw Besse 5 times last year and thought they described his game well. I'd add in that the kid has a special knack for getting himself in a position to score. Some kids have a sense of where to go to put them in a position to score and he has that. Can't teach it.

Not trying to start a flame war with Minnesota fans, and I know I'm obviously partial but I think it's a great choice for this kid to go to Wisconsin if he ever wants to play pro hockey. I've seen the comments around about why would a kid who has traditionally not cared much for the defensive part of the game go play for Eaves. My question is why wouldn't a kid like that want to play for Eaves? You could be like Kessel and go somewhere that fits your style (aka you don't need to play any defense), or go somewhere that is going to challenge you to become a better two way player.

Again, not trying to start anything with Minnesota, the Kessel example just came to mind. But it makes a hell of a lot of sense to me to go to a place that is going to challenge the weakest parts of my game and make me a better pro down the road right?

[solovsfett]

Re: Wisconsin Recruiting: Filling the foundation with 5 stars

I think you're spot on with this. Davies didn't get benched here and there because Eaves didn't think he wasn't good defensively (because we all know he wasn't), it was because he didn't think he was working hard enough in that area in games/practices, etc.

I thought the full scouting report on Besse from Red Line was actually pretty spot on. I think I saw Besse 5 times last year and thought they described his game well. I'd add in that the kid has a special knack for getting himself in a position to score. Some kids have a sense of where to go to put them in a position to score and he has that. Can't teach it.

Not trying to start a flame war with Minnesota fans, and I know I'm obviously partial but I think it's a great choice for this kid to go to Wisconsin if he ever wants to play pro hockey. I've seen the comments around about why would a kid who has traditionally not cared much for the defensive part of the game go play for Eaves. My question is why wouldn't a kid like that want to play for Eaves? You could be like Kessel and go somewhere that fits your style (aka you don't need to play any defense), or go somewhere that is going to challenge you to become a better two way player.

Again, not trying to start anything with Minnesota, the Kessel example just came to mind. But it makes a hell of a lot of sense to me to go to a place that is going to challenge the weakest parts of my game and make me a better pro down the road right?

if the kid is mature enough to see the flaws in his game and wants to challenge himself to be the best player he can be you're absolutely spot on, Wisconsin is the place to be for a forward who wants to become a 2-way or more complete player. at least imo it is

I can't wait to see Besse wearing his next RED jersey!

[goldy_331]

Re: Wisconsin Recruiting: Filling the foundation with 5 stars

Especially considering St Thomas' enrollment is all-male. And schools like STA and Breck play largely Class AA schedules during the season.

Holy Family Catholic moved up. Time for STA and Breck to as well IMO.

In considering all-male schools they double the actual population to compare to the size cut-off.

[Hammy]

Re: Wisconsin Recruiting: Filling the foundation with 5 stars

I think you're spot on with this. Davies didn't get benched here and there because Eaves didn't think he wasn't good defensively (because we all know he wasn't), it was because he didn't think he was working hard enough in that area in games/practices, etc.

I thought the full scouting report on Besse from Red Line was actually pretty spot on. I think I saw Besse 5 times last year and thought they described his game well. I'd add in that the kid has a special knack for getting himself in a position to score. Some kids have a sense of where to go to put them in a position to score and he has that. Can't teach it.

Not trying to start a flame war with Minnesota fans, and I know I'm obviously partial but I think it's a great choice for this kid to go to Wisconsin if he ever wants to play pro hockey. I've seen the comments around about why would a kid who has traditionally not cared much for the defensive part of the game go play for Eaves. My question is why wouldn't a kid like that want to play for Eaves? You could be like Kessel and go somewhere that fits your style (aka you don't need to play any defense), or go somewhere that is going to challenge you to become a better two way player.

Again, not trying to start anything with Minnesota, the Kessel example just came to mind. But it makes a hell of a lot of sense to me to go to a place that is going to challenge the weakest parts of my game and make me a better pro down the road right?

