Dirty Jake Dowell Goal From Last Night

Nothing like getting a little help off the stick of former teammate Davis Drewiske...



Shout out to G-Unit for the tip.

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Davis Drewiske 3 on 3 Tournament

I feel awful that I haven't posted this earlier. I knew about it a while ago and forgot about it until this morning and saw it posted again on the Buckyville message boards.

Like the picture says, Davis Drewiske is holding a 3 on 3 hockey tournament Saturday and ALL proceeds go to benefit the Huntington's Disease Society of America. If your not familiar with Huntington's, it's a very serious illness that former Badger Jake Dowell's father has. Here is an article done by the CBS National News on the Dowell family back from 2004 on Jake getting tested for Huntington's.

I think it takes a pretty awesome friend of Jake's like Davis Drewiske to put an event on like this to help raise money for Huntingtons. I don't know if it's too late or not to get your kid into the 3 on 3 tournament but it sounds sweet. Each 3 on 3 team will get to play with an NHL hockey player. Players scheduled to attend: Jake Dowell (Chicago Blackhawks), Scott Parse (LA Kings), Robbie Earl (Minnesota Wild), Tom Gilbert (Edmonton Oilers), Adam Burish (Dallas Stars), Brian Elliott (Ottawa Senators), Matt Greene (LA Kings), Peter Herald (LA Kings), as well as obviously Davis Drewiske of the LA Kings.

Even if registration is closed for the tournament, there is still going to be a live band, an auction, a raffle, as well as a food and beer tent. I would encourage anyone that can make it over to Hudson on Saturday to do so. Obviously in addition to meeting some NHL stars and former Badger National Champions, raising money for Huntington's which is a disease that hits so close to home with one of our own former Badger parents should really be cool.

Badgers In The Pros: NHL Playoff Update

The University Of Wisconsin has a long history of producing NHL level talent. The 2010 NHL Stanley Cup Playoffs are doing nothing to dispel that fact.

Joe Pavelski continued on his historic pace Sunday night by netting his 8th and 9th goals of the playoffs. It's Pavelski's third straight multi-goal game of the playoffs. The last player to do the same was Mario Lemieux.

Pavelski is having one of the best playoffs in San Jose history. His 9 goals tie him with Patrick Marleau for the clubs playoff record. Marleau set the mark during the 2006 playoffs. Pavelski is currently first in goals scored and his 14 points are second to only Sidney Crosby's 16.

Dany Heatley had a breakout performance on Sunday. His three assists were huge in the Sharks taking a 2-0 series lead heading into game three in Detroit. Heatley is having quietly solid playoffs. The former Badger All-American has 9 points in 7 games. His 8 assists are tied for second behind Crosby.

Brian Rafalski, the third former Badger All-American in the Detroit/San Jose series also had a big Sunday game. The Red Wings blue liner picked up a pair of assists in the loss on Sunday. He now has 8 points through 9 playoff games, good enough for fourth on the Wings in scoring.

Pavelski, Heatley and the Sharks next play Tuesday against Rafalski in Detroit at 6:30 CST on Versus (HD).

Wisconsin Badgers NHL Playoff Statistics

	Player	Team	Pos	GP	G	A	P
1	Joe Pavelski	SJS	C	8	9	5	14
2	Dany Heatley	SJS	RW	7	1	8	9
3	Brian Rafalski	DET	D	9	1	7	8
4	Ryan Suter	NAS	D	6	0	0	0
5	Adam Burish	CHI	R	3	0	0	0

	Player	Team	GP	GS	W	L		OT	SA	GA	GAA	Sv	Sv%
1	Brian Elliott	OTT	4	4	1	2		0	95	14	4.14	81	.853

Pavelski, Heatley, Rafalski, and Burish are still active and playing in round number two. Suter and Elliott have been eliminated. Davis Drewiske was on the Kings roster for the playoffs but was a healthy scratch thought the first round and they have been eliminated. Also, Jack Skille and Jake Dowell are on the playoff roster for the Hawks but they have not seen time as of yet.

Weekly playoff schedule

Mon-8 PM CST: Van at Chi (Burish, Dowell, Skille)-Versus (HD)
Tue-6:30 PM CST: San Jose (Pavs, Heatley) at Det (Rafalski)-Versus (HD)
Wed-8:30 PM CST: Chi (Burish, Dowell, Skille) at Van-Versus (HD)
Thu-6:30 PM CST: San Jose (Pavs, Heatley) at Det (Rafalski)-Versus (HD)
Fri-8:30 PM CST: Chi (Burish, Dowell, Skille) at Van-Versus (HD)
Sat-9 PM CST: Det (Rafalski) at San Jose (Pav's, Heatley)-Versus (HD)
Sun-7 PM CST: Van at Chi (Burish, Dowell, Skille)-Versus (HD)

Davis Drewiske signs 3-yr extension w/ Kings

Kings sign Quick, Drewiske to 3-year extensions

The Los Angeles Kings solidified their goaltending and defense Friday, signing goalie Jonathan Quick and defenseman Davis Drewiske to three-year contract extensions.

