Badger men’s hockey is back and looking to build on the postseason run that ended their sixteen year championship drought.
After their heartbreaking loss to Denver in the national championship, the Badgers started the 2026-27 season on Oct. 2 with wins against Robert Morris at the Kohl Center with eleven new additions, which includes three transfers.
Freshman
Head Coach Mike Hastings’ recruitment has proven to be effective for the Badgers. While the roster does not include flashy names such as those at the University of Michigan or Boston University, the blend of talent along with the coaching staff has created a tight knit group that knows how to play together.
Wisconsin has added eight freshmen to their roster with six forwards, a defenseman and a goaltender.
From the United States Hockey League (USHL) Green Bay Gamblers, the Badgers have added forward Zach Wooten. The Winnipeg Jets fourth round pick ended the season third in the league in goals scored with 35.
Detroit Red Wings fourth round pick, forward Brent Solomon accumulated a total of 53 points for a .98 points-per-game season with the Sioux Falls Stampede.
Forward Talan Blanck skated for Minnesota Wilderness in the North American Hockey League (NAHL) where he netted 28 goals — which placed him at third on the roster — and ended the season with 66 points in 58 games.
Wisconsin has also added forwards Eetu Orpana, Chase Jette and Gavin Uhlenkamp.
From the Madison Capitols, the Badgers have added their lone defensemen, John Stout. Stout ended the season with nine goals and 21 points in 57 games played.
Goaltender Xander Miceli held a .900 save percentage in the 34 games he played for the NAHL IceRays.
The future for Wisconsin men’s hockey looks bright with new promising talent added to the roster.
Transfer Additions
From the transfer portal, Wisconsin has added forward JJ Wiebusch, defenseman Dylan Compton and goaltender Alexis Cournoyer.
Penn State transfer Wiebusch played two seasons for the Nittany Lions where he tallied a total of 30 goals and 69 points. He accounted for two points against the Badgers last season with Penn State.
Compton joins the Badger blue line after a season of skating for the Northeastern Huskies, where he collected 10 points and 28 blocks in the 36 games he played. The six-foot defenseman brings his size and will look to solidify the defensive unit.
Wisconsin has added sophomore goaltender Cournoyer, who played at Cornell for one season posting a .915 save percentage.
The transfers will look to create an immediate impact to the team, bringing with them their experience which will help make up for the loss of veterans after last season.
Returning Players
14 of the 26 players will be returning for another season in red.
Leading scorer Gavin Morrissey led the Badgers in both points and assists with 36 and 27 respectively. Morrissey made crucial plays that helped Wisconsin during both the regular and post season.
Sophomore forwards Oliver Tulk on the face-off dot and Vasily Zelenov in the national championship proved to be great additions for the Badgers. Tulk tallied a total of 24 points, while Zelenov collected 19 last season.
Sophomore Luke Osburn’s skating and ability as a two-way defenseman will continue to create an impact on the blue line. He’s an aggressive skater and former winner of the USHL Defenseman of the Year.
Defensemen Logan Hensler and Zach Schultz both established themselves as key contributors on the defensive line for the Badgers. However, due to injuries, they were both unable to play in the second half of the season. In a press conference on Sept. 22, Hastings said that both Hensler and Schultz were “green lit” to get back on the ice.
Sophomore goaltender Daniel Hauser returns for another season after he backstopped the Badgers to a national championship. Taking over as the starting netminder for the Badgers in his freshman year, Hauser is a goaltender Wisconsin can rely on.
It is likely that Hauser and Cournoyer will battle for the starting position and share the majority of ice time.
Despite the loss of key talent from their roster, the Badgers look prepared for another deep postseason run with a new lineup of fresh-faced skaters.
As Wisconsin will be without its top line wingers, Wiebusch — who was on the power play unit at Penn State — and Solomon might fill the winger positions on the top lines.
Forwards Adam Pietila and Finn Brink, who played on the bottom six last season, might see more ice time.
With a healthy blue line and stable net presence, we can expect a better defensive unit from the Badgers this season.
Wisconsin announced a tri-captaincy leadership — something they haven't done since the 2009-10 season. Former alternate captains Joe Palodichuk, Schultz and Morrissey will serve as team captains, providing the Badgers with much needed stability in the leadership.
“I think it’s really unique and it gives us all a chance to be more of ourselves. We’re all very different people and different leaders, so I think it gives us a chance to work together, bring our own unique dynamics to the leadership group and gives everything different avenues to go through,” Morrissey told the Daily Cardinal in a press conference on Sept. 22.
With a new roster and another deep postseason run in mind, the Badgers will look to prove that last season’s success was no fluke. All eyes will be on Wisconsin as they head into the season ranked No. 6 in the U.S. College Hockey Online (USCHO) polls.
