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

[Timothy A]

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

Feelings are overrated.

You are still married, right? LOL. We're talking about a 13 yr old girl on top of it. Her Dad is probably a lurker.

[IronRange]

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

"Much easier to be great when playing with other top talent" Sounds a bit like "Oh sure-- If my kid played with Hughes or Turcotte he'd look like a superstar too!" Maybe, maybe not, might just look lost. Depends on the talent level a kid has to begin with.

To get to the NTDP they have to be among the most elite 15's in the country to start with. And the number and level of really talented US kids is huge compared to just a decade or two ago so it follows that the best of the best are getting better all the time.


If Grant Cruikshank, (a player most Badger fans were really hoping for) wanted to be a Badger, he would be. He was given an offer and and NLI and decided not to sign it. He has strong family connections to Colorado and decided he wanted to play there instead. I'm not sure how sending a committed kid an NLI constitutes "dropping him because he's not an NHL draft pick."

All very valid points. I was not aware Grant was offered a letter of intent. (My bad). Can likely figure from my handle I'm a transplanted Gopher. Several WI Hockey alumni friends in the area....and still wish the old conferences were in tact. I'd like all the traditional powerhouse programs to be powerhouse programs, that was when hockey was great. I still won't go to North Dakota, regardless of how the pheasant population is.
What I see in my wanderings, is high profile coaches committing to very young players, with no real concern if they will every lace a skate with the squad. Uniformed parents and often family advisers support it. Something needs to change. Realize everyone is doing it, so they all need to play the game. Its just a bit disappointing. Kids like Caufield and Turcott can hold out and sign later, as they are blue chippers. Then these big name programs fill out with over the top commits. I guess building programs back to notoriety is more important than the good player who missed an opportunity with Omaha or Miami because they were already committed.
Not saying this out of spite....my kiddos team already is locked in to make the NCAA's. Just if the WI and MN and BC don't lead the charge for change....it wont.

[DPlaya]

All very valid points. I was not aware Grant was offered a letter of intent. (My bad). Can likely figure from my handle I'm a transplanted Gopher. Several WI Hockey alumni friends in the area....and still wish the old conferences were in tact. I'd like all the traditional powerhouse programs to be powerhouse programs, that was when hockey was great. I still won't go to North Dakota, regardless of how the pheasant population is.
What I see in my wanderings, is high profile coaches committing to very young players, with no real concern if they will every lace a skate with the squad. Uniformed parents and often family advisers support it. Something needs to change. Realize everyone is doing it, so they all need to play the game. Its just a bit disappointing. Kids like Caufield and Turcott can hold out and sign later, as they are blue chippers. Then these big name programs fill out with over the top commits. I guess building programs back to notoriety is more important than the good player who missed an opportunity with Omaha or Miami because they were already committed.
Not saying this out of spite....my kiddos team already is locked in to make the NCAA's. Just if the WI and MN and BC don't lead the charge for change....it wont.

Rumor has it the offer may have been a bit lower than what it was under Mike Eaves, but Cruikshank was offered a letter of intent apparently.

Gotta think if any forward is going to get left out of the playing time mix at forward next year it's likely to be Zimmer unless they feel they need more physical and/or mental maturity in the lineup.

[IronRange]

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

Rumor has it the offer may have been a bit lower than what it was under Mike Eaves, but Cruikshank was offered a letter of intent apparently.

I know for a fact, things aren't sunny in Colorado Springs. He's a kid you guys could bring in, wear a letter....and mentor these youngins. That's what the staff isn't' seeing. Not going to happen with Cruik as too many egos between the two groups. Yet IMO, that's what these programs are missing right now. Older players, even if less skilled, who control and lead the group. I don't care how freaking good you are, still a young kid coming into a big program. A strong hand is needed, and it cant come from a guy wearing a tie.