Drewiske, 24, is in his second NHL season and has played in all 10 Kings' games to date, scoring 1 goal and 2 assists and a team leading plus-6.

Drewiske made his NHL debut with the Kings last season and appeared in 17 games, picking up 3 assists and 18 penalty minutes. He also played in 61 games with the AHL's Manchester Monarchs last season, scoring 1 goal and 13 assists.

(Thanks to Capo for the heads-up, as he mentioned this in today's live blog.)

Belated Congrats to Davis Drewiske on his 1st NHL goal

I suppose I could've included this in the alumni updates post that I'm planning, but dang it, I wanted to give Davis his own post, and who's gonna stop me?

I meant to post this a while back but never got around to it. I'm a bad Badger fan / bad Davis Drewiske fan. Sorry, Davis!

In the 2nd game of the season, Drewiske scored his 1st NHL goal, an empty netter in the Kings' 6-4 win over San Jose. He also has an assist that night.

Here's the video of his goal. (Thanks, Capo!)

Drewiske has played in every game this season, and he's averaging 15-16 min of ice time. You can follow his stats here.

I like Drewiske because he's not the most talented guy (obviously he has enough talent to play in the NHL, but you know what I mean), but he's smart and works hard and keeps his game simple.

Oh, and Baggot had a nice article a couple weeks ago (which I also neglected to post earlier, sorry) which featured Drewiske.

"I always thought that mentally I was smart enough to be able to figure it out, but I needed to get myself faster and stronger so I could compete."

"I always felt like I could play. I've always believed in myself."

Connelly signs with Elmira, and other alumni links

• Shane Connelly has signed with the Elmira Jackals, the Ottawa Senators' ECHL affiliate.
  Uwbadgers announcement
  

  Former Wisconsin goaltender Shane Connelly (Cheltenham, Pa.) has signed a professional contract with the Elmira Jackels of the ECHL. Elmira is the ECHL affiliate of the NHL's Ottawa Senators.

  Completing his Badger career last season, Connelly finished among the school's top five all-time in goals-against average, save percentage and shutouts. He went 19-14-4 with a 2.51 goals-against average, .913 save percentage and three shutouts during the 2008-09 campaign. For his career, Connelly posted a 41-36-11 record with a 2.39 goals-against average, .913 save percentage and eight shutouts.

  A back-up at Wisconsin during his first two seasons behind All-American Brian Elliott, Connelly joins the same organization for whom Elliott currently plays.

  Connelly will attend the Ottawa Senators rookie camp in Kitchener, Ontario in September, which will also feature players from the organizations of the Boston Bruins, Pittsburgh Penguins and Toronto Maple Leafs.
  

  Elmira Jackals announcement (thanks to Capo for the link)
  

  The Elmira Jackals, ECHL affiliate of the Ottawa Senators and Binghamton Senators, continue to add on to their roster, signing three more players for the 2009-2010 season. Center Chris Korchinski returns for another season with the Jackals, while goaltender Shane Connelly and winger Brett Gallant will make their first professional appearances in Elmira.
  .
  .
  .
  Goaltender Shane Connelly comes to Elmira by way of the University of Wisconsin of the Western Collegiate Hockey Association (WCHA), where he started two seasons for the Badgers after backing up current Ottawa Senators goaltender Brian Elliott for two seasons. In his career at Wisconsin, Connelly posted a .913 save percentage while recording a goals against average of 2.39. As a freshman, Connelly backstopped the Badgers to a 4-2 win over Ohio State in the Frozen Tundra Hockey Classic at Lambeau Field in Green Bay, WI. The Cheltenham, PA native had eight shutouts at Wisconsin, including a 43 save effort against the North Dakota Fighting Sioux in November of 2007. Connelly will attend the Ottawa Senators rookie camp in Kitchener, ON in September which will also feature players from the organizations of the Boston Bruins, Pittsburgh Penguins, and Toronto Maple Leafs.
  
  "Shane had a very strong career at the University of Wisconsin and he'll be part of a solid tandem in Elmira," Martinson said.

• Jackie MacMillan is featured in uwbadgers.com's latest "Where are they now?" spot. You might remember that she was named head coach of CSS's new women's hockey program earlier this summer.

• If you happen to be in the LA area this Saturday, you can go say "hi" to Davis Drewiske, as he'll be signing autographs from 1 to 2 pm as part of the 3-day LA Kings Hockey Fest (Aug 28-30). Don't forget to tell him "Thanks for being a Badger!"

