After three productive seasons, Jamie McBain's career in cardinal and white is over.
The Minnesota native, who led Wisconsin in points this season and won the WCHA player of the year award, agreed to a contract with the Carolina Hurricanes and will forgo his senior season.
This decision, however, did not come as a surprise to the Wisconsin coaching staff.
""We knew from the beginning of the season that it might be a possibility and that possibility got stronger based on his performance this year,"" Wisconsin head coach Mike Eaves said, adding that this was a good time for him to leave in terms of skill development, academics and confidence.
The deal will pay $600,000 per year in the NHL and $62,500 for each season in the minors. McBain will also receive a $255,000 signing bonus.
Eaves felt that the challenge in replacing McBain will not only be in terms of his skills handling the puck or running the power play, but also finding a substitute for his late game leadership on the bench.
""He was one of the guys that you don't hear a lot from him off the ice, but he was a guy leaning down to the forwards [saying], ‘Hey, we need to get this done,'"" Eaves said.
""He has a really deep competitive edge inside of him, and who's going to be that guy that will be able to step up and replace that? Hopefully a younger guy listening to Jamie will be comfortable and have the confidence.""
The Badgers have seen a number of high-profile departures during the last several seasons. Sophomore forward Joe Pavelski and junior forward Robbie Earl departed after being the top two scorers on Wisconsin's national title team. Last year Kyle Turris, the third overall pick in the draft, jumped to the NHL after just one season in Madison.
Eaves admitted that the prospect of players leaving early has changed the way Wisconsin recruits.
""We try to project as to who may be leaving, if they leave, who's going to come in, and if that person doesn't leave that we think is leaving, then we have to go back and tell a person that we have waiting, ‘Well you might have to play another year of junior [Hockey],'"" Eaves said. ""It truly makes our job in the hockey world a lot more difficult than some other sports in college.""
According to Eaves, the Hurricanes told McBain he would play 10 games in the minors and then be able to finish the semester out.
There are a few other Badgers that may have a chance to sign with NHL teams, but the coaching staff is still unsure if any others have played their last game for Wisconsin.
