The Wisconsin Badgers men's hockey will showcase its team to the public Saturday, practicing for the first time one week before opening the 2007-'08 season.
The practice, beginning at 4 p.m., is part of Hockey Night at the Rink,"" also featuring dinner with both the men's and women's program and concluding with the Badger women playing their home opener.
Those attending the practice at the Kohl Center can begin familiarizing themselves with the new look of the team, which lost nine letterwinners from last year. Gone are many of the household names of last year - goalie Brian Elliott, captain and leading points scorer Andrew Joudrey, leading goal scorer Jake Dowell, along with Ross Carlson and Jack Skille.
In comes three first-round NHL Draft picks, part of an unprecedented nine-player recruiting class. UW will largely be relying on youth in head coach Mike Eaves's sixth season; 18 of the 27 players will be freshmen or sophomores.
Headlining the freshmen class is forward Kyle Turris, 18, the third overall pick of the Phoenix Coyotes this past summer. Turris, the pre-season Rookie of the Year in the Western Collegiate Hockey Association, scored a league-high 66 goals for the Burnaby Express of the British Columbia Hockey League last year, and it was speculated in some hockey circles that he would be chosen with the first pick in June's draft.
Not drafted far behind Turris was Ryan McDonagh, who joins the Badgers' defensemen. McDonagh, 18, was named Minnesota's Mr. Hockey for 2007 and is property of the Montreal Canadians. Brendan Smith, 18, picked at No. 27 by Detroit, is another addition on defense for the Badgers.
The three players will likely see substantial playing time in their first collegiate season, as the Badgers try not to miss a beat after losing four of its top five scorers from last season.
In pre-season polls released earlier this week, UW was ranked No. 15 by USCHO.com and No. 14 by USA Today/USA Hockey Magazine, an improvement over the end of last season, when the team ended at 17 and unranked, respectively.
UW was also projected by coaches in the WCHA to finish fifth in the conference, after a sixth place finish last season. That campaign ended without a trip to the NCAA Tournament.
The five month journey to return there formally begins Saturday. Tickets for students cost $5 and must be ordered in person at Camp Randall Stadium or the UW Athletic Ticket Office.