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.

Thursday evening linkorama

• The NCAA has announced the NCAA Women of the Year Award conference winners, and Jessie Vetter was picked for the WCHA. Out of the 132 conference winners, the top 30 will be considered for the national award. I gotta think Vetter will be in the running. (Thanks to Boscacci for the heads-up.)
  

• The Badger Men have been invited to open the 2010-11 season in St. Louis at the Icebreaker Invitational. Other expected invitees include Boston University, Holy Cross, and Notre Dame. Sounds fun to me!

• Two Badgers have made THN's Top 10 American-Born Players: Mike Richter (#10) and Chris Chelios (#1). How 'bout that, Ma?

  10. Mike Richter, G
  Richter makes the grade here less for his NHL resume than for his international one. Richter did win a Stanley Cup with the Rangers in 1994 and has the third-most NHL victories (301) amongst American netminders. But he answered his country’s call on 11 separate occasions, playing in world juniors, world championships, three Olympics, a Canada Cup and a World Cup – in which he led the U.S. to a gold medal and was named tournament MVP. Richter even left the University of Wisconsin after just one season to play for the U.S. national team for a year-and-a-half in preparation for the 1988 Olympics. His NHL career began the next season.
  
  1. Chris Chelios, D
  Chelios has been playing in the NHL since 1983-84. He is fourth all-time in games played and is the 10th-highest scoring blueliner ever. Chelios has never been the most prolific scoring rearguard – his best season came in 1988-89 when he totaled 15-58-73 in 80 games – but scoring was never the best part of his game. Chelios is one of the NHL’s all-time nastiest players, as his 2,891 penalty minutes – 12th most ever – attest to. But with that nastiness came skill, too. Chelios is a five-time first team all-star and a two-time second-teamer. He’s played in 11 all-star games and, most impressively, won three Norris Trophies. He’s also a three-time Stanley Cup-winner who has played for the U.S. at 12 international events, including three Canada Cups and four Olympics.

• Andy Baggot has a bit on Tony Hrkac's involvement in the Badgers' high school development camp. He also mentions the other coaches on the camp's staff.

• Davis Drewiske recently blogged from the Kings Fans Cruise. Among other things, we learned that he swims like a rock. (Thanks to Capobianco for the heads-up.)

• Not really Badger-related, but here's an article about the goaltender that Brian Elliott will be backing up.

• And completely not Badger-related: Plastic Ice.

Summer Spotlight: Davis Drewiske!

The Manchester Monarchs shine their summer spotlight this week on Badger alum Davis Drewiske. And so I thought I'd see what other Davis Drewiske links I could find.

First up, here's Drewiske's "Who Are You?" video from the Monarchs, which you may have already seen linked on twitter.

You might remember that Drewiske was named Monarchs Man of the Year in March, but in case you didn't, I thought I'd better remind you.

Also in March, the Union Leader had 5 Qs with Monarchs defenseman Davis Drewiske.

Drewiske started the 2008-09 season with the Monarchs but was called up in February and played 5 games with the Kings before being reassigned to Manchester. He was then recalled in March and played 12 more games with the Kings. I really like this article about Drewiske's 2nd stint with the Kings.

The Hudson Star Observer recently had a nice article about Drewiske going back to Hudson to thanks his coaches, but apparently now we have to pay $2.95 to read it.

I'd also like to mention that Drewiske was nice enough to donate one of his Badger jerseys for Joe Pavelski's golf outing fundraiser this summer. (I'm not 100% sure, but I think it was his freshman year jersey.) Very cool, Davis, very cool.

(Photo courtesy of Redheat15)

Davis Drewiske!

Apparently while I wasn't paying attention, Davis Drewiske was called back up to the Kings and has played 4 games without my knowledge. Somebody's in trouble for not bringing this to my attention; I haven't decided who yet, but there are plenty of candidates (at the very least there's Chuck, nubeetle, and a certain someone I won't name - you know who you are) -- don't you guys know that when I'm completely oblivious to a Badger being called up to the NHL you're supposed to rectify the situation?

Anyway, here are his stats from those 4 games:
3/26 Kings 1 - Stars 0 (SO): 0-0-0, 2 SOG, E, TOI 18:32
3/24 Blues 2 - Kings 0: 0-0-0, 1 SOG, -1, TOI 14:08
3/22 Blackhawks 4 - Kings 1: 0-0-0, 1 SOG, E, TOI 13:35
3/20 Penguins 4 - Kings 1: 0-0-0, 1 SOG, E, TOI 15:30

So, not a great road trip for the Kings, but Drewiske got some nice ice time and it appears that he's playing well. He featured prominently in this article on the Kings' website.

