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Badgers lose top goaltender prospect

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Mike Eaves loses top goaltending prospect.

Mike Eaves loses top goaltending prospect.

Coming off a 4-26-5 season a year ago, the Wisconsin Badgers were looking to turn things around this season.  They thought they had one of the top incoming goaltender recruits in the country, but that has all gone up in smoke.

Luke Opilka had already enrolled in summer classes at Wisconsin after starring for the U.S. National Development program’s U-18 squad.  He was expected to take over as the starting goaltender for the Badgers this coming season. [Read more…]

Two Badgers selected in NHL Draft

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Cameron Hughes

Cameron Hughes

Two Wisconsin Badgers were selected in the 2015 NHL Draft over the weekend.

Freshman goaltender Luke Opilka went in the fifth round, 146th overall, to his home town St. Louis Blues.

Opilka is the first drafted goaltender on its roster since Brett Bennett wrapped up his UW career in 2011.  All-time, 12 Badger goaltenders have been selected in NHL drafts, though that number increases to 13 when the old NHL supplemental draft is included.  Seven Badger goaltenders have played in the NHL, including current St. Louis Blues goalie Brian Elliott.

Opilka played last season for the U.S. Under-18 Team as part of the U.S. National Team Development Program in Ann Arbor, Michigan.  He went 25-7-0 with a 2.77 goals-against average, .833 save percentage and three shutouts.  One of those victories included a 4-1 victory over the Badgers at the Kohl Center last December.

Wisconsin Sophomore forward Cameron Hughes, tied for the Badgers’ freshman scoring lead last season, posting 3 goals and 13 points in 34 games.  He was selected in the 6th round by the Boston Bruins.

Hughes is just the second Badger to get picked by the Bruins, joining 1985 11th-round pick John Byce, who went 220th to Boston.

With the picks of Opilka and Hughes, 151 Badgers have now been chosen in the NHL draft.