Freshmen class provides boost during Wisconsin hockey's bounce-back season
· Yahoo Sports
MADISON – Make no mistake, the drivers of Wisconsin’s Frozen Four run are its veterans.
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Junior Quinn Finley has posted back-to-back multi-point games in the NCAA Tournament. Senior Simon Tassy's first two-goal game of the season fueled the regional semifinal win over Dartmouth. Senior Ben Dexheimer’s overtime game-winner in the regional final was set up by Finley and Gavin Morrissey, a sophomore with maturity beyond his years.
That said the influx of new blood in the program this season, particularly its freshmen, has played a huge role in how it has come back from a losing season in 2024-25 to reach its first national semifinal in 16 years.
That was the plan all along.
“That freshmen class, we recruited them to come in and make an impact,” Wisconsin coach Mike Hastings said. “Those were discussions that we had with those guys well before they got here and they've held up their end of the bargain. We gave opportunity, and they have taken advantage of that.”
Wisconsin signed eight freshmen to its 2025 class. Seven will likely see the ice when the third-seeded Badgers (23-12-2) face No. 1 seed North Dakota (29-9-1) in a national semifinal at 4 p.m. Thursday at T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas.
That list includes goaltender Daniel Hauser, honorable mention all-Big Ten defenseman Luke Osburn and three of the team’s four centers. Three members of the class – Osburn, Blake Montgomery and Vasily Zelenov – are NHL draft picks.
The way the lines are split there is a good chance a freshmen skater will be on the ice a larger percentage of the time.
“Without them, we're not here,” Hastings said.
The class accounts for 29.9% of the Badgers' points and 25.2% of their goals.
The most productive members of the class have been Oliver Tulk, who has the most points (25), and Montgomery, who has the most goals (nine).
Osburn is second among freshman in points (21) and Finn Brink is second on the team in plus/minus (+11).
They joined a team of veterans who aimed to support them.
“I think that's something that the leadership group, the older guys, the returners, really wanted to bring to the freshmen, that they know they matter, and I think that's kind of helped them be so impactful,” alternate captain Joe Palodichuk said. “They help so much, and I think that helps when you know you're needed.”
Wisconsin isn’t alone when it comes to having impact freshmen at the Frozen Four. Every team has a few skaters and each team’s goaltender is a freshman.
The Badgers, however, are the only team that has three freshmen anchoring the heart of its lines. Tulk, Vasily Zelenov and Grady Deering have been the centers for UW’s second, third and fourth lines late in the season.
It is a major responsibility for a young player and a huge vote of confidence for the group overall, which Hastings expanded to include Morrissey.
“I think it speaks volumes to the people that had an opportunity to develop those young men before they got here because all that didn't happen this year,” Hastings said. “The programs that they played for and the coaches that they played for prior to getting here did an outstanding job of preparing those young men to be successful.“
When it comes to the freshmen, their play has been a continuation of what they displayed in juniors last season. Tulk was a finalist for the WHL player of the year with Calgary. Zelenov recorded 47 points in 54 games with Green Bay in the USHL. Deering helped Waterloo reach the USHL's Clark Cup finals.
“I don’t think it’s too much of a challenge for them,” Finley said when asked about the young centers. “I think as a freshman, just relying on your toolbox and your skill set (is important) and as an older guy, you kind of just help them out whenever they need.”
The relationship between the freshmen and the Badgers' older players has been mutually beneficial.
Together they will have a chance to leave their mark on the highest stage. A win sends the Badgers to the championship game for the first time since the national championship season of 2006.
"They're unbelievable guys to be around and definitely keep the energy and everything pretty high and pretty easy going in the room," senior Christian Fitzgerald said. "The guys are awesome, fun to get along with and fun to go to battle with at the end of the day."
This article originally appeared on Milwaukee Journal Sentinel: Freshmen provide boost during Wisconsin hockey's bounce-back season