It is a rare honor that a current college hockey player receives the opportunity to skate with the pros in a major international competition, and given his shot to represent the United States at the 2011 International Ice Hockey Federation World Championships Wisconsin junior forward Craig Smith certainly impressed.
Smith was the only player currently playing in the NCAA to be selected to the U.S. team that finished eighth at the World Championships that took place in Slovakia from April 29 to May 15 and led the American team with three goals and was second with six points in seven games.
Players fresh off of their sophomore season in college aren't supposed to be able to compete, let alone dominate, professional competition like Smith did at the World Championships. He opened a lot of eyes at the tournament including Paul Fenton, general manager of the Nashville Predators, the team that drafted Smith with the 98th pick in the 2009 NHL Entry Draft, who called him ""a terrific prospect.""
After UW's 2010-'11 campaign ended, Smith expressed his intention to return for his junior season to both head coach Mike Eaves and the media, but many wondered if that intention would change after Smith saw his NHL stock rise exponentially with his phenomenal performance in Slovakia. But fear not Badger fans, since the end of the tournament Smith has consistently reiterated his plans to bring his 19 goals and 43 points from last season back to the Kohl Center this fall.
Badger Recruiting Notes
Eaves announced the signings of four players to national letters of intent during the spring signing period: Forwards Joseph LaBate and Brad Navin and defensemen Patrick Daly and Jake McCabe. All four players will join the Wisconsin men's hockey program this fall for the 2011-'12 season.
Both LaBate and Daly were finalists for the 2011 Minnesota Mr. Hockey Award. LaBate scored 27 goals and 49 points for Holy Angels Academy in Richfield, Minn. and is expected to be either a second or third round pick in this month's NHL Entry Draft in St. Paul. Daly had 40 points and a plus-52 rating for Beilde St. Margaret's High School in St. Louis Park, Minn.
Navin skated for Waupaca High School last season, collecting 29 goals and 52 points in an injury shortened senior season. In his junior year he led all Wisconsin high school players with 53 goals and 92 points in 25 games. McCabe, a Eau Claire, Wis. native, played last year with the U.S. National Team Development Program's Under-18 team, ranking second on the team with four goals and 15 points.
The four join forwards Tyler Lapic (New Prague, Minn.), Matt Paape (Appleton, Wis.) and Brendan Woods (Palmyra, Pa.) and goaltender Joel Rumpel (Sift Current, Saskatchewan) who signed during the fall signing period.
Who's in goal?
One of the biggest holes the Badgers have to fill for next season is in net. With Scott Gudmandson and Brett Bennett gone and graduated, Eaves has said his plan is to go with incoming freshman Joel Rumpel between the pipes to start the season.
Twenty-year-old Rumpel has played junior hockey the past two years in the British Columbia Hockey League with the Penticton Vees, posting a 2.53 goals against average and .911 save percentage during the 2010-'11 season.
Fellow freshman Landon Peterson, a Oregon, Wis. native, who played in the NAHL last season with the Alaska Avalanche is expected to battle junior Mitch Thompson for the backup goalie job.
Wisconsin at the NHL Draft
A group of Wisconsin hockey players—current and future—are among the many players hoping to hear their name called at the NHL draft later this month.
Current Badgers, sophomores forward Michael Mersch and defenseman Frankie Simonelli were ranked No. 83 and No. 154 respectively among North American skaters by the NHL Central scouting agency.
Incoming UW freshman LaBate (No. 51), Woods (No. 147) and Navin (No. 163) were ranked as well.
The 2011 NHL Entry Draft will be taking place from June 24-25 at the Xcel Energy Center in St. Paul, Minn.