Every team coaches defensive responsibility. Of course, some coaches are better at it than others (i.e. why Guentzel improved matters with many of the same defensemen from the prior year). Under Lucia, the Gophers have generally played a more creative style of hockey based on puck possession (your best defense is a good offense... can't get scored on when the puck is in the opponent's end and on your team's stick). Lucia isn't focused on a system as much as skating and creativity. That doesn't mean guys aren't expected to play defense though.

Besse has generally been a player that isn't engaged in the play unless there is a chance for somebody to feed him the puck. He floats on the perimeter and waits. That's not going to get it done at higher levels and it isn't an easy habit to break out of when you've been able to get away with it for so long. That's why Danny Mattson struggled so much after leaving Holy Angels. At Holy Angels, he played the same way. He could dipsy do around and wait for the puck. He didn't play good two way hockey. He goes off to the USHL, is asked to adapt his game, and he struggles. He gets dropped by UND and ends up at Bemidji. He didn't lose his skill from the Holy Angels days. He just couldn't adapt to be asked to be more engaged on both ends. We'll see how Besse adapts because there is going to hit a point where he'll be expected to.

[mnstate0fhockey]

In considering all-male schools they double the actual population to compare to the size cut-off.

You're right. Thanks

[mnstate0fhockey]

Every team coaches defensive responsibility. Of course, some coaches are better at it than others (i.e. why Guentzel improved matters with many of the same defensemen from the prior year). Under Lucia, the Gophers have generally played a more creative style of hockey based on puck possession (your best defense is a good offense... can't get scored on when the puck is in the opponent's end and on your team's stick). Lucia isn't focused on a system as much as skating and creativity. That doesn't mean guys aren't expected to play defense though.

Besse has generally been a player that isn't engaged in the play unless there is a chance for somebody to feed him the puck. He floats on the perimeter and waits. That's not going to get it done at higher levels and it isn't an easy habit to break out of when you've been able to get away with it for so long. That's why Danny Mattson struggled so much after leaving Holy Angels. At Holy Angels, he played the same way. He could dipsy do around and wait for the puck. He didn't play good two way hockey. He goes off to the USHL, is asked to adapt his game, and he struggles. He gets dropped by UND and ends up at Bemidji. He didn't lose his skill from the Holy Angels days. He just couldn't adapt to be asked to be more engaged on both ends. We'll see how Besse adapts because there is going to hit a point where he'll be expected to.

Dave Spehar struggled with that too.

[Almington]

Re: Wisconsin Recruiting: Filling the foundation with 5 stars

Besse has generally been a player that isn't engaged in the play unless there is a chance for somebody to feed him the puck. He floats on the perimeter and waits. That's not going to get it done at higher levels and it isn't an easy habit to break out of when you've been able to get away with it for so long. That's why Danny Mattson struggled so much after leaving Holy Angels. At Holy Angels, he played the same way. He could dipsy do around and wait for the puck. He didn't play good two way hockey. He goes off to the USHL, is asked to adapt his game, and he struggles. He gets dropped by UND and ends up at Bemidji. He didn't lose his skill from the Holy Angels days. He just couldn't adapt to be asked to be more engaged on both ends. We'll see how Besse adapts because there is going to hit a point where he'll be expected to.

I wonder if going to a school with a well defined system might be the best thing for a player like that. Having specifically defined roles might assist in changing those habits that may not work at higher levels.

[mnstate0fhockey]

I wonder if going to a school with a well defined system might be the best thing for a player like that. Having specifically defined roles might assist in changing those habits that may not work at higher levels.

I think Besse is a talented kid and will do well at Wisconsin.

[Chuck Schwartz]

Re: Wisconsin Recruiting: Filling the foundation with 5 stars

Waterloo (USHL) defenseman Eddie Wittchow told me today he'll sign his letter of intent this week for the class of 2012. Nic Kerdiles, Morgan Zulinick, and Kevin Schulze signed in the fall. At this point UW doesn't plan to sign anyone else.