The University of Wisconsin men's hockey team welcomed its first player to the transfer portal this offseason on Monday.
Defenseman Brady Cleveland (right) played in only 16 of 40 games during his freshman season with the Badgers.
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Defensemen Brady Cleveland and Luke LaMaster, who played well in the final six games of the season, are looking for new teams. Both admitted to putting their names on the portal.
The Badgers also lost forward Mathieu de Saint Phalle, who signed with the American Hockey League's Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins on Monday. He earned his fifth season of eligibility after playing the last four with the Badgers.
The move came three days after Wisconsin's season ended with a 3-2 overtime loss to Quinnipiac in the first round of the NCAA Tournament.
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Cleveland played in only 16 of 40 games his freshman season with the Badgers. He injured his upper body during practice and missed the first 10 games of his second half.
The Wausau native was a second-round pick of the Detroit Red Wings last season. He was committed from the U.S. Hockey National Team Development Program to play on Tony Granato's staff, but remained as part of the freshman class under new coach Mike Hastings last season.
After committing to 2021, Cleveland said he told then-associate head coach Mark Osiecki he wanted to learn from him.
“I told him, 'I want you to be here,'” Cleveland said in 2021 of Osiecki, a strong defensive coach who was fired along with Granato after the 2022-23 season. “Because I've been talking to everyone, 'When I play here, you need to know that you're here.' NHL scouts, my advisors, coaches, everything, everyone. We're talking about him and his record.'' ”
Cleveland has three more seasons of eligibility remaining and said he also had talks with the University of Colorado, Cornell University and Michigan Tech during the first recruiting cycle, but there is no clear path for the left-handed defenseman to be in the Badgers' lineup next season. Apparently not. Wisconsin is expected to return left-handed pitchers Daniel Latsch, Joe Parodiczak and Zach Schultz, all of which had better depth than Cleveland.
The right side of the defense will feature Ben Dexheimer and Anthony Koehler, who is likely in his fifth season of eligibility. Logan Hensler and Jack Phelan, both right-handers, will be freshmen.
The Badgers will have eight defensemen and could look to the transfer portal to acquire another left-hander to balance out the side.
Lamaster rejoined the Badgers late in the season after Tyson Jugnauth left the team in December to play in the major juniors and Cleveland suffered an injury. He was a member of the team for the past three seasons, but was left off this year's roster.
However, he only suited up for one game, on Jan. 5 at Notre Dame. La Masters has one year of eligibility remaining and plans to graduate from UW-Madison this spring with a degree in Science and Communication.
De Saint Phalle was fifth on the team with 27 points in the 2023-24 season. He led the team with 13 goals as a junior and had his most productive season with 30 points.
His two-year AHL contract begins next season, but he will join Wilkes-Barre/Scranton on an amateur tryout contract for the remainder of the season.
PHOTOS: Samantha Madar's favorite photos of Wisconsin men's hockey from the regular season
Wisconsin's Christian Fitzgerald takes to the ice before a game against the Lindenwood Lions on Jan. 13, 2024, at the Kohl Center in Madison.
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Wisconsin forward Quinn Finley celebrates after scoring a goal in an unofficial penalty shootout against Minnesota at the Kohl Center on February 3, 2024.
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Wisconsin forward Owen Mehlenbacher shoots the puck against Minnesota defenseman Karl Fisch during the first period at the Kohl Center, Feb. 2, 2024.
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Wisconsin's David Cirie breaks his stick while shooting the puck during the second period of a game against Lindenwood at the Kohl Center on Jan. 13, 2024.
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University of Wisconsin forward Owen Lindmark celebrates after scoring in the third period against Minnesota on February 2, 2024 at the Kohl Center.
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Wisconsin forward Tyson Dike attempts to pass the puck during the second period of a game against Notre Dame at the Kohl Center on February 10, 2024.
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Wisconsin goaltender Kyle McClellan stops the puck during the second period of a game against Notre Dame on February 9, 2024 at the Kohl Center.
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University of Wisconsin forward Mathieu de Saint Phalle (left) and forward Simon Tussey celebrate after defeating Michigan at the Kohl Center in Madison on Nov. 4, 2023.
