When the men's hockey team took votes from the players to determine who this year's captain would be, the results were so close between three of the players that it was hard to figure out a clear-cut favorite. So instead, they just chose all three.
\We presented a criterion that we think, as coaches, that leaders should have,"" Badgers' Head Coach Mike Eaves said. ""When we did the voting, they were within a vote of each other, so it just seemed like a natural thing to have tri-captains.""
""It's a good feeling,"" senior defenseman Dan Boeser said. ""Anytime you're voted a leader by your teammates and by your coaches, it's a big honor and I look at it that way.""
Senior defensemen Andy Wozniewski and Boeser as well as senior left winger Rene Bourque were the three aforementioned players that have had the honor of captain bestowed upon them. While all three are seniors that have proven themselves on the ice, they all also have separate qualities that make them worthy of captainship.
Wozniewski has already been designated as the most outgoing of the three. Though not as high of a scorer on the ice as the other two captains, Wozniewski was said by his coach to be more likely to take control of situations by getting vocal.
""Andy Wozniewski is probably the most vocal of the three,"" Coach Eaves said. ""This spring, when the coaches were there, he felt the most comfortable stepping up and saying 'OK, we're going to do this, and this, and this,' and he really led by example this summer.""
Bourque is the high scoring threat between the three captains. He led the team in goals with 19 last year and points with 27. Rene may not be as loud as Wozniewski, but the players definitely look to him for guidance in game situations.
""Rene Bourque is probably one of the better players on the team in just pure ability, so the guys look to him to get it done in the game,"" Coach Eaves said.
Boeser is much like Bourque in that he is a quiet player but also one of the more talented players on the team. He tallied 12 assists in only 30 games last year, fourth best on the team. He is also one of the inspirational leaders on the team having gone through radiation treatment for lymphoma before last year's season.
""[Dan Boeser] also falls into that category: He's pretty much an introvert, but again one of the more talented players on the team,"" Coach Eaves said.
Of course being a captain doesn't just mean wearing a ""C"" on the front corner of your jersey. The Badgers' tri-captains are expected to be leaders on and off the ice. Whether it's dealing with refs, being vocal in the locker room or making the right decisions on the weekend, Bourque, Boeser and Wozniewski will be expected to set the right example all year to lead a successful crew.
