The 2022-23 NHL season is now fully underway, and there are over a dozen former Badgers who are on NHL rosters. Some of these former Badgers have been crowned champions, some are all-stars, and some are just rookies. However, one thing they share is that they all hail from one of the most decorated hockey schools in America.
The Wisconsin Badgers have won six national championships throughout the history of their hockey program. Their six championships are the fourth most of any NCAA program. This storied hockey program has had its fair share of NHL-caliber athletes, but the current generation of NHLers is one of the best yet. From veterans like Joe Pavelski and Ryan McDonagh, to young players like K’Andre Miller and Cole Caufield, the current class of Badgers in the NHL is extremely fun to watch.
Check out the list of Wisconsin Badgers in the NHL:
- Boston Bruins – Trent Frederic (2016-18), Craig Smith (2009-11)
- Carolina Hurricanes – Derek Stepan (2008-10), Jake Gardiner (2008-11)
- Chicago Blackhawks – Jake McCabe (2011-14)
- Dallas Stars – Joe Pavelski (2004-06), Ryan Suter (2003-04)
- Edmonton Oilers – Dylan Holloway (2019-21)
- Los Angeles Kings – Alex Turcotte (2019-20)
- Montreal Canadiens – Cole Caufield (2019-21)
- Nashville Predators – Ryan McDonagh (2007-10)
- New Jersey Devils – Brendan Smith (2007-10)
- New York Rangers – K’Andre Miller (2018-20)
- San Jose Sharks – Luke Kunin (2015-17)
- Seattle Kraken – Justin Schultz (2009-12)
- Tampa Bay Lightning – Brian Elliott (2003-07)
The Veterans
Just like every professional sport, having veteran players is extremely important predictor of a team’s success. You can have all of the most talented rookies in a given year, but if there is no veteran leader in the locker room, those young guys won’t find success as quickly.
There are a handful of former Badgers who have become veteran leaders on some successful NHL squads. Two of the most prominent are Joe Pavelski and Ryan McDonagh.
Joe Pavelski
The 38-year-old is now in his 17th NHL season. After beginning his career as a San Jose Shark and remaining there for 13 years, Pavelski is in his 4th season as a Dallas Star. The majority of 38-year-olds in the NHL get very few minutes per game and serve as mentors most of the time. However, Pavelski is not like the majority of 38-year-olds. On October 22nd, Pavelski became the oldest player in Dallas Stars history to score a hat trick in a 5-2 win over the Montreal Canadiens. This former Badger is setting the standard for a Stars team looking to make a Stanley Cup Playoff run this year.
Sometimes it’s your night 🎩🎩🎩 https://t.co/x5AAobJHW7
— Wisconsin Hockey (@BadgerMHockey) October 23, 2022
Ryan McDonagh
McDonagh is a 13-year NHL veteran who turned 33 in June. After spending the first seven and a half years of his career as a New York Ranger, the Defenseman was traded to the Tampa Bay Lightning at the end of the 2017-18 NHL season. As a member of the Lightning, McDonagh helped led the team to three consecutive Stanley Cup appearances in which they won two consecutive championships in 2020 and 2021. Following a Stanley Cup loss with Tampa Bay, McDonagh signed with the Nashville Predators for the 2022-23 season. This former Badger is a top NHL defenseman and has already taken on a leadership role for the Preds defensive unit.
The Young Badgers
In order for a program to have sustained success, they must continuously bring in new talent to replace stars who go pro. The Wisconsin Badgers have clearly been able to maintain a consistent flow of new talent over the last few decades. However, at the college-level, the Tony Granato Era has been somewhat underwhelming in terms of team success.
Even though the teams haven’t been able to secure championships, they have landed some of the most talented recruits in Badgers history. Two of those talented prospects who have begun paving their own NHL paths are Cole Caufield and K’Andre Miller.
Cole Caulfield
Caufield ended his Badgers career with a Hobey Baker Award and began his NHL career with a similar level of excellence. Making his debut at the end of the 2020-21 season for the Montreal Canadiens, Caufield scored five points in 10 games. Although he had a much tougher 2021-22 season, Caufield is still one of the brightest young prospects in the NHL coming into the new season.
K’Andre Miller
K’Andre Miller had a successful Badgers career and was a first round pick by the New York Rangers in 2018. After joining the Rangers in 2020, Miller had a fantastic rookie season. As a result, he was selected to the NHL All-Rookie Team. In the following year, K’Andre experienced a sophomore slump. This year, he looks to show that he’s one of the top young defensemen in the NHL.
Overall, the Badgers have a lot of talent representing the program at the NHL level. Make sure you follow Badgers Hockey on Twitter to stay up to date on future NHL Badgers.
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