With all the excitement surrounding the Wisconsin football team and Russell Wilson's brilliant debut last Thursday, I'm sure that the top priority of every Badger fan right now is the 2011-12 UW men's hockey season that kicks off in just about a month. There is no way that only applies to me, right?
On the off chance that it does, allow me to fill you in: The Badgers held their first team meeting of the season this past Friday in preparation for what they hope will be a rebound year after a disappointing 2010-'11 campaign that saw the team stumble badly down the stretch and bow out in the first round of the WCHA playoffs.
For head coach Mike Eaves and company, the biggest question that will have to be answered for a rebound season is whether Eaves will put his trust in freshman goaltender Joel Rumpel to start the season.
Going with a true freshman—albeit a 20-year old true freshman—in goal is a bit unnerving in its own right but Wisconsin's goaltending depth for this season leaves a lot to be desired. Between Rumpel and his two backups—freshman Landon Peterson and junior Mitch Thompson—there are exactly zero games of starting experience at the collegiate level. That's not exactly a comforting number.
Rumpel doesn't come in completely untested though. He has spent the past two seasons playing junior hockey with the Penticton Vees in the British Colombia Hockey League (BCHL). Last season with the Vees, Rumpel went 27-12-3 with a 2.53 goals against average and a .911 save percentage. The previous year he posted a 19-3-0 record, 1.97 goals against average and a .920 save percentage.
Those numbers certainly suggest that Rumpel has the ability to successfully take the reins in goal for the Badgers, however what makes it tough for Rumpel is that he will be counted on to make a successful transition to the WCHA as a true freshman and carry the team in goal right out of the gate. There is no learning period for him.
Wisconsin will have to get off to a good start right out of the gate to help get the bad taste from the end of last season out of their mouths and build up the confidence of the core of young players that UW will count on this year.
For that to happen the team will have to have solid play from their goaltender. A team has to have confidence in their goalie. Without the ability to count on your goalie to come up with the big saves when needed, a team feels extra pressure to perform, and a young team that is still growing as a unit doesn't need to feel anymore pressure to produce.
However, Rumpel's ineviable task can be helped by the Badgers' core of defenseman that should prove to be this seasons team's biggest strength.
Leading the way are juniors Justin Schultz—an All-American last season and potential Hobey Baker candidate this year—and this year's Badger captain John Ramage. The offensive-minded Schultz and defensive stalwart Ramage should compliment each other well to form what should be one of the country's best defensive duos.
The team's only senior this season, Eric Springer, sophomores Frankie Simonelli, Joe Faust and Chase Drake and talented freshman Jake McCabe and Patrick Daly round out a group that has great depth of talent that should develop into a potent group under the tutelage of assistant coach Bill Butters.
On a team that will give a lot of ice time to a group of young forwards and an unproven goaltender, UW's defenders will be relied on as the team's backbone in 2011-12. They will be counted on to bail the Badgers out from time to time. But the biggest effect they could have is easing the transition for Rumpel. If the defense plays well at the start of the year and Rumpel doesn't have to undertake a huge workload every weekend then it will allow the young goaltender to settle in and take some of the heat off of his trial by fire.
Rumpel will be under a lot of pressure to perform early and how he responds will have a significant effect on the success of this year's team. But, with what should be a stout core of blue liners in front of him to help with some of the weight, the Badgers may not be in as tough a spot as people believe.
How do you see the Badgers' goalie situation panning out this season? E-mail Ryan at rmevans2@dailycardinal.com.
