What if they all finished their careers at Wisconsin?

Last week during Wisconsin's bye week I started to think about the players that the Badgers had lost at various times to the pros and started thinking about all the guys who had stepped up this season for Wisconsin to fill the roles of those departures.

But what I really thought would be fun to look at was what the Badger lineup would look like this season if all the players that had originally committed to the Badgers ended up as four year players in Madison like it used to be done in the old days.

There are currently 5 players who played for the Badgers that have left early to sign pro contracts, and 3 of them are in the NHL and two in the AHL. Another player who was supposed to come to Wisconsin ended up in the OHL and and is now in the NHL.

Derek Stepan who left the Badgers last year would be a junior on this seasons club. The Hastings native has been in the NHL all season with the Rangers and is currently the third leading scorer on the team with 31 points in 56 games trailing only Brandon Dubinsky and Marian Gaborik.

Kyle Turris, who was one of, if not the most highly touted freshmen ever to step on campus is enjoying his third professional season of hockey. Turris, who would be a senior for the Badgers this season left the Badgers after leading the team in scoring as a freshman at the urging of former Phoenix coach Wayne Gretzky. Turris, who has struggled at times as a pro has 18 points in 45 games this season.

Ryan McDonagh, who most thought was the most pro ready of the Wisconsin departures over the summer has made a smooth transition to the NHL with the Rangers after spending the first half of the season in the AHL. Easing him into the lineup the blueshirts were playing McDonagh 10 or 12 minutes a night but recently he's been playing between 18 and 22 minutes.

One player who never made it to Wisconsin but could have been a senior this season is Sam Gangner from the Edmonton Oilers. I haven't told many people this but there hasn't been a prospect that committed to Wisconsin that I was more excited about. I obviously want Wisconsin to land every player but I wanted Gagner the most. When he committed it felt like Christmas. When word started leaking out a year or so later that he was thinking about going to the OHL it was devastating. The London Knights pulled one of the shadiest moves in the book hiring his father as an assistant coach and Sam went with. Currently Gagner has 33 points in 53 games which is good enough for second on the last place Edmonton Oilers in scoring.

Soon after Gagner committed to Wisconsin, two of his former teammates from the Toronto Marlboros Hockey Club Brendan Smith and Cody Goloubef followed suit. Goloubef who would be a senior on the Badgers this season is spending his first professional season in the American League with the Springfield Falcons, the top farm club of the Columbus Blue Jackets. Cody has been in and out of the lineup so far this year with Springfield and has registered 12 points in 30 games.

The third member of the Toronto trio, Brendan Smith has enjoyed his first season as a pro. Another player who would be a senior at Wisconsin, Smith was named to the American Hockey League All-Star game as a rookie which is an unusual feat. The Red Wings prospect has played great in Grand Rapids but was unable to play in the All-Star game due to a shoulder injury. Reports out of Grand Rapids today say that Smith is back to practice and is expected to play this weekend. Smith currently has 22 points in 40 games.

So what would that Badger lineup look like this season if these players all stayed for their four years of eligibility? It's really tough to say because who knows if some of the current players on our team would even still have ended up Badgers. The d-pairings are pretty easy because I would set it up exactly like last year but it would be interesting to see how Eaves would have inserted Gagner, Turris, and Stepan into the lineup. Here is my best guess as to what the lineup would look like.

Sam Gagner-Kyle Turris-Mark Zengerle
Jordy Murray-Derek Stepan-Craig Smith
Michael Mersch-Podge Turnbull-Tyler Barnes
Patrick Johnson-Sean Dolan-Ryan Little

Ryan McDonagh-Jake Gardiner
Brendan Smith-John Ramage
Cody Goloubef-Justin Schultz

I only can think of one word to describe that lineup. Sick.

chuckschwartz(at)live.com
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Goloubef in Action

Cody Goloubef, or "Goldbeef" as many of my friends and I like to call him after an amusing misreading of his jersey a few years back, suited up for the Columbus Blue Jackets tonight in an exhibition game against the recently Robbie Earl-less Minnesota Wild (Earl was cut Monday - thanks to Chuck for the heads-up). To summarize the game in a few words, the Jackets came from a 2-0 hole to win in a shootout 3-2, and I enjoyed the view from one of Nationwide Arena's gorgeous suites - working for a company with connections is awesome.

Of particular interest to Badger fans, however, is Goldbeef's performance. He took a bad high-sticking minor in the first period, but the Jackets' penalty kill played well all night and bailed him out in that instance. He did make a few great plays at the blue line, however, keeping the puck in on two straight clearing attempts and leading to a great scoring chance that the forwards couldn't convert.

Cody's second period was uneventful. However, he was caught out of position early in the third and gave up a breakaway that would have been a Wild goal if not for the iron. The left post proved to be Goldbeef's best friend, rejecting the shot that had beaten goalie David LeNeveu and maintaining a 2-1 Wild advantage at the time. He didn't play much in the last 10 minutes of regulation, and I didn't see him on the ice at all during the overtime period, which was not surprising to me considering that the team had dressed eight defensemen on the night.

A performance like that tonight confirms what I've been thinking all along: that Goloubef will start the season with the Springfield Falcons of the AHL, and that he may be called up if he shows fast improvement and if the Jackets are hit hard by injuries. He seemed to be struggling somewhat with the speed of the NHL game, which is to be expected. Here's hoping he's up in Columbus sooner rather than later.

UPDATE: Roster cuts to come tomorrow, we may know more about his status at that time.

Cody Goloubef Signing Official

Press release from the Columbus Blue Jackets puts the official stamp on it: Gold Medal Goloubef is on his way to the pro ranks.