QUOTES
Terry Murray
On the development of Davis Drewiske
“Davis has picked up right where he left off (from his first call-up in February). He plays strong, hard, heavy, and I really like his attitude. He’s got that edge that is so important for a defenseman. He’s also starting to show some composure and is learning how to deal with the quick plays and the speed of the game at the National Hockey League level.”

Davis Drewiske
On the differences between this call-up and his first call-up
“The biggest thing is confidence. I feel so much more comfortable. I know everybody – the team, the coaches, and the routine. I really believe that I’m starting to contribute.”

His expectations for this call-up
“You can’t really have any expectations. I’m just trying to take it one day at a time, play well, and make a good impression with the players, coaches and staff.

On playing in front of friends and family in Chicago last Sunday
“That was really special. Chicago is as close as we’re gonna get to my hometown in Wisconsin. I had to track down ten tickets for everybody that came to the game. I imagine that it would have been a lot more had they had more than a days notice.”

OH, AND YESTERDAY DREWISKE WAS NAMED MONARCHS MAN OF THE YEAR!

The Manchester Monarchs are proud to announce that defenseman Davis Drewiske has been named the team's winner of the American Specialty/AHL Man of the Year award for his outstanding contributions to the Manchester community and charitable organizations during the 2008-09 season.

Drewiske has become the spokesman for the Monarchs in the community during his rookie season. Drewiske takes pride in spreading a good message and spending time with children in the community. He enjoys talking about the Monarchs and bringing fans into his world as a professional athlete.

Dang, he hadn't even been in Manchester for a full year yet (he played his first game there 4/4/08), and he already has the most impact on the community. You really should read the whole release (don't worry, it's not too long), but here are a couple nice quotes from Monarchs Senior VP Cheryl Abbott:

"[He's] an inspirational role model for our organization. His ability to speak to children of all ages regarding health and wellness for the Monarchs Winning With Wellness program and his personal experiences of staying drug free is remarkable. He is able to convey the importance of saying no to drugs and living a healthy lifestyle in a way that youth today understand."

"Drewiske enjoys working in the community. His professionalism and steadfast dedication to youth and society are keys to spreading the right message. His enthusiasm and energy is contagious and students are able to take that positive influence into their daily lives."

Drewiske is now in the running for the AHL's Man of the Year Award. Pretty cool. Good work, Davis!

(Photo courtesy of Redheat15.)

Drewiske reassigned to Manchester

My apologies for being 2 days late on this. As expected, Davis Drewiske was reassigned to Manchester after the conclusion of Denis Gauthier's suspension. I previously posted the stats from his 5 games in LA, and here's his NHL game log for the Kings.

Drewiske did play in Manchester's 4-3 victory over the Albany River Rats last night. He was held off the scoresheet but finished +1.

Drewiske's first 5 games as a King

As you know, Davis Drewiske was recalled by the Kings last week when Denis Gauthier was suspended for 5 games. As Gauthier's suspension is now over, we'll have to watch the transactions to see if Drewiske is reassigned to Manchester; I haven't seen anything yet. But I thought this morning would be a nice time to take a quick look at Drewiske's first 5 regular season NHL games.

2/3 Kings 1 - Sens 0: 10:15 TOI, 0-0-0, E, 1 HT, 2 BS
2/5 Kings 5 - Caps 4: 12:01 TOI, 0-0-0. +1, 1 A/B
2/7 Kings 3 - Devils 1: 14:15 TOI, 0-0-0, E, 1 SOG, 1 HT, 2 BS
2/10 Kings 4 - Isle 3 (SO): 12:48 TOI, 0-0-0, E, 1 A/B, 2 HT, 2 GV, 6 BS
2/12 Flames 2 - Kings 0: 13:00 TOI, 0-0-0, E, 2 SOG, 1 GV, 1 BS

Watch Drewiske's first NHL game

If you are interested, Davis Drewiske is making his NHL debut tonight. The game can be found at this link. Drewiske is wearing #44 for the Kings. The Kings are playing the Senators who obviously feature Brian Elliott and Dany Heatley.

EDIT by 60: I hope Chuck doesn't mind my commandeering his post right now, but it seemed silly to start a new post.

In tonight's 1-0 victory by the Kings, Drewiske had 10:15 ice time and had 1 hit and 2 blocked shots. And no giveaways. So pretty good for his 1st NHL game, I think.

I'd like to say that I watched the game, but I got home late and missed the 1st period, and then my sister called and I missed the 2nd period. (And then for whatever reason I missed the 3rd.) Perhaps Chuck or anyone else who watched the game will share their thoughts?

Drewiske Called Up By LA Kings

One of my favorite things to report on is when a former Badger gets his opportunity to show what he's made of in the National Hockey League. Today, former Badger Captain Davis Drewiske was re-called by the LA Kings to take the spot of suspended defenseman Denis Gauthier.

