Today looms large in the future of Wisconsin hockey. And it has absolutely nothing to do with the Badgers’ road trip to Minnesota-Duluth.
Yes, this weekend could end with UW occupying the second spot in the conference standings. Or, it could leave Wisconsin in fourth place. Really, as crucial as the Badgers’ jockeying within the WCHA ranks is for this season’s success, a Friday afternoon news conference is even more important to the future of the program.
Madison native Phil Kessel will announce which college he will attend at 1:15 from Ann Arbor, Mich., the headquarters of the U.S. National Team Developmental Program. But this is no mere recruit press conference. This is the top prep hockey player available. Scouts say Kessel will be the No. 1 overall selection in the next NHL draft. Others say he is the best recruit to hit college hockey since Zach Parise of North Dakota. A year ago, Kessel set the single-season goals record for the NTDP with 52. This season, in 31 games, he has totaled 58 points (30 goals, 28 assists). He scored a hat trick in one game at this year’s World Junior Championships. Oh, and did I mention he is 17 years old? Kessel has already completed his high school education so he can jump to college early.
While nearly every upper-echelon college hockey program in the country has pleaded for the up-and-coming American star, Kessel has, for all practical purposes, narrowed his choice to Wisconsin and Minnesota. How appropriate that these two schools that have waged so many battles on the ice would take the rivalry to the recruiting trail.
Though head coach Mike Eaves and the Badgers will be 518 miles away from Ann Arbor in lovely Duluth, Kessel’s decision will leave an enormous impact on UW, for better or worse.
Eaves may not have to play the waiting game. According to a report published two days ago by the Wisconsin State Journal, Kessel was prepared to contact Eaves to tell him of his choice Wednesday night. The paper further reported Kessel was prepared to announce his decision at a Thursday news conference, but has backed off until Friday due to a case of the flu.
Kessel’s story appears to be ready-made for a standout career at the Kohl Center. He lived next to Barry Alvarez as a kid. His parents have UW hockey season tickets. And UW hockey legend Bob Suter coached him as an adolescent. Just imagine Kessel suiting up with Robbie Earl, Joe Pavelski and incoming Badger Jack Skille, one of Kessel’s NTDP teammates.
With that all said, the State Journal also reported Kessel’s preference — which is said to be Minnesota.
It’s not hard to see why Kessel would favor Minnesota from a pure hockey standpoint — a program that year-after-year possesses a potent offense. For a speedy and highly skilled goal scorer such as Kessel, the Gophers’ system has to be quite attractive. In Minneapolis, Kessel could skate alongside fellow highly touted recruit Blake Wheeler, the fifth overall selection in last year’s NHL Entry Draft. Two of Kessel’s NTDP have also already signed to play with the Gophers.
Kessel could also sign a contract with the Saginaw Spirits of the Ontario Hockey League, who own his playing rights, and forego college.
Realistically though, only one person on this planet knows whether any of this is true: Phil Kessel. No matter which school various sources claim Kessel is going to choose, only Phil himself truly can make that decision.
The history of college sports is ripe with instances of players spurning supposed frontrunners for personal favorites. Current Oakland Raiders wide receiver Ronald Curry, one of the greatest high school quarterbacks of all time, committed to the University of Virginia, only to snub the Cavaliers for the Tar Heels of North Carolina. Detroit Lions running back Kevin Jones showed up to his high school press conference donning a Penn State shirt before tearing it off to reveal a Virginia Tech jersey.
This is not to say Kessel is going to pull a similar switch-a-roo. Once again, though, no one knows who the real favorite in the Kessel derby even is at this point. For all those involved, the best strategy at this point is to simply back off and let the young man decide for himself. As colossal of an impact as Kessel will have on either hockey program, his choice goes beyond sports.
This is a 17-year old kid attempting to locate the right college. How many high school juniors are ready to make that choice, not to mention deal with finding the right hockey program and coach?
Minnesota and Wisconsin have combined to rack up 2,442 wins and 10 NCAA Championships in their histories.
Whichever sweater he chooses to don, Kessel really can’t go wrong.