COLUMBUS, OHIO – The Columbus Blue Jackets have signed defenseman Cody Goloubef to a standard three-year entry level contract, General Manager Scott Howson announced Arpil 29. As is club policy, terms were not disclosed.

Goloubef, 20, (pronounced GO-luh-behf) registered three goals and 11 assists for 14 points, 64 penalty minutes and was +13 in 42 games during his junior season at the University of Wisconsin (Western Collegiate Hockey Association) in 2009-10. He ranked third among club defensemen in points and plus/minus rating and helped the Badgers reach the National Championship game.

"Cody comes from a very successful program at Wisconsin and we believe it is the right time for him to begin his professional career," Howson said.

A native of Mississauga, Ontario, Goloubef was the Blue Jackets' second pick, 37th overall, in the 2008 Entry Draft. He collected 12-25-37, 180 penalty minutes and a cumulative plus/minus rating of +18 in 118 career games with Wisconsin. He notched 0-1-1, eight penalty minutes and was +10 in six games at the 2009 World Junior Championships, helping Team Canada win the gold medal.

Deposits for 2010-11 Columbus Blue Jackets season tickets, as well as 10- and 20-game plans, are being accepted now. For information, call (800) NHL-COLS or visit BlueJackets.com.

We'll put up Detroit's press release up when (I'm not bothering with "if") Brendan Smith's signing goes public.

Sources: Goloubef, Smith Leaving Early; UPDATE **Goloubef Confirms He's Signing**

*****THURSDAY UPDATE-Just spoke to Cody Goloubef and he has confirmed to me that he is indeed leaving.

In what should come as a shock to no one around these parts, sources have confirmed to me that junior defensemen Cody Goloubef and Brendan Smith will forgo their final season of eligibility at the University of Wisconsin and turn pro.

Goloubef, a native of Oakville, Ontario has been a solid defenseman since he stepped on campus as a 17 year old freshman three years ago. The 2008 second round draft selection of the Columbus Blue Jackets (37th overall) was as calm and collected on the ice as they come.

Overshadowed for much of his time with Wisconsin, Goloubef was selected for the 2009 Canada World Junior team which went on to win the gold medal in Ottawa. Goloubef amassed 37 points in 118 career games during his three seasons in Madison. Known more for his ability to keep the puck out of the net than put it in, Goloubef will surely be missed.

Smith, a native of Mimico, Ontario has turned himself into an elite offensive defenseman. The 2007 first round selection of the Detroit Red Wings (27th overall) came to Madison as a bit of a liability and left school as the WCHA defenseman of the year.

The accolades poured in for Smith this season as he burst onto the map by putting up 52 points in 42 games for the Badgers. Smith was especially lethal on the power play netting 11 tallies on the man advantage, second only to Hobey Baker winner Blake Geoffrion. Speaking of the Hobey Baker, Smith was announced as a top 10 finalist for the award after his fine season. He was also named First Team All-WCHA and was a First Team All-American.

Both players will be surely missed by the Wisconsin hockey program. Both players have made big improvements since coming to Wisconsin, and both will some day play in the NHL, hopefully sooner rather than later.

Photo Credit: RedHeat15

Early Departures are coming

First, I'd like to thank Chuck for all of his hard work over the past 2 years here on the blog. Best of luck in your future endeavors! 60, vacation over, we have to pick up the slack now.

Today in the WSJ Andy Baggot discusses early departures, and so why not talk about it; the season is over and it is going to happen whether as fans we foolishly wish everyone would return.

From Baggot's article:

In addition to the seven seniors - all forwards - it's expected Smith and junior defenseman Cody Goloubef will bypass their senior seasons and turn pro. Smith is a first-round NHL draft pick of Detroit and the top-scoring defenseman in the nation who appears anxious to get to the next level. Goloubef is a second-round pick of Columbus, a NHL organization known for wanting its top talent in the system as soon as possible.

The biggest wild card is junior defenseman and tri-captain Ryan McDonagh, a former first-round pick of the New York Rangers. He was a dominant physical force - arguably the best all-around blue-liner in the nation - but it wouldn't be a surprise to see him follow Geoffrion's decorated path and return to the Badgers in search of an NCAA title.

Sophomore center Derek Stepan led UW in scoring - 12 goals, 42 assists, 54 points - and earned rave reviews as captain of the U.S. team that won the gold medal at the World Junior Championships. But the second-round draft pick of the Rangers has consistently maintained he plans to return.

No one is surprised that Smith is a lock to leave for the pros and join Detroit's system. Cody Goloubef is a surprise to me, but not as much as talk that McDonagh might actually return. To be blunt, holy shit it would be something special of McD returned for a senior season. Baggot makes good points on why one might leave (Goloubef) and why one might stay (McD).

I have to ask though, how is Ryan McDonagh not ready for the next level? There isn't a dman in the country as physical and pro ready as this young man. He doesn't have anything left to prove at this level, but if he returns I certainly won't be complaining!

Cody Goloubef on the other hand could easily step up to the pros, but I think he'd have plenty to gain by returning to Madison for another year (besides the obvious of a large paycheck, etc). Assuming McDonagh leaves still, he'd be the leader on the blue line, likely an alternate captain, and probably see a ton of ice time, bigger offensive role, etc.

It will be interesting to see what happens. I'd be surprised to the Ducks call for either Jake Gardiner or Justin Schultz. The latter did have a great freshman year, but he still has a lot to learn. If Gardiner returns he'll likely take Brendan Smith's spot on the PP and could be the next Badger blue line All American.

I think Stepan stays, and there aren't really any other flight risks at forward, though you never know what will happen. Brett Bennett could leave too if the Coyotes come calling, as Goody certainly asserted himself as the top tender, but the spot will be up for grabs again in the Fall.