Here is the press release from the Kings:

The Los Angeles Kings, the parent club of the Manchester Monarchs, have recalled defenseman Davis Drewiske from the Monarchs, Kings President/General Manager Dean Lombardi announced today.

Drewiske, 24, has one goal and 11 points (1-10=11) in 46 games with the Monarchs during his rookie season and he's tied for second on the team with a plus-4 rating. In addition, his 63 penalty minutes rank third overall on the team. Drewiske, a 6-2, 215-pound native of Hudson, Wisconsin, has not played in a regular season game with the Kings this season. He will wear jersey No. 44.

Last season, Drewiske finished his senior season at the University of Wisconsin by recording 21 points (5-16=21), 46 penalty minutes and a plus-6 rating in 40 games while serving as captain of the team. He also tied for first among Badgers defensemen with five goals and his 21 points ranked second among club blue-liners. The Kings signed Drewiske as an unrestricted free agent on April 1, 2008, and he finished last season in Manchester, appearing in the Monarchs' final five regular season games (5 GP, 0-0=0, 6 PIM) and four postseason games (4 GP, 0-1=1, 6 PIM).

Davis spent time with the Kings in the pre-season and impressed the Kings brass as well as the fan base. Many fans on the Kings message boards are excited to see what Davis brings to LA.

Davis will be the 9th player off the 2006 Wisconsin National Championship team to play in the National Hockey League. (Earl, Pavelski, Burish, Gilbert, Skille, Dowell, Piskula, Elliott and now Drewiske) Think about that for a second. 9 players off that team have played in the NHL just a few short seasons after the fact. I would have to assume that this would be pretty close to a record of players off one team spending time in the NHL.

Congratulations to Davis and I hope you find your niche in the show buddy!

(Photo by Doug Pensinger/Getty Images)

HF's prospects updates

A number of Badgers are included in Hockey's Futures latest round of prospects updates.

Red Wings 2008-09 NCAA prospects update

Brendan Smith, D – University of Wisconsin

6’2, 174lbs
Acquired: 1st round, 27th overall, 2007

The Red Wings surprised many when they took Smith 27th overall in the 2007 draft. While he was project to go in a later round, Smith fits the mold of many other Red Wings defensemen as a small but very mobile player. In his rookie season at the University of Wisconsin he was able to tally 12 points in 22 games played. He has been praised for all aspects of his offensive game including his smooth skating, outlet passing and ability to quarterback the power play. Smith’s defensive game has always been the question.

This season Smith has surpassed his rookie season totals and has 18 points in 21 games. Additionally, he is playing a more sound defensive game and has developed a better sense of when to pinch and how to position himself on the ice. If Smith can continue his progress in the college ranks, then he could certainly pan out as a first or second pairing defenseman.

Canadiens 2008-09 NCAA prospects

Patrick Johnson, F (7th round, 206th overall, 2008) -- University of Wisconsin

The sophomore winger has played a solid role for the Badgers to date, although a knee injury suffered during the team's first game back following a three-week holiday break may prove to be a setback for the young forward.

The slight winger, who measures just 5'9 and 155 pounds, has scored two goals and three assists in his second season with the club. These numbers represent a drop in production from his 2007-08 totals of eight goals and 13 assists in 40 games. However, he has helped the club earn a 16th overall ranking behind a 12-9-3 overall record so far. Their 9-5-2 record finds them in second place, three points behind WCHA-leading Denver.

Ryan McDonagh, D (1st round, 12th overall, 2007) -- University of Wisconsin

McDonagh has rapidly played his way to the top of the Canadiens' prospect pool. He's been a rock on the Badgers' blueline and was a physical force during the U.S.' fifth-place performance at the World Junior Hockey Championships.

The 6'1, 203-pound blueliner has logged major minutes as a sophomore with the 17th ranked Badgers, and has scored four goals and added five assists from the back end. These numbers are comparable to his 2007-08 totals of five goals and 12 points in 40 games. McDonagh's also played more of a physical presence in his 20 games at the collegiate level this season, earning 37 minutes.

The two-way blueliner was a presence at the World Juniors, adding three assists to the cause, while finishing with a team-leading plus-five rating in Team USA's six games. The fact that he only registered two shots in those games was more of a reflection of the defensive role he was asked to play at the tournament.

Kings 2008-09 AHL prospects update

Piskula/Drewiske

Veterans of the AHL, Joe Piskula and Drew Bagnall, have logged a lot of ice time playing the roles of defensive defensemen. Piskula has been slowed by injury while Bagnall is the lone defenseman to appear in every game for Manchester. Bagnall has emerged as more of a physical defenseman this season and has been the stalwart against the opposition around the net. Piskula continues to provide sound positional defense and solid skating to keep the opposing forwards at bay. While his potential for the NHL has largely leveled off, he has a steadying influence on the blueline in Manchester, not dissimilar to what Joe Rullier provided the Monarchs for years, but not as physical.

