Wisconsin Recruiting Vol. IV - It's all coming together

[gwhinwi]

FYI On the ladies' sheet, Blesi redshirted last year, so she is a RS SO. Thanks for doing the sheet, it is awesome.

I will work on correcting that later. Work blocks Google Drive.

[WiscTJK]

I will work on correcting that later. Work blocks Google Drive.

But at least you are working!

[Lemonade]

National Letters of Intent can be signed starting tomorrow. Should be interesting to see who gets one and who doesnt....cant carry 40 players....

[Timothy A]

I will work on correcting that later. Work blocks Google Drive.

Thank heavens work doesn't block USCHO or Twitter.....

[Timothy A]

National Letters of Intent can be signed starting tomorrow. Should be interesting to see who gets one and who doesnt....cant carry 40 players....

There are literally 25 players listed as F on the spreadsheet for next year. I had no idea it had ballooned to that amount. I seriously wonder what the coaches are telling these kids they will get for $$$. 38 guys on the sheet right now. They must be some crazy good salesmen.

[Lemonade]

There are literally 25 players listed as F on the spreadsheet for next year. I had no idea it had ballooned to that amount. I seriously wonder what the coaches are telling these kids they will get for $$$. 38 guys on the sheet right now. They must be some crazy good salesmen.

40 if you include the goalies (27 forwards/10 dman/3 goalies)....been saying it for awhile - I think what Wisconsin is doing is pretty ridiculous. They are offering every player under the sun and when they commit they will then just wait and either tell the kid he needs another season or two in juniors or hope they decommit. I get aggressive recruiting but this crosses the line in my opinion. They almost have enough for two teams at this point. That being said - every recruit knows what they are getting into if they look at the number of commits Wisconsin has but I am sure they all think that they wont be the one being deferred or led along. The cast a wide net and see what you catch and keep is a recruiting technique some schools are doing (Merrimack comes to mind) but it does border ethically in my opinion.

[MadCityRich]

40 if you include the goalies (27 forwards/10 dman/3 goalies)....been saying it for awhile - I think what Wisconsin is doing is pretty ridiculous. They are offering every player under the sun and when they commit they will then just wait and either tell the kid he needs another season or two in juniors or hope they decommit. I get aggressive recruiting but this crosses the line in my opinion. They almost have enough for two teams at this point. That being said - every recruit knows what they are getting into if they look at the number of commits Wisconsin has but I am sure they all think that they wont be the one being deferred or led along.

Good points, but (As you stated) I truly think they are covering for any DEcommits, early departures ←← (don't forget about that possibility), guys not ready, etc. UW has been hung out to dry in the past however, 40 IS a bit extreme.

[Wisko McBadgerton]

There are literally 25 players listed as F on the spreadsheet for next year. I had no idea it had ballooned to that amount. I seriously wonder what the coaches are telling these kids they will get for $$$. 38 guys on the sheet right now. They must be some crazy good salesmen.

Listed on the spreadsheet is not the same as committed to coming in next year. For the most part we don't know when or what guys are told as far as when they may have a spot. We're just guessing. Obviously some listed will wash out or see that they haven't progressed enough to have a chance to play and will look elsewhere. I think Ben Almquist is the only one in his last year of juniors. Good kid that has had some difficulty playing at the USHL level, but is doing ok in the NAHL. (plus the USHL limits teams to four 20 year olds, so the competition for those spots is stiff) Does he want to essentially walk on at UW next year and probably be a four year practice player, or look for another D1 opportunity where he can maybe break in and play, or consider being a top six D3 player? I know what I think he should do, more than likely he does too.

You can't send NLI's to kids who you don't have scholarships guaranteed to be available for. Zimmer is the only Sr skater and then there's the two goalie spots. My guess would be that Grannan and/or Rowe might get NLI's, and then maybe Matt DSP, or possibly Daniel Laatsch. Everyone else will have to wait to see who leaves and what spots are available before NLI's can be signed for next year.

[Lemonade]

Listed on the spreadsheet is not the same as committed to coming in next year. For the most part we don't know when or what guys are told as far as when they may have a spot. We're just guessing. Obviously some listed will wash out or see that they haven't progressed enough to have a chance to play and will look elsewhere. I think Ben Almquist is the only one in his last year of juniors. Good kid that has had some difficulty playing at the USHL level, but is doing ok in the NAHL. (plus the USHL limits teams to four 20 year olds, so the competition for those spots is stiff) Does he want to essentially walk on at UW next year and probably be a four year practice player, or look for another D1 opportunity where he can maybe break in and play, or consider being a top six D3 player? I know what I think he should do, more than likely he does too.

You can't send NLI's to kids who you don't have scholarships guaranteed to be available for. Zimmer is the only Sr skater and then there's the two goalie spots. My guess would be that Grannan and/or Rowe might get NLI's, and then maybe Matt DSP, or possibly Daniel Laatsch. Everyone else will have to wait to see who leaves and what spots are available before NLI's can be signed for next year.