Last season the team hit the jackpot getting McDonagh and Geoffrion back, this season will be a matter of how many leave. I think the team can survive 3 departures, but more than that could make things tough. Should be an interesting few months coming up.

Hockeys Future NCAA Prospects Update

Hockey's Future is doing a series of updates on NHL teams college hockey prospects. Hockey's Future is one of the best resources on the net for following NHL prospects. We're still waiting on the profiles for five other players. When they become available we'll post them as well.

Cody Goloubef:

Chris Roberts has recently profiled the Columbus Blue Jackets who own the rights of Badgers Junior defenseman Cody Goloubef.

"Known primarily as a quiet defenseman possessing a sound defensive game in his first two seasons of collegiate hockey, Goloubef has been involving himself on the offensive side of the ice more frequently this season. He recorded a career high of 13 points in 36 games last season, and in just 22 games this season he’s almost matched that total with 12 points. His ability to move the puck up the ice and jump in on the rush has improved, and he already has a career high in assists with nine.

Goloubef is seeing top minutes on defense on a team that boasts a trio of first round picks on the blue line in Brendan Smith (DET), Ryan McDonagh (NYR) and Jake Gardiner (ANA). Add in John Ramage, an important piece to the United States’ blue line at the WJC, and Goloubef has been an important part of one of the top defense corps in the nation. He is currently tied for the team lead with a +16 rating as his defensive game continues to flourish as well."

Jake Gardiner:

Kyle Kujawa has recently profiled the Anaheim Ducks who own the rights of Badgers Sophomore defenseman Jake Gardiner and freshman defenseman Justin Schultz.

"After a promising rookie season, Gardiner’s game has taken a step back this season. He’s produced only three points in 20 games on the season after 21 as a freshman. A big part of the lack of production has to do with Gardiner being slotted into more of a defensive role. Brendan Smith (DET) receives most of the power-play minutes, so Gardiner is focused more on the defensive end of the ice.

The smooth-skating defenseman will likely step into that role if Smith turns professional after the season, as expected. From a development standpoint, it’s a move that could pay off for Gardiner, as he converted to defense from forward while in high school.

Gardiner won gold at the World Junior Championship with the United States. Gardiner started the tournament as one of the three defensemen rotated in and out of the last pairing, but gradually earned more ice time as the tournament progressed. His +9 rating was tied for the best on the team. He also added three assists in seven games."

Justin Schultz:

"One of the more pleasant surprises in the system is the play of the Schultz. Playing on a Wisconsin defense that is one of the deepest in the country, Schultz has been able to step in as a freshman and make a contribution. He’s put up nine points in 22 games so far, even logging some power-play minutes.

Schultz is a superb skater who excels at moving the puck. So far his defensive play has been acceptable. He still needs to put on considerable weight until he turns pro, as he’s still listed at 185, though he doesn’t look it. The former second-round pick has a lot of time to work on that though, and he’s in a system that has produced a few very good offensive defensemen in recent years."

Brett Bennett:

Andrew Sykes has recently profiled the Phoenix Coyotes who own the rights of Badgers Junior goaltender Brett Bennett.

"Bennett, a fifth-round pick in 2006, has gotten off to a nice start with the Wisconsin Badgers. After starting his college career at Boston University, Bennett decided to leave the school and play a year in the USHL before returning to the collegiate level. That decision has turned out to be a good one as Bennett has been solid in goal for the fourth-ranked Badgers. The 21-year-old has appeared in nine games, posting a 6-3 record with a solid 2.12 goals against average and a save percentage of .904. Bennett has split the goaltending duties with fellow junior Scott Gudmandson and that formula has worked well all season, and has the Badgers very much in the mix for the national title."

Blake Geoffrion:

Connor Jennings has recently profiled the Nashville Predators who own the rights of Badgers Senior forward Blake Geoffrion and Freshman forward Craig Smith.

"Geoffrion is a tri-captain at the University of Wisconsin. The 21-year-old is a strong two-way winger with professional physical attributes.

The senior has progressed in the goal column every year at Wisconsin, and has continued that trend this season. Geoffrion leads the team with 15 goals, and has 21 points in 21 games, which is good for fourth on the team. He has also shown great ability on the power play, with nine of his goals coming when up a man. Geoffrion projects as a second or third-line forward."

Craig Smith:

"Smith has been having a solid season as a freshman for the Badgers. He has not shown much of a scoring touch, but has flashed significant playmaking ability in his short time with Wisconsin.

The fourth-round pick has 3 goals and 14 assists in 20 games. Smith is fifth on the team in scoring, only four points behind Geoffrion. The 20-year-old has a long time to develop, but could be a potential top-six forward in the NHL."

09/10 Men's Previews: #27 Cody Goloubef

Vitals:

Position: Defenseman
Year in School: Junior
Shoots Right
Height: 6-1
Weight: 189 lbs
Hometown: Oakville, Ontario
Major: Undeclared
Previous Team: Oakville Blades (OPJHL) in 06/07

NHL Considerations: 2nd round pick of Columbus in the 2008 NHL Draft.

08/09 Stats: 36 games, 5-8-13, +6, 38 PIM
07/08 Stats: 40 games, 4-6-10, E, 36 PIM

09/10 Role: 2nd pairing, PP & PK

08/09 Recap: The highlight of Cody’s season was winning gold w/ Team Canada at the WJC, he didn’t put up big stats w/ the team, but was one of the better defensemen, always steady on the blue line. He was the only NCAA player on the team. As a Badger, he found himself paired most of the season w/ Ryan McDonagh and they were outstanding. Cody’s is good in all situations, and was probably the best blue liner on the PK. He was part of the 2nd PP unit, and still didn’t get a chance to show off his offensive skills behind Jamie McBain and Brendan Smith on the depth chart. Had both GWG when UAA visited the KC in December.

