The fact that the Wisconsin men's hockey team lost a lot of key players from last year's team has been well established.
So, naturally, the talk surrounding the team this year was focused on who was not on the roster and the influx of fresh new talent that was arriving in Madison. Lost in all that talk, however, was the handful of veteran players that stuck around.
Those players have found that their role has shifted after the loss of four underclassmen and a graduating class of seven seniors. Last season they were the younger guys, but now they are the veterans and have assumed leadership roles on an inexperienced team.
""Being a visual learner, the biggest thing for me last year as a freshman was getting the chance to watch the older guys and take in as much as I could from them,"" sophomore forward Craig Smith said. ""That is what I am trying to do for the younger guys this year. I'm trying to lead by example and show them what to do and what not to do on the ice.""
""With the younger guys it's all about keeping it simple,"" senior forward and captain Sean Dolan said. ""We have to be making sure that they know what to expect day in and day out. I try to lead by example on and off the ice make sure guys know where they need to be and help guys out in any way possible.""
Head coach Mike Eaves has also noticed the returning players stepping up to become leaders for the rest of the team.
""I can remember a time when one of the younger guys did something that didn't work out on the ice,"" Eaves said. ""Craig Smith leaned over to him on the bench and talked to him and just said hey get it next time, do this and it will work out. It was a real one-on-one moment and we're starting to see more and more of those types of things.
""Sean Dolan, Craig Smith, Jake Gardiner, Patrick Johnson, they have done a nice job of taking the ropes and taking guys aside one on one and telling them how we do things here at Wisconsin.""
Not only have the veteran players had to help younger ones transition to the college level, but they have also had to help to fill the voids left by the players who departed during the offseason.
One player who has stepped into new roles this season has been junior defenseman Jake Gardiner. Gardiner has stepped up his role as an offensive defenseman this season now that Brendan Smith have moved on. Through the first four games this season Gardiner has two goals and five points after scoring six goals and thirteen points all of last season.
""One of my biggest goals coming into this season was to increase my offensive output,"" Gardiner said. ""Justin Schultz and I are the offensive guys on the blue line this year and we definitely have to be able to produce.""
Gardiner has also seen his ice time increasing on both the power play and short-handed situations, and he says he enjoys having the added responsibilities.
""I believe that I play better when I am able to have more ice time,"" he said. ""I really like that added responsibility, and playing on the special teams units is one of my favorite things to do.""
Craig Smith finds himself at a new position this year, playing center after spending all of last season playing on the right wing, a change that he says he welcomes.
""I've played center all my life,"" Smith said. ""I played wing a little bit in juniors, and all of last year. But being at center is refreshing, I like it a lot, playing at center enables my speed and I like being involved in the play at all times, which I am in that spot.""
""It's a good change of pace from last year.""
The Badgers lost a lot of points from last year's team, and as one of the top returning scorers Smith is trying to help fill that void.
""It comes with the territory,"" he said. ""Coming back as one of the top scorers from last year I always put pressure on myself to put up some numbers and be in a position to be able to accomplish that.""