Solid guesses. Lets not forget they only have 18 scholarships to divy up. I would assume Lebedeff is on some sort of scholarship and you cant afford three goalies on scholarship or even two on full. Usually the 3rd is a walk on...I would assume that Rowe gets a NLI....should make for an interesting signing period thats for sure.

[Wisko McBadgerton]

Solid guesses. Lets not forget they only have 18 scholarships to divy up. I would assume Lebedeff is on some sort of scholarship and you cant afford three goalies on scholarship or even two on full. Usually the 3rd is a walk on...I would assume that Rowe gets a NLI....should make for an interesting signing period thats for sure.

Everybody here gets something, nobody gets everything. I've tried several times to figure out who's getting what and how much they have left to go around, but it's pretty much impossible to do. I don't know how it's going to play out, they could push Grannon back for a USHL year, but they still will have three the following year as Lebedeff is just a Sophmore. So it probably doesn't matter if they both come next year as they must have some sort of plan to carry all three on the roster at some point anyway. They may not send any skaters NLI's, or maybe they will. Or maybe they'll send some good for the following year as they have 8 Juniors.

[gwhinwi]

But at least you are working!

Good point!

Thank heavens work doesn't block USCHO or Twitter.....

Agreed!

Spreadsheet is updated.

[Wisko McBadgerton]

40 if you include the goalies (27 forwards/10 dman/3 goalies)....been saying it for awhile - I think what Wisconsin is doing is pretty ridiculous. They are offering every player under the sun and when they commit they will then just wait and either tell the kid he needs another season or two in juniors or hope they decommit. I get aggressive recruiting but this crosses the line in my opinion. They almost have enough for two teams at this point. That being said - every recruit knows what they are getting into if they look at the number of commits Wisconsin has but I am sure they all think that they wont be the one being deferred or led along. The cast a wide net and see what you catch and keep is a recruiting technique some schools are doing (Merrimack comes to mind) but it does border ethically in my opinion.

I agreed with you when the Gentleman's Agreement was in effect and teams abided by it. But it hasn't been in effect in years. Wisconsin (to their detriment) was one of the last Blue Bloods to abandon it and it's been 6 or 7 years since Eaves said publicly that they would contact players they were interested in periodically to make sure the players were happy with their situation. The verbal commit really doesn't mean much of anything today. Players and their parents like to say they are D1 committed players and schools like to have some sort of plan for bringing in recruits, but it doesn't actually mean anything. Players can go where they want and schools can offer anyone they want. Grant Cruikshank was committed to Wisconsin forever and suddenly he's on a ride at CC. Wisconsin commit Sam Stevens is a freshman at BU this year. How does that happen if there's a gentlemen's agreement in place and no one could talk to these kids or vice versa? The "stockpiling" of players is an illusion. They aren't stockpiled, they aren't restricted in any way, every committed kid can go anywhere he's good enough to get an offer. And if they're good, they're getting offers. Young commits who don't develop to the D1 level are probably just not going to be on D1 hockey rosters. They shouldn't anyway, they should go play at a level where they can play everyday and enjoy the game.

[thewalers]

There should be a column for "Social Media" and Linecharts....For example: Almquist does not have UW listed on the Austin linechart, nor is it listed on his IG account.

[WiscTJK]

https://madison.com/wsj/sports/colle...a8d8c325175fcc

I've received confirmation on six players signing with the #Badgers men's hockey team or planning on doing so this week, and sources said a seventh will come next week. More on them here:https://t.co/iuwgbVLBOD

— Todd Milewski (@ToddMilewski) November 13, 2019

Sounds like G Rowe, D LaMaster, Laatsch, Kehrer, and F De Saint Phalle, Stange, Malmquist......

Almquist decommitts

[WiscTJK]

This signing picture comes via Anthony Kehrer (center) at his billet house with Sioux City teammates Luke LaMaster and Sam Stange. More on them in the #Badgers men's hockey signing roundup: https://t.co/iuwgbVLBOD pic.twitter.com/TMLoxoICtG

— Todd Milewski (@ToddMilewski) November 13, 2019

[gwhinwi]

The spreadsheet is updated with the recent NLI's.

Someone was watching me update it. Hope they enjoyed that. :P

[WiscTJK]

It doesn't look correct to me. Also remove Almquist.

[gwhinwi]

It doesn't look correct to me. Also remove Almquist.

I have updated that. Let me know what you see wrong. I did not add the players that I haven't seen official signing indications from (Twitter, etc.)

Maybe that is what looks wrong as I don't have Liam Malmquist listed as he hasn't signed his NLI yet.

Edit: De Saint Phalle has committed.

[MadCityRich]

It doesn't look correct to me. Also remove Almquist.

I read he is going to tO$U. No disrespect, but if we're going to lose players, it may as well be Tier 2 Juniors.

[WiscTJK]

I have updated that. Let me know what you see wrong. I did not add the players that I haven't seen official signing indications from (Twitter, etc.)

Maybe that is what looks wrong as I don't have Liam Malmquist listed as he hasn't signed his NLI yet.

Edit: De Saint Phalle has committed.

looks good now. thank you again for all your hard work on this.

Malmquist isn't until next week, but he would be one of the critical signees I would think.