Biggest Strength: He is the silent backbone of the Badgers defensive core, you don’t notice him because he rarely makes a mistakes, and I think this season we’ll see what he can do on offense w/ regularity.

Biggest Weakness: None, he does everything well.

09/10 Thoughts: I think Cody is going to have a breakout season. It will be interesting to see what Eaves does w/ the pairings. I think both Cody and McDonagh are too good all around to stay together. Either way, Cody should get the chance to showcase some more offense, but one thing Badgers can count on is continued solid play in his own end and on the PK. If Cody ends up paired w/ Brendan Smith, hopefully some old chemistry can return to the former Ontario Juniors teammates. I’m really excited about Cody this season, the Badgers have four All-American candidates on the blue line this season.

By the end of the season, I think he’ll remind some Badger fans of Tom Gilbert; solid all around, but w/ much shorter hair. 60 do you think that is a fair possible comparison?

Prediction: 35 games, 8-20-8*
*All predictions for regular season only

Photo from uwbadgers.com

HF's Top 20 Prospects, Fall 2009

Hockey's Future is releasing their Fall 2009 top 20 prospects for each NHL team, and here are the teams so far with Badgers in the top 20. Nice to see previously unranked guys like Drewiske and Dowell make the jump into the top 20.

Anaheim Ducks

2. Jake Gardiner, D - 8.0C
6'1, 173 pounds
1st round, 17th overall, 2008

As a late convert to the blueline, Gardiner displays everything a team could want in a puck-moving defenseman. He has all of the size, as well as vision, hands, and a quickness on his feet that allows him to play strong positional defense. Now that he's at the back of the play most of the time, he has the opportunity to display his vision and awareness by developing plays. Most forwards that transition to defense have issues in their own end, but Gardiner is developing into the kind of defenseman that a team would want on the ice for all situations.

In 2008-09, Gardiner joined an already solid defensive unit at the University of Wisconsin. By the end of the season, he finished third in points among defensemen with three goals and 18 assists in 39 games and tied for fourth in plus/minus among all skaters with a plus four. He will return to the Badgers.

20. Justin Schultz, D - 6.0C
6'2, 162 pounds
2nd round, 43rd overall, 2008

After his stint as top defenseman in his conference in the BCHL, Schultz is ready to move on to the Wisconsin Badgers for the 2009-10 season. His offensive potential is high, with extraordinary puck-moving abilities and the skills to develop plays from the back end which is sought after in all power-play quarterbacks. At 6'2, but just 162 pounds, he needs to put on some muscle in order to play professional hockey. With Wisconsin, he will look to prove he can handle bigger competition.

LA Kings

16. (NR) Davis Drewiske, D
Signed as free agent, 2007

On the other end of the spectrum in terms of potential is Drewiske, who is never going to be an offensive player and not one to physically dominate an opposing forward. The 24-year-old has good feet and positioning to keep himself between the forward and the goaltender and subsequently the puck out of the net. While he has been penciled in as a possible starter on the third defensive pairing for Los Angeles to start the season, he has likely leveled off in terms of his potential. The Kings are not likely to get much more than a third-pairing defenseman out of Drewiske, which is fine for an organization looking for a “bridge” player to fill the gap between the now and when one of the more talented defensemen are ready to step in. While Drewiske is an important piece for an organization to have, his long-term contribution to the Kings will be limited and so is kept in the bottom half of these rankings.

Joe Piskula and Podge Turnbull are among the "Other Notables".




Chicago Blackhawks

7. (8) Jack Skille, RW - 22, 7.0C
6'1 208 lbs
Drafted first round, 7th overall, 2005

After opening the year on the Blackhawks’ roster, Skille spent a majority of the year with the IceHogs. He managed just one goal in his eight NHL games but fared much better in the American league. In 58 matches, he scored 20 goals and 25 assists to finish fourth on the team in scoring with 45 points. Skille’s speed fits well on Rockford’s top line and he’ll likely remain one of the first offensive options for the ‘Hogs. While he may be ready for another shot at the NHL, both the number of forwards already signed by the Blackhawks and Skille’s substantial cap hit may keep him in the minors.

16. (NR) Jake Dowell, C - 24, 6.0C
6'0 197 lbs
Drafted fifth round, 140th overall, 2004

Dowell has 20 games of NHL experience under his belt from his first two pro seasons. He spent 75 games in Rockford last season and scored six goals, added 14 assists, and earned 128 PIMs. A strong defensive forward, Dowell was generally used to center one of the bottom lines for the IceHogs. Though his role will likely remain the same, he remains a strong candidate for a call-up in the right situation. He is capable in both zones and especially strong in the faceoff circle providing some defensive depth at the center position.

Columbus Blue Jackets

4. (3) Cody Goloubef, D
Grade 7.5C Projection: Top-three defenseman
Age: 19 Height/weight: 6'0, 195
Drafted 37th overall, 2008

Goloubef plays a solid, unspectacular game, but is highly regarded. Goloubef has shown the ability to chip in offensively, but doesn’t have the power play potential that Moore displays. Instead, Goloubef has ample potential to become a top defender on the penalty kill.

He will enter his third season with the University of Wisconsin next season, after posting five goals and eight assists in 36 games last season.

Actual vs Predicted: Blue Line

Previously I kicked off a little season review and took a look at my pre-season predictions against a player’s actual production. Yesterday was the goaltenders, today I’m moving on to the defensemen, and what a fine group of blue liners they are.