[Wisko McBadgerton]

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

All very valid points. I was not aware Grant was offered a letter of intent. (My bad). Can likely figure from my handle I'm a transplanted Gopher. Several WI Hockey alumni friends in the area....and still wish the old conferences were in tact. I'd like all the traditional powerhouse programs to be powerhouse programs, that was when hockey was great. I still won't go to North Dakota, regardless of how the pheasant population is.
What I see in my wanderings, is high profile coaches committing to very young players, with no real concern if they will every lace a skate with the squad. Uniformed parents and often family advisers support it. Something needs to change. Realize everyone is doing it, so they all need to play the game. Its just a bit disappointing. Kids like Caufield and Turcott can hold out and sign later, as they are blue chippers. Then these big name programs fill out with over the top commits. I guess building programs back to notoriety is more important than the good player who missed an opportunity with Omaha or Miami because they were already committed.
Not saying this out of spite....my kiddos team already is locked in to make the NCAA's. Just if the WI and MN and BC don't lead the charge for change....it wont.

Everybody knows recruiting is a mess. The way things have gone the last decade (and in conjunction with the last NHL CBA which pushes teams to sign players earlier) has taken a toll on the blueblood programs and some of the the kids coming up.

Fortunately in April they will vote to approve the changes in recruiting that will help alleviate some of these issues. No contact with any player until January of their Sophomore year, and no offers (and thus no verbals) until August of the Junior year. The Gentleman's Agreement is dead and has been for several years. Any D-1 coach today that is abiding it out of some sort of sense of misplaced honor or character is just being dumb. All the kids the Badger's have committed are open for poaching. Anyone that thinks a kid like De St Phalle isn't getting calls from other D-1 schools is kidding themselves. Considering the Badgers situation with incoming Forwards I'd be surprised if some kids actually on the roster are not getting contacted in some way. (which is against NCAA rules, yet we know for a fact it magically happens every year somewhere)

All for those changes. Now if the NHL PA would just push for some changes in the next CBA that helps keep kids in school another year or two in favor of keeping a few older players on the payroll an extra year or two, the Power Programs would probably rise to the top again a bit more, and at the least NCAA hockey would improve it's game and possibly it's fan support.

[Wisko McBadgerton]

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

Rumor has it the offer may have been a bit lower than what it was under Mike Eaves, but Cruikshank was offered a letter of intent apparently.

Gotta think if any forward is going to get left out of the playing time mix at forward next year it's likely to be Zimmer unless they feel they need more physical and/or mental maturity in the lineup.

That is true, but Grant was an in-state kid with a comparatively low tuition price to begin with. It's certain that if he wanted to be a Badger he would be. Any total price difference for him to attend CC vs. UW has to be pretty small even as a preferred walk on here. He had an opportunity and he said no. I've no problem with that at all, I just don't want people thinking UW dumped him in the alley. They didn't.


Zimmer is such a mystery. It has to be all in his head - lack of confidence or difficulty playing the game at the D-1 pace or something. He has a ton of skill and terrific skates. It just hasn't clicked for him for some reason which baffles me and I'm sure the staff as well. Reminds me of Zullinick a bit. Ton of talent but his head just was somewhere else.

The six incoming F's are all going to play a lot of minutes which means that 4 of the returning F's will hardly play any minutes... Maybe they won't all be returning?

[IronRange]

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

That is true, but Grant was an in-state kid with a comparatively low tuition price to begin with. It's certain that if he wanted to be a Badger he would be. Any total price difference for him to attend CC vs. UW has to be pretty small even as a preferred walk on here. He had an opportunity and he said no. I've no problem with that at all, I just don't want people thinking UW dumped him in the alley. They didn't.


Zimmer is such a mystery. It has to be all in his head - lack of confidence or difficulty playing the game at the D-1 pace or something. He has a ton of skill and terrific skates. It just hasn't clicked for him for some reason which baffles me and I'm sure the staff as well. Reminds me of Zullinick a bit. Ton of talent but his head just was somewhere else.