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The Wisconsin student section sings during the third period of a game against Notre Dame on February 9, 2024 at the Kohl Center.
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Wisconsin defenseman Joe Parodiczak slides into the puck with Minnesota forward Brody Lamb during the third period at Kohl Center on February 3, 2024.
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Wisconsin forward Carson Bantle (right) celebrates with forward David Cirier after scoring in the third period against Notre Dame on February 9, 2024 at the Kohl Center.
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University of Wisconsin forward Mathieu de Saint Phalle celebrates after scoring a goal in the first period against Michigan on Nov. 4, 2023, at the Kohl Center.
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Wisconsin's Daniel Latsch, from left, Kyle McClellan and Anthony Koehler are introduced before the game against the Lindenwood Lions on January 12, 2024 at the Kohl Center.
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Wisconsin forward Quinn Finley prepares for puck drop during the first period against Notre Dame on Feb. 10, 2024 at the Kohl Center.
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Wisconsin's Ben Dexheimer takes to the ice before a game against Lindenwood on Jan. 12, 2024 at the Kohl Center.
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On February 2, 2024, during the first period at Kohl Center, Minnesota defenseman Ryan Chesley, 71, grabbed Wisconsin forward Sawyer Scholl and threw him onto the ice.
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Wisconsin forward William Whitelaw, 8, celebrates with his teammates after scoring a goal in an unofficial shootout against Minnesota at the Kohl Center on February 3, 2024.
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Notre Dame's Niko Jovanovic pushes Wisconsin forward Quinn Finley onto the ice during the first period at the Kohl Center on February 9, 2024.
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University of Wisconsin forward Simon Tussey skates with the puck during the first period of a game against Notre Dame on February 9, 2024 at the Kohl Center.
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University of Wisconsin forward Christian Fitzgerald celebrates with fans after scoring in the second period against Notre Dame at Kohl Center in Madison on February 9, 2024.
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Penn State defenseman Jimmy Dowd Jr.'s skate touches Wisconsin forward Simon Tussey during the second period at the Kohl Center on Dec. 8, 2023.
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Wisconsin forward Carson Buntle smiles as Notre Dame forward Carter Slaggert, 25, speaks with Buntle during the third period at the Kohl Center on February 9, 2024.
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Wisconsin defenseman Joe Parodiczak (14), forward Tyson Dike (16) and defenseman Ben Dexheimer (4) were hit by forward William after Whitelaw scored in the first period.・Celebrate with Whitelaw (8). February 10, 2024 at the call center.
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Wisconsin forward Carson Bantle shoots the puck during the first period of a game against Notre Dame on February 10, 2024 at the Kohl Center.
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Notre Dame defenseman Michael Mastrodomenico punches Wisconsin forward Simon Tussey during the second period at the Kohl Center on February 10, 2024.
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Wisconsin's Jack Hoback passes the puck to Owen Lindmark during a game against Alaska Anchorage on Nov. 24, 2023 at the Kohl Center.
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Wisconsin defenseman Anthony Koehler, 24, forward Mathieu de Saint Phalle, 12, and forwards David Cilliers, 15, and Carson Bantle, 21, were leaning against the boards as referees called Madison's call center at the game site on Feb. 3, 2024, during a review of the play against Minnesota.
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Wisconsin forward Simon Tussey shoots the puck at Michigan State goaltender Trey Augustine during the first period at the Kohl Center in Madison on March 1, 2024.
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Wisconsin forward Owen Mehlenbacher passes the puck during the first period of a game against the Michigan State Spartans on March 1, 2024 at the Kohl Center.
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Wisconsin players yell at Michigan State forward Reid Lebster, who rolled onto the Badgers' bench in the first period, at the Kohl Center on March 1, 2024.
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Michigan State defenseman Patrick Geary punches Wisconsin forward Sawyer Scholl during the first period at the Kohl Center on March 2, 2024.
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Wisconsin goaltender Kyle McClellan blocks a Michigan State shot during the second period at the Kohl Center in Madison on March 2, 2024.
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