Jamie McBain – Grade: A-
Actual stats: 36 games, 7-27-34*
Prediction: 36 games, 10-26-36
* Regular Season stats only

WCHA POY, Hobey Finalist and likely an All-American. Anything more to say? Good luck to McBain in the pros; I’ll be tuning in regularly when he’s an everyday NHLer, likely by 2010/11.

Ryan McDonagh – Grade: B+
Actual stats: 32 games, 4-11-15
Prediction: 32 games, 5-12-17

McDonagh came to the rink and gave a solid effort every night. He doesn’t always light up the score sheet, but he is valuable on both ends of the ice. Of all the defensemen, he is the most physical (w/ the exception of Ryan Little’s reckless abandon) and had some huge hits throughout the season. At first I didn’t like his pairing w/ Goloubef, but they compliment each other well and if they both return they should be the top pairing in the country.

Cody Goloubef – Grade: A-
Actual Stats: 32 games, 4-8-12
Prediction: 36 games, 6-14-20

Gold Medal Goloubef gets an extra notch on his grade for gaining the gold men w/ Canada at the WJC in January. The only NCAA player on the team, quite impressive. Sitting behind McBain, Smith and Gardiner in the PP hierarchy, Goloubef still hasn’t been able to show off his offensive upside, but he still had a great season. He is solid on both ends, actually better than solid. Again w/ McDonagh they make a great pairing, and assuming Goloubef returns he might get a chance to run the PP w/ Smith on the 1st unit. Goloubef’s future looks mighty bright.

Jake Gardiner – Grade: A
Actual stats: 35 games, 2-16-18
Prediction: 30 games, 4-12-16

Lost in a lot of other things gaining attention in Badger Men’s hockey, Jake Gardiner had one hell of a season! Two seasons ago, Jake completed his last season as a forward, and now he looks a few seasons away from being an NHL regular on the blue line as he refines his defense game, and expands his offensive capabilities. The grade I gave him is based on him beating expectations, not in scoring, but in the level of play he brought throughout the season. I don’t think anyone honestly expected his level of play and adjustment to the WCHA from high school hockey. He stepped right into a pairing w/ McBain in the 2nd half and never looked back.

Brendan Smith – Grade: B
Actual Stats: 27 games, 8-13-21
Prediction: 30 games, 4-13-17

Smith was a critical part of the power play in the 1st half of the season; he was a force out there being fed from McBain. Injury derailed his season once again, and upon returning late in the season he was never quite as effective. Smith made big strides in his defensive game and started to really show off the offense that made him a 1st round pick of the Red Wings. A healthy season is critical for Smith next year, and if he is his numbers could be huge.

Craig Johnson – Grade: B
Actual Stats: 19 games, 0-0-0
Prediction: 10 games, 0-1-1

I underestimated Johnson, or overestimated Little and Springer based on who would get playing time this season. To start the year, there was a regular rotation of all three, but as the Badgers neared crunch time Johnson became a regular on the 3rd pairing and even time on the PK. I think his late season pairing w/ Smith was effective since they both compliment the other’s weakness. Johnson started to show a better slap shot late, and was better in big game situations. W/ Justin Schultz coming in for sure, Little and Springer are going to have to work hard to take Johnson’s spot in the lineup next season.

Ryan Little – Grade: C+
Actual Stats: 22 games, 0-3-3
Prediction: 20 games, 1-3-4

Little gets a small bump in his grade for his aforementioned reckless abandon in “owning” opponents. He reminded me of Patrick Johnson’s freshman year. Overall, Little was good at times and struggled mightily at others, but for a freshman season it wasn’t too bad. My fan’s expectation for frosh blue liners is to not be a liability in the defensive zone and whatever else you do great (outside of the highly touted kids). At the end, Johnson was less of a liability than Little, so he saw the ice time. Plenty of room and time to improve.

Eric Springer – Grade: C
Actual Stats: 18 games, 1-2-3
Prediction: 18 games, 1-4-5

Springer doesn’t get the bonus for reckless abandon, but I think he had a similar season to Little. Right before Christmas 60 and I discussed how great he was playing, but after the holidays he seemed to take a step back. Overall a good freshman season, and like Little there is a lot of room for growth and improvement. There is a possibility of mass blue line departures following next season, and both Springer and Little will be critical parts of the 2010/11 team as upperclassmen.

More HF prospects updates, interview w/ Derek Stepan

Last week I linked Hockey's Future's prospects updates for Brendan Smith, Patrick Johnson, Ryan McDonagh, Joe Piskula, and Davis Drewiske. Today I have some more:

Hurricanes 2008-09 NCAA prospects update

Jamie McBain, D • Wisconsin (WCHA)
Ht: 6’2 • Wt.: 197 pounds
Drafted: 2006 second round • 63rd overall

The most impressive Carolina NCAA prospect is Wisconsin junior defenseman Jamie McBain. McBain has become one of college hockey’s best blueliners. His 28 points — on five goals and 23 assists in 26 games — are tied for 16th in the NCAA and are tops among all defensemen in the country. He’s already surpassed his career high of 24 points set last season with the Badgers and has been a guiding force on a Wisconsin team that’s battling for the top spot in the WCHA.

After leading the Badgers defense in scoring the past two years, McBain was named an alternate captain prior to this season and his breakthrough 2008-09 has the Wisconsin athletic department touting McBain as a Hobey Baker Award candidate. It wouldn’t be out of the question to expect McBain to jump right to the NHL after his college career is over — perhaps as early as next season if he passes up his senior year.

