Video: Badger Women's season outlook

Similar to the Men's season outlook videos, uwbadgers now has an outlook video for the Badger Women. Here are the questions asked to Mark Johnson, as well as a brief synopsis of his answers.

Describe the 2009-10 coaching staff.
MJ has lots of nice things to say about Tracey DeKeyser, Peter Johnson, and Jackie Friesen -- he's very comfortable with and excited for his staff. DeKeyser has been with the program since it's inception is very qualified and he's excited for her to get the chance to run the program. Johnson was an assistant for the Badgers Men, as well as at Cornell and BG. He's won NCAA championships as a player and a coach, and Mark is very comfortable with him as an addition to the staff and helping DeKeyser. As a student assistant coach in her 5th year, Friesen got to see how practice plans were put together and see decision-making. He's really excited about her, and she's excited to be on board as well.

How will you be involved with the Badgers while you are coaching Team USA?
He says starting in September he'll basically be a fan. But that he will keep in touch with the 3 coaches on a regular basis to help them out in any way he can.

What does it mean to you to be coaching the 2010 Olympics?
He talks about the enjoyment, excitement, and challenges that come with representing one's country as a player and as a coach in international play. He calls the Olympics the biggest venue that sports provides, and he's looking forward to working with and challenging his players and making them the best team they're capable of becoming.

What does it mean for the UW to be hosting the Camp Randall Hockey Classic?
He says he always tries to make each year special for the seniors and mix in an event that's special that they can carry with them, and that this is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity for the players.


* In other W-WCHA news, the Duluth Foreign Legion has given Shannon Miller a 2-year extension, extending her contract through the 2012-13 season.

Sunday afternoon catch-up

Catching up with a number of items that have accumulated over the last week or so:

• Andy Baggot had a blog post listing candidates to play on the Badger Men's top line, and DPlaya weighs in with his thoughts.

• Lowetide has a post on Troy Hesketh: Tall Tree from Minnetonka. I think I've pretty much already posted most of the contained information, but it's worth a look to refresh your memory. Good stuff.

• Chris Walby has a post on his WSN Wiscohockey blog about future Badger Cody Strang. In the post he indicated that Strang has been "battling the decision to pursue golf instead of hockey despite being drafted by the USHL and committed to a scholarship with the UW hockey team", prompting me to ask "couldn't he do both?". I suppose the seasons do overlap, but the golf season isn't all that long, and none of the dates conflict. Before anyone gets too riled up, though, Strang did say, "Golf is always going to be there and I'm committed to hockey, to Youngstown and the Badgers".

• DPlaya has some links about potential recruit Barret Kaib, including a recent Bleacher Report feature and WCH's and USHR's reports from last year's Select 15 Festival.
  

• Hilary Knight recently did a photo shoot for Inside Wisconsin Sports, and Jacqueline Boscacci snapped a few pictures while at the photo shoot (1, 2, 3).

• I previously mentioned that Women's interim head coach Tracey DeKeyser was interviewed on 1070 Aug 4, but I don't think I mentioned that new assistant Peter Johnson was interviewed on 1070 the next day Aug 5. You can find all of the 1070 OnWisconsin podcasts here.

• Uwbadgers.com has a Fan Video Guide. I haven't watched it yet, but it says you can "[s]ee the men’s hockey locker room and office tour and take a tour of the inner depths of the Kohl Center" and "[c]heck out the practices of the national champion women’s hockey team and relive their 2009 title run highlights".

• A number of things don't make sense to me regarding the CCHA's rejection of UAH. But rather than tell you myself, I'll just refer you to Goon's World and the Ciskie Blog, as Goon is doing a bang-up job of covering the situation.

• Kurt Kleinendorst has been named head coach of the NTDP U18 team. Ron Rolston previously held that position, but this year he will be head coach of the NTDP U17 team, a position recently vacated by former Badger assistant John Hynes. Future Badgers Frankie Simonelli and Michael Mersch will play for the U18 team this year, and potential recruit and Wisconsinite Jake McCabe will play for the U17 team.

• Looks like there will be another outdoor double header besides the Camp Randall Classic. Sounds like BC/BU Men and Northeastern/UNH Women. It hasn't been officially announced, I don't think, as the official press conference is scheduled for Aug 20, but TSN is already reporting it.
  

A few more items . . .

