Watching the NCAA men's hockey tournament over the past week has led me to one simple conclusion: North Dakota is really good.
During their run through the Green Bay regional, I watched the Fighting Sioux absolutely dismantle their two opponents, Rensselaer and Denver, outscoring them 12-1 en route to the Frozen Four in St. Paul.
What makes the Sioux stand head and shoulders above the rest of the tournament pack? Well, for starters their senior class, forwards Brent Davidson, Matt Frattin, Brad Malone and Evan Trupp and defensemen Chay Genoway, Derrick LaPoint and Jake Marto, have stayed together since the time they were freshmen. This group has stayed intact since day one with not a single member leaving early for the NHL and each has made major contributions, on and off the ice, to get North Dakota where they are now.
To put in a Wisconsin frame of reference, imagine if this year's Badgers team were able to put Kyle Turris, Ryan McDonagh, Brendan Smith, Cody Goloubef and Derek Stepan in the lineup every night. All of those players didn't finish their Wisconsin careers, and if they had stayed in school the Badgers would have had a lineup as formidable as any in the country, much like the position that UND currently finds itself.
In the world of college sports, success is not only dictated by how well you recruit, but if those recruits stay on board with the program for all four years. Football and basketball are the first sports that come to mind when it comes to players leaving early, but as evidenced by the list of players the Badgers' hockey program have lost to the NHL early, it is a problem for college hockey as well.
That is why I find the recent news out of the Wisconsin hockey program so promising. Soon after Colorado College knocked the Badgers out of the WCHA playoffs and ended their season, sophomore defenseman Justin Schultz, the nation's leading scorer among blue liners and a Hobey Baker award finalist, announced that he would be returning for his junior season instead of signing with the Anaheim Ducks, and while he hasn't officially said anything, it is assumed that sophomore forward Craig Smith, who lead the team in goals this season with 19, will spurn the Nashville Predators' advances and return next season as well.
With Schultz and Smith bringing their combined 90 points from last season back to the Kohl Center next year, the future of the Badgers hockey team looks bright.
Head coach Mike Eaves and company played this year with a young and inexperienced roster, something that became very obvious at times for people who follow the team. Wisconsin went through periods of high highs and low lows. It was a roller coaster-like ride that frustrated many and eventually saw the team stumble badly down the stretch and miss the NCAA tournament, but that youth and inexperience is what leaves me with a huge sense of optimism moving forward.
Maybe Schultz and Smith looked at North Dakota and realized the rewards keeping a roster together can have. They will be returning to a team that boasts a core of talented young players that if given the opportunity to grow together over the next few years will have the ability to compete for a national title.
That young talent can be found on offense and defense. Forward Mark Zengerle tied for the team lead in assists this year and should be one of the team leaders next season. Forwards like Tyler Barnes and Michael Mersch showed the flashes of brilliance that make me believe they are both stars in the making, and Jefferson Dahl, Gavin Hartzog and Keegan Meuer gave opponents fits at times from the fourth line. Couple that with promising defensemen Frankie Simonelli, John Ramage and Joe Faust and you have a team that is deep in young talent. Mix that in with the veteran leadership of Schultz, Smith and junior Jordy Murray and you have the perfect storm for a successful hockey team.
Veteran know-how, a core of young talent and at least a few years for it all to gel together sounds like a recipe for success to me. Schultz and Smith returning give the Wisconsin hockey team the chance to have the type of veteran, talented team that has North Dakota on the precipice of a national title this year. If the Badgers continue to emulate the Fighting Sioux model, they may very well find themselves in a similar situation in the not so distant future.
How do you feel about the men's hockey team's chances moving forward? E-mail Ryan at rmevans2@dailycardinal.com