Wild 2008-09 NCAA prospects update

Chris Hickey, F
University of Wisconsin Badgers
Acquired: 7th round, 190 overall, 2006

Hickey is fighting for ice time as one of four freshmen on the Badgers roster this season. But unlike the others, who are having successful seasons and seeing regular shifts, Hickey has not found himself a regular spot in the lineup.

Hickey has only suited up in eight of a possible 26 games this season; in those games, he has seen very little ice time. His stats show his lack of ice time; in his eight games played he has only managed one goal, a -2 rating and four penalty minutes.

Looking ahead to next season, life won’t be getting any easier. Out of the 16 forwards on the Badgers roster, 14 are eligible to return. Many of the players returning next season are of the core group that provides the offensive punch and defensive stability for the Badgers. Hickey will need to do everything he can during the remainder of this season and in camp next season to show he is the Badgers’ shut-down guy.

One positive that can salvage this season for Hickey is the 10 pounds he put on over the summer. Hickey is going to need to continue to grow faster and stronger to become an elite checking line forward. Checking will need to be Hickey's forte as it was never envisioned that he would be a major contributor on offense.

Kings 2008-09 NCAA prospects update

Selected as a project by then general manager Dave Taylor, Joshua Turnbull has not shown much in his second season with the Wisconsin Badgers. With only six points in 21 games, he has stepped back in his production from his freshman season with little chance of getting off the fourth line. And with nearly all of the Badgers forwards returning next season, the prospects for better ice time does not look good. Turnbull must earn his time by showing more development or he may not make it out of college hockey. He still has two more seasons to improve and catch the attention of the Los Angeles brass.

Cody Goloubef also got mention in HF's January college prospects notebook:

Badger brings home the gold

The NCAA was well represented at this year’s IIHF U20 World Junior Championships in Ottawa, but it would be a University of Wisconsin defenseman who would bring home the biggest prize of all. Oakville, ON native and Badgers sophomore Cody Goloubef (CBJ) and his Team Canada teammates captured their fifth straight gold medal after defeating Sweden 5-1. Goloubef finished second on the Team Canada roster with a plus-10. He also added an assist.

An finally, HF has an interview with Badger forward Derek Stepan.

Friday Afternoon Alumni Catch-up

There have been a few interesting alumni items that I we haven't post yet:

• Joe Pavelski is featured as USA Hockey Magazine's Next American Star. Really nice article.

• Mike Eaves and Ryan Suter are featured in USA Hockey Magazine's look back at the 2004 World Junior Championships in which the US took home Gold. Mike Eaves, of course, was the head coach. In addition to Ryan Suter, Badgers Jake Dowell and Jeff Likens also played for Team USA.

• Melissa Wade has some pictures of Cody Goloubef with Team Canada after winning the Gold at this year's WJC. Thanks for sharing, Melissa! (Ok, it's not alumni, but I gotta put it somewhere.)
  

• Bernd Bruckler has been listed as a player to watch in the Championship Hockey League (CHL). Brucker plays for the Espoo Blues of SM-liiga, the top Finnish league. The CHL, which includes the top European teams, is a new league this year that replaces the IIHF European Champions Cup. (Props to EODS for pointing this out.)


• Despite getting under 9 minutes of ice time, Adam Burish was named the #1 Star of the Game the Hawks 6-0 victory over the Coyotes on Tuesday. Burish had 1 goal and 1 assist. (Thanks again, EODS).
  

Cody Goloubef, Canada, Win GOLD

Surprise, surprise, Team Canada won the gold medal at the 2009 IIHF U-20 World Junior Championship. Canada dominated most of the game and won by a decisive 5-1 score, although they scored 2 empty netters.

Wisconsin defenseman Cody Goloubef finished the tournament with 1 assist and 8 PIM. What a great experience for Goloubef to play under the pressure of a tournament like this and win gold on home soil. He will no doubt be tired next weekend in Anchorage but it will be great to have him and Ryan McDonagh back. While they were gone Little, Johnson and Springer didn't play great but the extra experience all 5 of them gained whether they were in the World Juniors or getting extra ice time at Wisconsin will no doubt help out the Badgers in the future. Congrats to Cody and Team Canada.


EDIT: I hope Chuck doesn't mind my popping in here to add a couple of links: Box, IIHF recap. I'd also like to point out that Cody was 2nd on Team Canada and 2nd among all skaters with a +/- of +10. -- 60


Photo by Melissa Wade, hockeyphotography.com

Cody Goloubef in World Junior Gold Medal Game

Wisconsin defenseman Cody Goloubef will be on the ice tonight as Team Canada takes on Team Sweden at 6:30 CST in the gold medal game of the IIHF U-20 World Junior Championships. While I am an American, and am still disappointed in the United States showing at the tournament, I will be cheering on Team Canada tonight simply because of Goloubef.

The game will be televised on the NHL network. If you don't get the NHL network where you live, (like me) and don't want to go to a bar to watch the game. It will also be available at this link. If you scroll down about half way through the list you will find the game listed. Coverage starts at 6 PM CST, game time should be 6:30.


In case you were wondering, here is the Vegas line for the game.







Photo by Melissa Wade, hockeyphotography.com

SVK 5 - USA 3, Canada in semis today

Team USA lost to Slovakia 5-3 in the quarterfinals yesterday. Disappointing. McDonagh was held completely off the scoresheet -- no points, no SOG, finished even.

iihf: box, recap
usahockey: recap, game blog, game photos

For what it's worth, USA will play CZE Sunday at 6:30 CST for 5th place.

Cody Goloubef and Team Canada faces Russia today at 6:30 CST in the 2nd semifinal of the day (SWE and SVK play at 2:30 CST today), with the medal games taking on Monday. And of course these games will be televised on the NHL Network. Go Cody!