Rounding out the group of seven are Alec Martinez, Andrew Campbell and Josh Kidd, Davis Drewiske, each playing in their first full season of professional hockey. Martinez is the more mobile defenseman of the group, but has been slow to adjust to the AHL. One of the better offensive-minded defensemen in college hockey last season, Martinez needs work on aspects of his offensive game to retain his reputation. If he can begin to find the back of the net with a little more regularity, the Monarchs might be set offensively from their blueline with the combination of Martinez and Voinov.

Alumni updates

• Blackhawks TV has a slow motion video of an Adam Burish body check. By the way, if you missed them earlier, check out Burish's "One Goal" spots on Blackhawks TV -- 1st spot, 2nd spot. Classic Burish.


• Adam Burish hasn't updated his blog in the past week, but Chicago Sun-Times online sports editor Roman Modrowski stopped by to take a shot at Adam and to post a Burish fight video.


• Hockey's Future has released its previews of the Rockford Icehogs, Toronto Marlies, and Manchester Monarchs. No mention of Jake Dowell in the Icehogs preview, but Robbie Earl gets some nice mention in the Marlies preview, and Joe Piskula and Davis Drewiske are briefly mentioned in the Monarchs preview.
  

  Other promising Marlie forwards include late cuts Robbie Earl and Kyle Rogers. Earl, 23, has improved consistently since joining the Marlies two years ago. In 2007-08, he notched 14 goals and 47 points in 66 games after scoring 30 points in 67 games the year before. Earl's ticket to the NHL is his speed which he uses primarily in a setup role. Leaf injuries may allow him to see a few NHL games, but he'll likely bulk up and fine tune his game in the AHL this season.
  
  Joining Martinez and Voinov on the blueline will be Davis Drewiske, Joe Piskula and Drew Bagnall. Each is returning to Manchester for his second season, albeit after only a handful of games for Drewiske. Drewiske and Piskula are solid defensive defensemen who will be looked to as the anchor of the defense and on the penalty kill.
  



• In his blog post about Badger lines, Todd mentioned several recent transactions:
  
  
  • The Los Angeles Kings assigned defensemen Davis Drewiske and Joe Piskula to Manchester (AHL).
  • The Toronto Maple Leafs sent forward Robbie Earl to their Toronto AHL affiliate.
  • The New York Rangers assigned defenseman Brian Fahey to Hartford (AHL).
    
  • Hartford, meanwhile, released forward Matthew Ford to Charlotte (ECHL).
  • The St. Louis Blues sent forward Brad Winchester and defenseman Andy Wozniewski to Peoria (AHL).
  • The Chicago Wolves (AHL) released forward Andy Brandt and defenseman Josh Engel. They'll return to Gwinnett (ECHL).

More Hockey's Future: Top 20 Prospects, SM-Liiga

As you know, we've been posting Badgers that make HF's Top 20 lists as the Fall 2008 edition for each NHL team is released. Anyway, HF has released a few more teams, as well as feature on SM-Liiga. A number of Badgers make the Top 20 lists, and Badger Bernd Brückler and Coach Eaves' son Ben are mentioned in the SM-Liiga feature.

Montreal Canadiens:

2. (2) Ryan McDonagh, D, 19
Acquired 1st round, 12th overall, 2007

The Canadiens have placed a premium on blueliners over the past few seasons, and McDonagh represents the cream of the crop. Not only does he possess solid size on the blue line, at 6'1 and well over 200 pounds, but he represents the type of defenseman who's prized throughout the league -- a mobile, puck-moving presence with the ability to both start and finish the rush.

His skating has been described as "dimensional" by the team's player development guru, Trevor Timmins. McDonagh is expected to anchor a strong University of Wisconsin blue line this year. He is also expected to play a key role on Team USA for the upcoming WJC, despite being left off the squad last season.

Other notables: Patrick Johnson, C

Columbus Blue Jackets:

5. (NR) Cody Goloubef, D
Grade 7.0C Projection: Top 4 defenseman
Age: 18 Height/weight: 6'0, 195
Drafted 37th overall, 2008

Goloubef had a very good season in the NCAA, where impressively he played a regular shift as an 18-year-old defenseman. He finished the year with 10 points in 40 games for the Badgers. An extremely smart defender who makes an excellent first pass, Goloubef plays very well in his own end. He plays smart and safe, but there also is a good deal of offensive upside to his game.

Toronto Maple Leafs:

10. (6) Robbie Earl, LW, 23 -- Toronto Marlies (AHL) - 7C
Acquired: Sixth round, 187th overall in 2004.

