Derek Stepan
After sophomore forward Derek Stepan scored a pair of shorthanded goals in the Badgers' 4-1 win over North Dakota March 7, men's hockey head coach Mike Eaves gave Stepan some high praise.
He thinks [through] the game like Joe Pavelski,"" Eaves said. ""He reminds me of his ability to be perceptive on the ice and yet have the skill to do the things that he wants.""
Pavelski played on Wisconsin's 2005-'06 national championship team and is now a top forward in the NHL. Eaves continued to compare Pavelski and Stepan in the days after that win over the Sioux. Eaves said Stepan is eager to improve his style of play like Pavelski did, and it showed in the 2008-'09 season.
Stepan's nine goals and 24 assists gave him the second most points on the team. With Jamie McBain departing to go pro, Stepan will hope to become a leading goal-scorer for the Badgers in his sophomore year.
Brooke Ammerman
In a season dominated by the Badgers' more experienced players, Brooke Ammerman enjoyed an impressive freshman year on the Wisconsin women's hockey team.
With 27 goals and 27 assists, Ammerman had the fifth most points for the Badgers on the 2008-'09 team. However the four players in front of her - Hillary Knight, Erika Lawler, Angie Keseley and Meghan Duggan - will most likely not play for Wisconsin this coming season because of graduation or the Olympics.
In their absence, Ammerman will need to become an offensive leader for the Badgers in a season filled with uncertainty. Without head coach Mark Johnson or the experienced players who helped lead Wisconsin to a third national title in 2008-'09, look for young players like Ammerman to lead the team in 2009.
Erik Smith
With all of the hype surrounding Badger running backs John Clay and Zach Brown, it's easy to overlook redshirt freshman Erik Smith.
Clay and Brown are classic Wisconsin running backs: big, strong and able to fight for yards in the trenches. But they both lack that breakaway speed in the open field. Smith, however, is a much smaller back who can turn the corner and gain yards on pitches or runs to the outside.
If the Badgers do not have much success running the ball up the middle, a pitch to Smith could help the team gain yards on the ground and diversify the offensive game plan. Brown praised Smith's style, declaring the added threat of a quick running back can give defenses headaches when they prepare to face Wisconsin.
""He can bring another dimension to our offense,"" Brown said. ""It's going to be exciting.""
