Houston County News
Westby Times
Our 7 Rivers
La Crosse police: Lack of cooperation hindering shooting investigations
Andy Baggot: NHL blockbuster has Eaves' prints all over it
Andy Baggot / The Wisconsin State Journal
MADISON - The three most talked-about free-agent signings in the NHL this offseason have a lot in common, but let's start with this fairly subtle truth:
All have a prominent link to University of Wisconsin men's hockey coach Mike Eaves, who helped usher Zach Parise and Ryan Suter onto the world stage and who nurtured Justin Schultz into an NHL-star-in-the-making.
Parise and Suter chose to leave their long-time employers in New Jersey and Nashville, respectively, to join forces with the Minnesota Wild, signing twin 13-year contracts worth $98 million apiece.
Parise, a left winger, and Suter, a defenseman, made their first loud noise together in 2004 when, with Eaves at the helm, they were key components for Team USA en route to its first gold medal in the World Junior Championships. The two friends subsequently played for the U.S. entry that won the Olympic silver medal in 2010.
Suter played for Eaves at the U.S. National Team Developmental Program before Eaves became coach of the Badgers in 2002. Suter subsequently spent one season under Eaves at UW, where his father Bob and his uncle Gary became legends.
Before playing two seasons at North Dakota, Parise attended Shattuck St. Mary's (Minn.) High School, where he became close to Eaves through his two sons, Ben and Patrick, who also starred for the midget hockey powerhouse before attending Boston College.
Until the blockbuster decision by Parise and Suter set off Fourth of July fireworks in the Twin Cities, the biggest NHL fuss was generated by Schultz, who exercised a unique option in the Collective Bargaining Agreement that freed him to entertain more than two dozen suitors before deciding to play for his country with the Edmonton Oilers.
Of course, Schultz, from West Kelowna, British Columbia, spent the last three seasons at UW where he was a two-time first-team All-American and the first defenseman in program history to lead the team in goals for a season (16 in 2011-12).
Another local sidebar to the Wild and its stunning coup is that it now employs four former Badgers, which is curious given the intense college hockey rivalry that exists between UW and Minnesota. Suter and winger Jake Dowell, from Eau Claire, were signed this month as free agents, while winger Dany Heatley and defenseman Tom Gilbert were acquired via trades last season.
Fans of the Gophers have experienced a similar sensation over the years watching Minnesotans like Gilbert, Jake Gardiner, Jamie McBain, Ryan McDonagh, Derek Stepan - How far back do you want to go? - come to Madison and prosper.
Fact is the NHL franchise in Minnesota has long been a harbor for prominent former Badgers. The old North Stars - who morphed into the Dallas Stars in 1994 - have employed Eaves, the all-time leading scorer in UW history; Mark Johnson, the all-time leading goal-scorer in program history; and Dean Talafous, whose clutch play in 1973 helped deliver the first of six NCAA titles to UW.
On the flip side, iconic ex-Badgers have also tormented NHL fans in the Twin Cities. The last time a Stanley Cup final was staged there, the North Stars were outlasted by Pittsburgh in 1991. Coaching the Penguins was the late Bob Johnson, who led UW to three national titles.
Now the Wild have to be considered Stanley Cup contenders in 2012-13. If that becomes reality, gracious Minnesota fans should send their thank you notes in care of the Kohl Center, 601 West Dayton St., Madison, Wis., 53703.
Contact Andy Baggot at abaggot@madison.com or 608-252-6175.
The Wisconsin State Journal (Madison, Wis.)
Visit The Wisconsin State Journal (Madison, Wis.) at www.wisconsinstatejournal.com
Distributed by MCT Information Services
Commissioner Gary Bettman says it's cheaper to not have season, but NHL skates on
The NHL will lose more than a billion dollars by staging the 2020-21 season in largely empty arenas, Commissioner Gary Bettman said Monday, but owners and players are intent on playing a 56-game schedule to provide diversion for fans and keep hockey on the sports map. The delayed and shortened season, scheduled to begin Wednesday, already has been altered by the COVID-19 pandemic. The Dallas ...
Mike Sielski: The NHL makes its triumphant return (brought to you by Triumph Brewing Co.)
PHILADELPHIA — News item: The National Hockey League announced on Tuesday that it had sold the naming rights of its four divisions this season to corporate sponsors. The divisions will be called the MassMutual NHL East, the Scotia NHL North, the Discover NHL Central, and the Honda NHL West. Last month, the league had revealed that teams would have advertisements on their players' helmets in an ...
Former Badgers QB Russell Wilson returns to Madison for his annual passing academy
La Crosse Restaurants and Dining Guide
Bike Trail Guide
La Crosse Tribune
Vernon County Broadcaster
Winona Daily News
Chippewa Herald
Dunn County News
© Copyright 2021 La Crosse Tribune, 1407 St. Andrew St., Suite A100 La Crosse, WI | Terms of Use | Privacy Policy