• Part 2 on Scanlon's interview with Badger Women's Hockey interim head coach Tracey DeKeyser indicates that the 2 vacant assistant coaching positions for this season have been filled:
  

  With respect to the upcoming season, I will be surrounded by another solid, albeit new staff, that is looking forward to the challenge ahead. Fortunately, both coaches have ties to Badger Hockey so it should be a pretty seamless transition since they’re familiar with the UW campus and the rest of our support staff.

  Not sure who the 2 coaches are. Names that have been mentioned by the lunatic fringe include Phoebe (Monteleone) Turner (F, 2003-07) and Jackie Friesen (F, 2001-05).
  
  Another name that had been mentioned is Tom Osiecki, but it's not surprising that he's been named interim assistant for the gopher women while Natalie Darwitz is with the US National Team. (Thanks to the kids on the uscho women's forum for the link.)
  

• In other WCHA coaching news, Scott Sandelin has received a 2-year contract extension at UMD. Going into (and during) last season, I thought he might be on the hot seat soon if the chumps didn't have a good season, and a 7th-place WCHA finish wasn't exactly what I had in mind. But when they defeated Princeton 5-4 in OT in the West Regional semifinal, I said to myself "Congratulations, Scotty, your boys just kept you from soon being out of a job". A bit simplistic on my part, perhaps, but it's the first thing that jumped into my head.
  
  
• Hockey's future released their Oilers' draft review this afternoon, including their take on future Badger Troy Hesketh:
  

  Troy Hesketh, D
  6’2 178 lbs, Minnetonka Skippers
  3rd Round, 71st Overall
  
  With their third pick in this year’s entry draft the Oilers took high school defenseman Troy Hesketh. Hesketh was unranked by Central Scouting for the draft. Critics of this pick, and there have been many, argue that Edmonton took a flyer on the young defenseman way too early in the draft. But a perceived competition for his services made him the 71st pick.
  
  Hesketh’s biggest asset is his size. At just under 18 years old, the Oilers feel Hesketh has the potential to develop into a hefty 6’4 blue liner. With the Skippers, Hesketh plays in all situations including the power play. Despite the heavy ice time, his numbers are not great given that he is playing at a lower level than many other players in this year’s draft.
  
  One advantage both Hesketh and the Oilers have is that there is absolutely no rush for him to develop. Hesketh has committed to playing his NCAA hockey at the University of Wisconsin, however, he hasn’t yet started his senior year of high school. Hesketh is a boom or bust type prospect that the Oilers will give every opportunity to develop properly.

  I think it's a bit unfair to judge a stay-at-home defensemen on his numbers. Hesketh isn't one of those players who's going to put up a ton of numbers. Now, that's not to say that he'll be a liability for the generation of offense -- interviews indicate that he understands the importance of a good 1st pass out of the defensive zone to generate offense, and he's not unwilling to jump into an offensive play when appropriate. Plus, he sounds like a very smart player, and that's always a good thing.
  

• The NHLPA is advising NHL players not to participate in any on-ice activities at the various Olympic orientation camps. Something about "unwarranted and unnecessary risk" and insurance concerns.
  

  The NHLPA doesn't believe the federations are providing enough insurance to cover players' current contracts and potential future earning power in the event of an injury.

  Badgers at the US Olympic camp include Tom Gilbert, Joe Pavelski, Ryan Suter, and Brian Rafalski. Dany Heatley is the sole Badger representative at Canada's Olympic camp

• Coming Down the Pipe had an interview last Tuesday with Preds' scout Rich Knickle. With 2 Badgers drafted recently by the Preds -- Craig Smith this year and Blake Geoffrion in 2006 -- it's interesting to hear from one of their scouts, even if it's just generalized information on one particular scout's scouting philosophy. Knickle, who scouts the WHL for the Preds, stresses the importance of hockey sense in a prospect. He also mentions that, in general, the Preds are not an organization that rushes players up the the NHL because they want the players to succeed.
  

Jessie Vetter / Tracey DeKeyser

• Madison Magazine has published their "Best of Madison '09" issue, and Jessie Vetter received an Editors Choice Award: "Best in Monona Grove to best in the nation to best in the world? Could be. Of this we're certain: Jessie Vetter is Best of Madison."

• Del Scanlon of WSN has a 2-part interview with Badger Women's interim head coach Tracey (Cornell) DeKeyser. In Part 1, DeKeyser talks about girls youth hockey in Wisconsin. Good stuff!