The six incoming F's are all going to play a lot of minutes which means that 4 of the returning F's will hardly play any minutes... Maybe they won't all be returning?

Grant was given an unfair offer from the current regimen. Does not matter, not going to change the complexion of the team. If any of these programs want to get back on track...and I've been around the country. the difference in facilities from Wi to Maine....ridiculous! its a lay up!! Yet they all struggle.It used to be...do I want to go to Duke or No Dak State. now they are choosing the latter, or they have a cup of coffee and say hey.

[WiscTJK]

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

When a player like NHL draft prospect Ryder Donovan has an interest in playing for your team, "you find a way to make it work," #Badgers coach Tony Granato says. More from Granato on Donovan, plus some extra UW notes:https://t.co/jTVGcwht6C

— Todd Milewski (@ToddMilewski) February 20, 2019

TG says it doesn't change the status of the other commitments and to that I say baloney.... How can it not? Unless they are going to walk on....

Great pick up but come on.

[Wisko McBadgerton]

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

Grant was given an unfair offer from the current regimen. Does not matter, not going to change the complexion of the team. If any of these programs want to get back on track...and I've been around the country. the difference in facilities from Wi to Maine....ridiculous! its a lay up!! Yet they all struggle.It used to be...do I want to go to Duke or No Dak State. now they are choosing the latter, or they have a cup of coffee and say hey.

"Unfair offer" is a subjective characterization. Thousands and thousands of kids would kill to get any offer at all to play at UW. And of course, some wouldn't.

My kid has been offered full rides from a number of very good schools. It is likely a couple of schools of interest will not come through with full ride offers, and it is also likely that those same schools will be among the finalists because of the very high quality of their programs. I could say it's unfair if they don't offer the same as some other programs, but it isn't. They will offer what they can or want to based on their program's need for my kid at this time. We will then just have to consider what the best route is for the little McBadgerton, which may very well mean paying up for the very best fit. (Sadly, for my pocketbook.)

Some kids want to be a big fish in a small pond. Other kids possess enormous self confidence and will spurn a quality ride to walk on at a big pond despite being the littlest fish there to start. Everybody has to decide what's best for them and that's perfectly fine. Unless they are choosing Nodak. That's just wrong every time.

[Wisko McBadgerton]

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

TG says it doesn't change the status of the other commitments and to that I say baloney.... How can it not? Unless they are going to walk on....

Great pick up but come on.

He said it doesn't change the forecast. When you consider they had Ethan Leyh committed until recently, it probably doesn't. They just swapped the #161 ranked player for #46.

[Lemonade]

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

Wisconsin has 37 players committed for 2020 season which is only 1.5 years away. 18 Scholarships. Something has to give and its not going to be pretty for the Badgers recruiting reputation. There has to be a lot of kids who where offered spots and told there isnt room. Its not like 1 or 2 players it will be 10 or so. Wisconsin is the definition of over recruiting.

[ExileOnDaytonStreet]

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

I feel like my de-commit spreadsheet is only going to get bigger.

I might even have some de-commits in the past few weeks that I didn’t even realize were committed.

[Wisko McBadgerton]

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

Wisconsin has 37 players committed for 2020 season which is only 1.5 years away. 18 Scholarships. Something has to give and its not going to be pretty for the Badgers recruiting reputation. There has to be a lot of kids who where offered spots and told there isnt room. Its not like 1 or 2 players it will be 10 or so. Wisconsin is the definition of over recruiting.

You sure worry about this a lot.

They could have 7 turn pro and 4-5 that are 18 year old freshman and not ready in 2020. If there are any decommits in there for academic or other reasons, we need some more players. Thanks for the heads up. We better round up a few more kids just in case. Hunter McKown and Thomas Bordeleau maybe.

[DPlaya]

....and Aleksi Peltonen is now committed to St. Lawrence.

[Bonin21]

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

People are hyping up the over recruiting thing like it's going to kill you in the long run... I say let's see. Right now it looks genius to me.