Transfer portal helps rebuild Wisconsin men's hockey

There's no question that quality goaltending is needed there, and the University of Wisconsin men's hockey coach was the first to mention it.

Having a team defense that worked as a coherent unit was a must for Coach Hastings' team.

Wisconsin's first season of men's hockey under coach Mike Hastings ranks as one of the best in a short amount of time.

And developing a skilled center who can be as strong in the defensive zone as he is on offense will be key, with Hastings listed at No. 3 as he stacks up the items, perhaps as important as the first two. .

When you step back and look at these three factors, a point emerges about how this season's Badgers team was built in today's era of college athletics. The transfer portal provided many answers.

This gave Wisconsin a Hobey Baker Award finalist goaltender, leading scorer and most prolific power-play striker. Its top two centers, along with Hastings and associate head coach Todd Knott, came from Minnesota State last offseason.

Transfers don't always work out, but the group with the Badgers this season had a huge impact on the team's return to the NCAA Tournament for the second time in 10 seasons.

“I think everyone here was ready for a change,” said second-line center Christian Fitzgerald, one of the transfers from Minnesota State. “Everyone was excited about the new opportunities and possibilities that the program has and the possibility of getting back to winning ways. So that excitement and buy-in from there led to success all season long. I think.”

Goaltender Kyle McClellan joined Wisconsin in 2022 after spending two seasons at Mercyhurst. By playing in front of a strong team defensive structure and working on personal growth in the offseason, he led the nation in save percentage and was the only goaltender among the 10 Hobby finalists.

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Leading scorer Carson Bantle was also a key addition before Hastings' arrival. The forward from Onalaska joined the team in 2021 after spending one year at Michigan Tech.

Simon Tussey joined Hastings at Minnesota State last offseason, ranking third on the team in points and first in power play goals.

David Schilly quickly rose to the top of the Badgers' center depth when he joined Tassie and Fitzgerald as a transfer from Minnesota State. Hastings and Knott also plucked Cillier from the transfer portal from Clarkson with the Mavericks in 2021, and Cillier said they are looking for strong character and strong momentum in their players.

“It goes beyond skill,” he said. “It's the people outside of the rink. If you look at all the transfers we've had, including the players who are here now, what we're holding on to is the people we have in this room. I think it's about the culture that you have. Buying into that and bringing in the right people with some skill on the ice and getting it done on the ice is a good recipe for success.”

It seems like Hastings has enough of an old-school college coach in him to be wary of how the transfer portal is changing the game. But he's playing by the set rules, which also means he's looking for a veteran player who can quickly develop at the position.

When he came to Wisconsin last offseason, it was a center. Cilliers was a natural fit in the middle of Hastings' lineup and a natural fit in the locker room after becoming a reliable member of the Mavericks over two seasons.

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But Fitzgerald had more questions. He had never played center outside of youth-level hockey, so putting the sophomore there this season was something of an experiment, and it ended up working out.

“As a coach, it's all about being able to be flexible and know that it's a position where you can trust who you put in,” Hastings said.

He said finding a center is not easy and is essential to the team's play on the ice. Winning faceoffs is a very visible way to help your team, but being a support in the defensive zone is just as important.

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Fitzgerald sought advice from Cilliers and Owen Lindmark, who is in his fifth year as the Badgers' center and is setting career highs in goals and points. Pro teams are paying attention to Fitzgerald's play as an NHL free agent.

“I was excited about the challenge and personally felt it helped me perfect my game,” he said.

McClellan was looking for a more direct path to a professional career when he announced he was leaving Mercyhurst for Wisconsin nearly two years ago. He found a big stage to play on.

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“When you think of Wisconsin, you think of all the history,” McClellan said. “I think that's what lit up my eyes when I first found out this was an opportunity. And now it's a reality. We're in a tournament and this is who's who? It's something I dream of.”

Team construction has changed rapidly since the 2021 NCAA rule change that eliminated the one-year layoff for players transferring in men's hockey, football, basketball and baseball. Players can look for faster routes into the lineup, and coaches can find ways to make roster changes with veteran players instead of recruited rookies.

Hastings said his approach depends on the situation.

“There’s no book or recipe that you can look at and say it works every year,” he said. “There's going to be ups and downs. There's going to be years where you're not as committed. We're hoping we can still develop third- and fourth-year players who understand the value of what we have. ”Wisconsin is way beyond the concept of what hockey can do for them.

“I hope for it, but at the same time, let me tell you, my eyes are wide open.”