While Earl improved during his second AHL season, he has yet to show the goal scoring touch that he did at the University of Wisconsin. The swift winger followed up his 12-goal, 30-point rookie season with 14 goals and 47 points last year, which earned him a nine-game stint with the Leafs that resulted in one assist. At times he was the best player on the ice last year, but there were also times he failed to make any impact at all. There is no questioning his speed and game-breaking ability from the wing, but whether or not he will ever produce like he did in college when he scored 41 goals and 90 points during his last 80 games, is another question. Earl will head to camp this fall hoping to lock down a spot on one of the Leafs' scoring lines with an impressive camp. No matter where he plays in 2008-09, he will have to produce more offensively to keep his prospect status.

New York Rangers:

11. (N/A) Derek Stepan, C, 7.5D
Age: 18
Acquired: Second Round, 51st overall, 2008 NHL Entry Draft

A boom or bust prospect, Stepan was a major force at Shattuck St. Mary’s during the 2007-08 season. His 44 goals and 111 points led the team last year. Now a freshman at the University of Wisconsin, Stepan is a very good skater, with excellent hands, and a fast release. A natural playmaker, Stepan has a knack for making the right pass, and the speed to make things happen. Stepan will be looking to take his game to the next level on one of the best teams in collegiate hockey. Unlike some other hockey players, who take an extra year before beginning college, Stepan was extremely anxious to join the Wisconsin Badgers at age 18, and currently is one of the youngest players on the team. It is hard to predict at this point how long it will be before Stepan is ready for a professional hockey career. There is no question that he has a lot of potential, but it will be awhile before the Rangers know whether Stepan will be boom or bust.

LA Kings:
Other Notables -- Davis Drewiske (D), Joe Piskula (D)



Finnish SM-Liiga prospects 2008-09 season preview

BLUES
Like Karpat, Espoo Blues will have a primarily veteran lineup as they prepare for Champions League and SM-Liiga play. However, unlike their Northern rivals the Blues were able to keep much of their lineup intact – including top two scorers Ryan Keller and Stefan Ohman. Keller, a 24-year-old former Saskatoon Blade, is one of three North American imports for the Blues along with defenseman Dale Clarke and former Penguins’ draft pick Ben Eaves. Coach Petri Matikainen should have another strong club this season.

Austrian goalie Bernd Bruckler was drafted by the Flyers in 2001 and played college hockey at the University of Wisconsin (where Eaves’ father Mike is the head coach). Bruckler was a workhorse for the Blues last year and should again handle the bulk of the goaltending duties. Antti Harma (a 1987-born goalie) gained some professional experience last year playing for KooKoo (Mestis) and was also on the Finnish junior team in 2007. Mika Korhonen (21) and Mikko Koskinen (20) split the duties on Espoo’s A junior club.

A few videos: Davis Drewiske, Tom Gilbert, Jack Skille

• Davis Drewiske talks about his experiences during the Kings development camp and lets Kings fans know what they can expect from him.



• Tom Gilbert apparently got some new shoes (I can't believe Principe asked him about that) and is pretty happy in Edmonton.



• This video is a bit older -- in the 2/27/08 "Bacon Bits" segment, Jack Skille talked a bit about Icehogs and Blackhawks hockey. (The video was passed on to me by Redheat15 from a friend of hers -- thanks to Redheat and friend!)

Thursday morning Badger links

It's getting kind of late but the Badger Hockey Golf Outing is June 26th. Thanks to Todd Milewkski for the link.

Coach Osiecki will be on hand at the NHL draft this weekend while head coach Mike Eaves will be at a prospect camp put on by Anaheim Ducks GM Brain Burke. Link from Andy Bagott.

uwbadgers.com did a sweet Q&A with Josh Engel and Davis Drewiske.

uwbadgers.com also has another video uploaded this time with a stuff on the upcoming NHL draft, and featuring Cody Goloubef.

Minneapolis Star Tribune put out a nice article on Jake Gardiner. Thanks to D-Playa for the link.

This has nothing to do with hockey, but Minnesota football coach Punky Brewster's kid decided to transfer. I love seeing turmoil in the Gopher Nation.

Monday Morning Link-O-Rama

I have a li'l linkorama to brighten your Monday morning. A few new items, but mostly a catch-up of things that I've missed over the past week or two.


New Stuff:

Todd has updates on the Badgers' new pros, including KT, Davis Drewiske, Kyle Klubertanz, and Josh Engel.

Baggot lists the Badgers who are chasing Lord Stanley.

Hockey in Wisconsin has a nice summary of season stats for Badger recruits (and Wisconsin-born players) playing in the USHL. (I can't link the specific post, but it's the Sunday News & Notes post on 4/6/08).


Catch-up:

A very brief non-informative interview, but hey, it's always nice to hear seniors say nice things about their time at Wisconsin, as Josh Engel did in this little interview.