WJC quarterfinals start tomorrow

I know, I know . . . I haven't been online in a week . . . [hangs head] . . .

Ryan McDonagh and Team USA will take on Slovakia in the first quarterfinal on Friday at 2:30 CST. Russia and the Czech Republic will play in the second quarterfinal on Friday at 6:30 CST.

There are only 2 quarterfinals, as Sweden and Canada earned byes into the semifinals. Cody Goloubef and Team Canada will take on the winner of RUS-CZE on Saturday at 6:30 CST. Hopefully, Sweden's opponent at 2:30 CST on Saturday will be Team USA!

The bronze and gold medal games will be played Monday at 2:30 CST and 6:30 CST.

The quarters, semis, and medal games will all be televised on the NHL network.

Anyway, for those of you like me who have been extremely busy and haven't been able to keep up, here's how USA/CAN fared during the preliminary round to get to the playoff round . . .

12/26/08
USA 8 - GER
iihf: box, game recap
usahockey: game recap, game blog, game photos, video highlights
McDonagh -- 0-1-1, 0 SOG, +2

CAN 8 - CZE 1
iihf: box, game recap
hockeycanada: game recap
Goloubef -- 0-0-0, 2 SOG, +2

12/28/08
CAN 15 - KAZ 0
iihf: box, game recap
hockeycanada: game recap
Goloubef -- 0-1-1, 2 SOG, +5

USA 4 - CZE 3
iihf: box, game recap
usahockey: game recap, game blog, game photos, video highlights
McDonagh -- 0-0-0, 0 SOG, -1
McD puts the game in context: "Some might say we didn’t take a step forward, but I don’t think we took a step back because we still got the win."

12/29/08
CAN 5 - GER 1
iihf: box, game recap
hockeycanada: game recap
Goloubef -- 0-0-0, 1 SOG, +1

12/30/08
USA 12 - KAZ 0
iihf: box, game recap
usahockey: game recap, game blog, game photos
McDonagh -- 0-1-1, 2 SOG, +4
McD's comment Team USA's play: "Just making strong plays and smart decisions with the puck. I thought we did well, guys didn’t try to get too fancy, which can sometimes happen against an opponent like this."

12/31/09
CAN 7 - USA 4
iihf: box, game recap
usahockey: game recap, game blog 1, game blog 2, game photos
hockeycanda: game recap
tsn: video highlights
McDonagh -- 0-0-0, 0 SOG, -1
Goloubef -- 0-0-0, 0 SOG, +1


While I'm at it, I might as well mention this little blurb in the Canadian Press:

Cody Goloubef, Oakville, Ont. - Lone college player on the team out of Wisconsin is calm, covers off gaps and doesn't give quarter in the defensive zone. A good skater with quick transition game.

Nice!

And in case you missed it when Gandalf previously posted it, here's a bunch more on Goloubef from the WJ Team Prospects Report:

Cody Goloubef-D- Team Canada is loaded with talent from the three major branches of the Canadian Hockey League: the Ontario Hockey League, Western Hockey League, and Quebec Major Junior Hockey League. However, Goloubef managed to earn a spot on the roster as the lone representative of the NCAA. Goloubef scored four goals and 10 points in 40 games for the University of Wisconsin last season. However, those moderate offensive totals don't begin to tell the full story. Goloubef was the second-youngest player in the NCAA last season and he was playing on a squad that prioritizes defense and doesn't like gambling offensively.

Goloubef would call himself an offensive defenseman, and he has the skills to back up that claim. He's a strong and fluid skater who enjoys getting involved in the rush. He has strong offensive instincts and a good shot. Goloubef isn't an overly physical player, but he also isn't afraid to use his body when necessary. He's a good two-way player who could develop into a great power-play point man in the NHL. Playing for Wisconsin has allowed Goloubef to fly under the radar a bit, but he's someone to watch closely in the upcoming World Junior Championship. If he is given enough ice time to show what he can do, he could turn some heads in this year's tournament.

USA 8 - GER 2 / CAN 8 - CZE 1

I didn't get the chance to watch either game today, but both USA and Canada were victorious in their first preliminary games. As you know, Badger defensemen Ryan McDonagh and Cody Goloubef are playing for Team USA and Team Canada, each wearing #17 for their respective countries.

USA 8 - GER 2
James van Riemsdyk (UNH) and Drayson Bowman scored 2 goals each, and Jordan Schroeder (Minn), Colin Wilson (BU), Matt Rust (Mich), and Tyler Johnson each chipped in a goal for Team USA. Ryan McDonagh, who started on D for Team USA, had an assist and finished +2.

Box
Recaps: usahockey, iihf
Blog
Photos


CAN 8 - CZE 1
John Tavares scored a pair of goals, and Zach Boychuck, Angelo Esposito, Chris Di Domenico, Tyler Ennis, Ryan Ellis, and Alex Pietrangelo each chipped in a goal for Team Canada. Cody Goloubef had 2 SOG and finished +2.

Looking at Canada's roster, Goloubef appears to be the only NCAA player on the roster. It's not surprising to see major juniors players make the roster preferentially over NCAA players, but I was surprised to see just 1 NCAA player. (To be honest, I don't know the breakdown from previous years, so I'm not sure how this compares to previous rosters.) Regardless, it's a nice accomplishment for Goloubef to be the sole NCAA representative on the team.

Box
Recaps: hockeycanada, iihf


Next up:
USA v. CZE -- Sun, Dec 28, 6:30 PM CST (televised live on the NHL Network)
CAN v. KAZ -- Sun, Dec 28, 2:30 PM CST (televised live on the NHL Network)

Props for Goloubef

The following Prospects Report has some great things to say about Cody Goloubef heading into the WJC.

