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Wisconsin Hockey: Multiple Badgers Picked in the NHL Draft

By Noah Seligman

Jan 24, 2017; Madison, WI, USA; The Kohl Center is the home of the Wisconsin Badgers basketball team. The image was taken before the game with the Penn State Nittany Lions. Wisconsin defeated Penn State 82-55. Mandatory Credit: Mary Langenfeld-USA TODAY Sports
Jan 24, 2017; Madison, WI, USA; The Kohl Center is the home of the Wisconsin Badgers basketball team. The image was taken before the game with the Penn State Nittany Lions. Wisconsin defeated Penn State 82-55. Mandatory Credit: Mary Langenfeld-USA TODAY Sports /
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Wisconsin Hockey had a quartet of skaters picked in the NHL Draft

Reach a certain level of sustained success in NCAA men’s basketball, football, and mens hockey and your team is liable to lose talent to the professional ranks every year.  That sort of attrition is a consequence of annual championship-caliber competition.

Kentucky basketball and Alabama football are prime examples of the “reloading not rebuilding” mantra.  Regardless of your feelings about John Calipari, he’s been pretty successful with the “One-And-Done” rule.  Coach Cal effectively rents the top prep prospects for a season and can credibly promise them a high draft pick.  And rinse-and-repeat every year.

Wisconsin Hockey is not there yet.  One strong recovery season does not vault you into the top tier of NCAA royalty.  But in yet another signal of the rising momentum of Tony Granato and Wisconsin Hockey, the Badgers have multiple players selected during the NHL Draft.

Related Story: Wisconsin Hockey sends Prospects to USA Juniors

Here is the breakdown of Wisconsin Hockey picks in the NHL Draft

  • Defensemen Tyler Inamoto, 5th Round, Florida Panthers
  • Defensemen Wyatt Kalynuk, 7th Round, Philadelphia Flyers
  • Defensemen Joshua Ess, 7th Round, Chicago Blackhawks
  • Forward Linus Weissbach, 7th Round, Buffalo Sabres

According to NHL Draft rules, NHL teams retain player rights for selected NCAA players “until 30 days after the player leaves college.”  The UW Athletic Department news release indicates Wisconsin Hockey has had consecutive seasons with multiple NHL Draft picks.

"This marks the second consecutive year that four Badgers were chosen in the NHL Draft. Last season, forwards Luke Kunin and Trent Frederic were first-round picks, while defenseman JD Greenway and forward Max Zimmer were chosen in the third and fourth rounds, respectively.The Badgers now have nine skaters drafted on the expected roster for the 2017-18 season."

Next: Interview with 2018 UW Football Commit Reggie Pearson

I consulted with  my Wisconsin Hockey consigliere, Vic Levine, a member of the Madison Sports Hall of Fame and decorated former Madison Memorial hockey coach.  According to Levine, the mid-to-later round picks signal promise, but development needed.  He also reports that generally, its the players picked in the top rounds are most likely to leave college early.  Levine says that NHL teams picking freshman from Wisconsin Hockey is affirmation of the coaching staff.  Since the teams retain the player rights so long as they are members of Wisconsin Hockey, NHL teams must have confidence that Granato and the staff will get them ready for the NHL.