Checking in on the recent losses and additions… and more importantly, who the Badgers retained.
The 2024-25 college hockey season is officially in the books after Western Michigan knocked off Boston University to claim their first national championship in program history. It’s never too early to start looking ahead to what next season has in store, so let’s get into it.
We’ll start with some of the scariest words in college sports these days: the transfer portal. We’re nearly halfway into the end-of-season transfer window, and it’s been a bit quiet on that front for the Badgers compared to last year. At present, only two Wisconsin players are in the portal, and both have seemingly found their new homes.
Forward Owen Mehlenbacher, a seventh-round pick of the Detroit Red Wings, and goaltender William Gramme both put their names into the portal on March 31st with two years of eligibility remaining. Mehlenbacher will make his way to UMass, while Gramme committed to Northern Michigan.
Mehlenbacher was still waiting to break out for the Badgers, having appeared in 51 games over the past two years and tallying five goals and five assists. It’s not necessarily his production that will be missed, but more so his potential. He split time at center and on the left wing, but was never much more than a depth piece at Wisconsin.
Gramme’s departure should not come as much of a shock to Badger fans. With the departure of Tommy Scarfone, Wisconsin signed Daniel Hauser of the Western Hockey League’s Wenatchee Wild, later traded to the Calgary Hitmen. Hauser became the WHL’s all-time leader in goalie wins and set a record for going over 243 minutes without allowing a goal in the midst of four consecutive shutout victories.
Gramme was looking for more playing time, and Hauser’s addition to the roster likely stood in the way. In limited time last year, Gramme posted a 3.23 goals against average with a save percentage of .878.
While the transfer portal taketh away, it also giveth.
Gramme’s departure opened a third goaltender spot, and Coach Hastings filled the void with Minnesota State transfer Eli Pulver. Pulver is relatively inexperienced, with only one game played last year and three years of eligibility remaining. The chances of Pulver making a significant impact next year are slim, but he will add some depth and be a project piece for the coaching staff.
Wisconsin also added an experienced defenseman in Aiden Dubinsky, a Minnesota Duluth transfer with one year of eligibility left. Dubinsky appeared in 102 games for the Bulldogs over the past three seasons. He’s not entirely a stay-at-home defenseman, but don’t expect him to get too involved in the offensive zone. He’s shown a knack for playing the puck and doesn’t take a ton of penalties.
Sometimes the biggest offseason news isn’t what you lose or pick up, it can end up being what you retain. And this offseason, the Badgers retained their best player, with rising junior Quinn Finley announcing that he’ll be holding off on the NHL for another year to return to Madison.
The New York Islanders’ third-round pick was one of the few bright spots for Wisconsin in an otherwise frustrating season. Finley netted 20 goals while adding 20 helpers in his sophomore season, providing a spark on the top line that was non-existent when he wasn’t stirring the drink.
The transfer portal is still open until May 15th, so it’s possible we see more movement either into or out of Wisconsin, but Hastings and his staff appear comfortable with their 2025 recruiting class and just dipping their toes into the transfer portal this time around. If the incoming class can add some goal scoring, and Hauser’s game translates to the collegiate level, it will go a long way toward fixing what went wrong last season.