Cody Goloubef-D- Team Canada is loaded with talent from the three major branches of the Canadian Hockey League: the Ontario Hockey League, Western Hockey League, and Quebec Major Junior Hockey League. However, Goloubef managed to earn a spot on the roster as the lone representative of the NCAA. Goloubef scored four goals and 10 points in 40 games for the University of Wisconsin last season. However, those moderate offensive totals don't begin to tell the full story. Goloubef was the second-youngest player in the NCAA last season and he was playing on a squad that prioritizes defense and doesn't like gambling offensively.

Goloubef would call himself an offensive defenseman, and he has the skills to back up that claim. He's a strong and fluid skater who enjoys getting involved in the rush. He has strong offensive instincts and a good shot. Goloubef isn't an overly physical player, but he also isn't afraid to use his body when necessary. He's a good two-way player who could develop into a great power-play point man in the NHL. Playing for Wisconsin has allowed Goloubef to fly under the radar a bit, but he's someone to watch closely in the upcoming World Junior Championship. If he is given enough ice time to show what he can do, he could turn some heads in this year's tournament.

I heartily agree w/ this assessment of young Cody. He has had the quietest best season of all the Badger blue liners. McDonagh and McBain get all the attention, but Goloubef isn't too far behind them.

WJC on NHL Network

This is old news, but its a prefect time to post about it on the blog.

The NHL Network will be televising all of Team USA's games during the World Junior Championship, and in addition will cover all games during the medal round.

Even better, all of Team Canada's preliminary round games will be shown as well.

So, if you have the NHL Network, you can catch Cody Goloubef and Ryan McDonagh as they strive for gold staring December 26th.

Here is the preliminary round schedule.

Team USA Schedule:

Dec 26th - vs Germany
Dec 28th - vs Czech Republic
Dec 30th - vs Kazakhstan
Dec 31st - vs Canada

Team Canada Schedule:

Dec 26th - vs Czech Republic
Dec 28th - vs Kazakhstan
Dec 29th - vs Germany
Dec 31st - vs USA

Cody Goloubef makes Team Canada for the WJC

Congrats go out to Cody Goloubef who will be representing his country as a member of Team Canada in the upcoming World Junior Championships. The WJC will be held in Ottawa, which should make it a bit sweeter for the Badger Dman. Of the two Badgers who attending Canada's WJ camp (Brendan Smith was the other), I thought Cody would have the best chance of making it. He is the only NCAA player on Team Canada, similar to Kyle Turris last season.

W/ Cody and Ryan McDonagh gone for the first four games following Christmas, Wisconsin will be down to six defensemen. Ryan Little, Eric Springer and Craig Johnson are going to get a lot of playing time. Unlike last year (when Jamie McBain, Blake Geoffrion and Kyle Turris were gone) Wisconsin doesn't have to face any WCHA competition on the weekend following the Showdown. Northern Michigan is no pushover, but CC was a tough pill last season w/ out our three best players.

I'm sure there will be some local media coverage in the coming days and we'll bring it to you.

Edit: On cue, Baggot reported the news.

Off Week Linkorama

It certainly has been an off week for the Badgers and the blog. Lets get things caught up.

• Cody Goloubef was named WCHA Defensive Player of the Week. Cody had 2 game winners as the Badgers swept UAA. Michael Davies was nominated for Offenseive Player of the Week, and Derek Stepan Rookie of the Week. For the Women's team, Brooke Ammerman notched her third WCHA weekly honor being named WCHA Rookie of the Week. 3 goals and 2 assists on the weekend led the team.
• Cody Goloubef and Brendan Smith are praticipating in Canada's World Junior Camp this weekend. Both are on Team Red. Yesterday they both assisted on Team Red's first goal by John Tavares, but Team Red lost to Team White 6-3. There was another scrimmage today, and another tomorrow. Thanks to the World of Junior Hockey for the info.
• Todd @ TCT had an article on wednesday summarizing the first half of the season. Badgers went from the worst start in school history to leading the WCHA coming into this weekend. It's amazing the turnaround in Badger fans in a few short months. At Halloween people wanted Eaves fired (in some forums) and after Thanksgiving it was all smiles again. The Badgers are no longer in 1st place, as minnesota and Denver have both jumped ahead so far this weekend.
• The Badger Men moved into the rankings at #16, while the Women continue as the consensus #1.
• Todd @ TCT also had several misc posts over at the Ice House this week. The Chicago Blackhawks did the right thing following a game in Toronto. Wisconsin and St. Cloud lead the nation in # of players who have scored a goal this season w/ 19. Only Jake Gardiner, Craig Johnson, Ryan Little, Aaron Bendickson and Tom Bardis have not lit the lamp. With finals starting tomorrow, there was a little fun in practice this week w/ the Wisco Cup 2-on-2 tourney. The "Avalanche" won, the team was comprised of Tom Gorowsky, Sean Dolan, Eric Springer and Ryan Little. Jake Gardiner competed in the event (which is a good sign based on his concussion), while Blake Geoffrion and Ben Grotting ran the tourney, out w/ leg injuries.
• If you want to learn something about Erika Lawler's younger brothers, this is the article for you. Thanks to Dplaya for the find.
• Lastly some NHL Badger news. Adam Burish is on the IR due to a toe injury. Also, Matt Ford and Josh Engel both were called up to the AHL recently from the ECHL, but it appears both will be headed back to their old ECHL clubs as they were both recently cut by their AHL clubs.

Tomorrow, I'm going to focus on the recruits in a linkorama. Mark Zengerle and Craig Smith continue to play well, and I will continue to hype them.