- Andy Baggot has been a Busy Badger and has 3 articles today. One article is a preview of the WCHA in which he says the following about the Badgers:
The ticket: McBain-McDonagh. Junior defenseman Jamie McBain is the go-to guy on a talent-laden UW blue line. Sophomore defenseman Ryan McDonagh, a first-round NHL draft pick of Montreal, could step right from the Badgers to the pros.The campaign manager: In his seventh season at his alma mater, Mike Eaves is one of two WCHA coaches to win a national title as a player and coach.
The debate: Is depth at forward enough to overcome the lack of a top-shelf offensive threat?
The issue everyone's talking about: The Badgers need to get their power play — which has a 15.4 percent conversion rate and allowed 14 shorthanded goals since the start of the 2006-07 season — squared away. Or else.
Swing state: Sophomore defenseman Craig Johnson is from Waupaca; freshman defenseman Eric Springer is from Wrightstown; sophomore winger Podge Turnbull is from Hayward; sophomore winger Patrick Johnson and senior goaltender Ryan Jeffery are from Madison; junior winger Andy Bohmbach is from Hudson; freshman center Matt Thurber is from Beaver Dam; freshman defenseman Ryan Little is from Fond du Lac; junior winger John Mitchell is from Neenah; senior goaltender Jeff Henderson is from Menomonie
- Another article by Baggot discusses various ballots and polls, including voting on shootouts and WCHA preseason polls.
- And finally, Baggot notes that the latest RLR has ranked Badger recruit Tyler Lapic 115th, and (although they didn't rank him in the top 15o) has the following analysis of Badger goaltending recruit Aaron Crandall:
"Showed overwhelming improvement from last year and is playing solid and disciplined in net, but still will give up an occasional weak one. Comes out and challenges and holds position well. Has above-average glove and is a decent puck handler.''
- Paul Capobianco has a summary (including links!) of how NHL Badgers have started out the new NHL season.
- You can sign up to be a Badger Hockey Insider by signing up for Buckymail and clicking on men's hockey -- Paul Capobianco will be sending twice-weekly emails with media links and gameday links.
- The Detroit News is reporting that the Badgers may play the University of Michigan Wolverines in an outdoor game at Camp Randall:
"We've had preliminary discussions with them and our name has been mentioned with the game they plan to have there," [associate head coach Mel] Pearson said.
"We'll know more about it after December 1," Wisconsin coach Mike Eaves said. "We're seriously looking at Michigan. Sure, other schools like Minnesota have been tossed out there, but we really want Michigan.
"We'd love to play them there," [Michigan coach Red Berenson] said. "It would be great for college hockey."
- The Badger Men are ranked #13 in INCH's The Great 58 Power Rankings:
On the Badger blue line there’s an ocean of talent that’s going to make a lot of NHL money one day. Junior Jamie McBain is the best, and most proven, of that bunch, which needs to carry an offensive load for Wisconsin to be an NCAA factor
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