I can't believe I missed it (well, actually, I can, because I wasn't paying much attention to anything online for a several weeks), but about a month ago the Badger Herald had a great article about the seniors.

Hockey's Future has been releasing their Spring 2008 top 20 prospects for each NHL team.

• Jamie McBain is the Hurricanes' # 2 overall prospect and top defensive prospect.

For the second straight year, McBain has been a bright spot in an otherwise disappointing season for one of college hockey's powerhouses. The sophomore blueliner is tied for fourth on the Badgers with 21 points, netting three goals and 18 assists. He's also a team-best plus-11. Like Sutter, McBain also played at the World Juniors, joining Team USA for the second straight year. While he registered just one assist in six games, his play was considered solid in the tournament. Interestingly, McBain's coach, Mike Eaves, is the father of new Hurricane Patrick Eaves.

• Brian Elliott is the Senators' #7 overall prospect and top goalie prospect.

In his first pro season, Elliott has developed into a reliable goaltender. He covers a lot of net with his 6’2, 206 lbs frame, but his best asset is his quick reflexes. Competing with Jeff Glass for the starter role for most of the season, Elliott has emerged on top and has earned the bulk of the playing time since February. He has started all but three games in March and has helped put Binghamton within reach of a playoff spot. His save percentage is a sturdy .915, he has a 2.83 GAA overall, and has an 18-19-1 record.

Earlier in the season, when Ray Emery was still recovering from injury, Elliott was given his first NHL start on Oct. 10. He stood tall stopping 29 of 30 shots to earn his first career victory. A former Wisconsin Badger, Elliott signed an entry-level contract in March 2007 after four years of NCAA hockey. He is the top goaltender prospect in the Ottawa system.

• KT is the Coyotes' #1 overall prospect.

In his freshman year for the University of Wisconsin, Turris leads the Badgers in scoring with 31 points (11 goals, 20 assists) in 33 games. It wasn’t really a shock that Turris would gravitate to the top of the scoring, as much as it was that the Badgers as a whole lacked a lot of chemistry. His skill shined through, yet he still looked a bit small when it came to matching up with the competition. He is now ninth in the nation among rookies in points per game at .97. In international play at the 2008 WJC, he lead Team Canada in scoring with eight points (4 goals, 4 assists) in seven games played. The big question is whether the Coyotes 2007 top pick will sign as a pro this summer instead of returning to Madison this fall. Expect Turris to be a factor in either setting.

HF has also been releasing it's Top 50 prospects, and Ryan McDonagh makes his appearance at #30.

McDonagh joined the University of Wisconsin this season and looked good, though his team had a down year. He was paired with senior Jamie McBain (CAR) for the majority of the season and did not look out of place while logging top minutes as a freshman. Noted for his skating and poise under pressure, the solid two-way defenseman was also able to show some glimpses of his offensive capabilities this season. McDonagh probably will not make it through four seasons in Madison before being called upon to join the defensive ranks in Montreal.

Cody Goloubef made an appearance on THN's The Hot List.

3. Cody Goloubef, D – Wisconsin Badgers (WCHA): While many of this week's Hot Listers had an easy route to the playoffs, standout freshman defenseman Goloubef and his fellow Badgers had to simply hold their breaths and pray. An early exit from the WCHA playoffs will do that, so there were a lot of crossed fingers when the Frozen Four brackets were announced.

“After we lost to St. Cloud, we knew there was still hope,” Goloubef said. “We still practiced and Sunday morning we all got together to watch the announcement on TV. When we heard we were in, we practiced that night as well and we've been getting ready ever since.”

Despite being the No. 3 seed in the Midwest regional, the Badgers will get to play their opening match at home at the Kohl Center, a fortuitous stroke of luck not lost on them.

“It's going to be an unbelievable advantage,” Goloubef noted. “Our fans are ridiculous – it's going to be like having a sixth skater on the ice.”

You would think the powerhouse Badgers would have fought for a WCHA title this year, considering the squad boasts Goloubef and NHL draft picks such as Kyle Turris (Phoenix), Jamie McBain (Carolina), Ryan McDonagh (Montreal) and Goloubef's roommate, Brendan Smith (Detroit), but it was not to be. Wisconsin struggled to a .500 record, which Goloubef said will help the team going forward.

“I think it builds character,” he said. “You learn from your mistakes.”

Goloubef, who grew up in the Toronto suburb of Oakville, models his game after Maple Leaf defenseman Tomas Kaberle.

“I like the poise and confidence he has carrying the puck up the ice,” he said. “He's so calm, never rushing, always has his head up – nobody ever seems to get the puck off him.”

That is something Goloubef hopes becomes the word about him, as well. Draft eligible in 2008.