The Wisconsin way: 47 former Badgers currently playing professional hockey

MADISON, Wis. – The Wisconsin men's hockey program has plenty of former players in the National Hockey League, but the Badgers also have a large group of up-and-coming talent as well.

Wisconsin has 17 former players who have played at least one game in the NHL this season, tied with Boston College for the most active alumni for any NCAA program. There are multiple former Badgers waiting in the wings as well.

UW lays claim to 17 other players in the affiliated minor ranks of hockey, including 11 players in the American Hockey League, one level below the NHL, and six players in the ECHL, which is the 'AA' league in the minors. In total, there are 47 former Badgers playing professionally.

Among the former Badgers in the minors, Michael Mersch and Matthew Ford have headlined the group so far. Mersch is currently in his second full season in the AHL, and helped lead the Manchester Monarchs to the AHL Calder Cup title last season. After 45 points in 76 games a year ago, Mersch already has eight points (6 G, 2) through his first 10 games this season.

Ford has also had a strong start to his 2015-16 campaign, coming on the heels of two straight seasons of 45 or more points. In 2014-15, Ford had the biggest offensive output in his pro career with 53 points in 73 games, and looks to be on pace for a similar mark this season with five goals and four assists in 10 games for the AHL's Bakersfield Condors. Ford played for UW from 2004-08, and was part of the sixth national title in school history in the 2005-06 season.

Davis Drewiske, who also played on the 2006 national title team, spent the first nine games of this season in the AHL with the Lehigh Valley Phantoms. He has since been called up to the Philadelphia Flyers, but has not played in a game yet.

UW has several other players in the AHL who were part of UW's back-to-back playoff titles in the 2012-13 and 2013-14 seasons. There are five total in the group with Mersch, which also includes Nic Kerdiles, Mark Zengerle, Joe LaBate and Frankie Simonelli. Among that group, LaBate, who is in his first full season in the pros, has had the best start outside of Mersch, with a pair of assists in eight games for the Utica Comets.

Another pair of recent UW alumni in Brendan Woods and John Ramage are also currently in the AHL. Both players were part of the 2012-13 WCHA playoff title team, and both have previous stints in the NHL under their belts. Woods currently has tallied four points (3 G, 1 A) in 12 games for the Charlotte Checkers, while Ramage has played in four games so far for the Lake Erie Monsters.

Jake Dowell and Joe Piskula round out the former Badgers in the AHL, and both were vital parts of UW's NCAA title team in 2006. Dowell has played in parts of seven different seasons in the NHL and has three points in 10 games for the Rockford IceHogs this year. Piskula has four brief stops in the NHL to his name, and has played in seven games with one assist for the San Diego Gulls this season.

Six former Badgers currently reside in the ECHL, five of whom played for Wisconsin within the last two seasons. At the forefront of the group is current Missouri Maverick Tyler Barnes, the ECHL Rookie of the Year a season ago after putting up 74 points in 71 games. Barnes is back at it this season with 11 points in his first 11 games (4 G, 7 A).

Jefferson Dahl and Joel Rumpel are also off to blistering starts. Dahl has put up 10 points (5 G, 5 A) in 10 games, and the goaltender Rumpel is 8-2-0 through his first 10 games for the Allen Americans with a .927 save percentage and 2.01 goals-against average.

Another UW alumni has moved onto a coaching career, as Andy Brandt (2003-07) is the head coach of the Atlanta Gladiators in the ECHL.

The complete list of former Badgers in the pros is below.

AHL
Jake Dowell – Rockford IceHogs
*Davis Drewiske – Lehigh Valley Phantoms
Matthew Ford – Bakersfield Condors
Nic Kerdiles – San Diego Gulls
Joe LaBate – Utica Comets
Michael Mersch – Ontario Reign
Joe Piskula – San Diego Gulls
John Ramage – Lake Erie Monsters
Frankie Simonelli – Providence Bruins
Brendan Woods – Charlotte Checkers
Mark Zengerle – Grand Rapids Griffins

ECHL
Tyler Barnes – Missouri Mavericks
Jefferson Dahl – Idaho Steelheads
Joe Faust – Adirondack Thunder
Brad Navin – Atlanta Gladiators
Joel Rumpel – Allen Americans
Matt Hussey – Evansville Icemen

European Leagues
Bernd Brückler – Klagenfurt AC
Adam Burish – Vaxjo HC
Michael Davies – Hamburg Freezers
Sean Dolan – Laustizer Foxes
Robbie Earl – Farjestads BK Karlstad
Brian Fahey – Salzburg EC
Dany Heatley – Nuermberg Thomas Sabo Ice Tigers
Andrew Joudrey – Mannheim Eagles
Kyle Klubertanz – Nuermberg Thomas Sabo Ice Tigers
Jeff Likens – Wolfsburg Grizzly Adams
Ryan MacMurchy – Mannheim Eagles
Jordy Murray – Langnau
Steve Reinprecht – Nuermberg Thomas Sabo Ice Tigers

*Currently on Philadelphia Flyers active roster

University of Wisconsin Athletics

The Wisconsin way: 47 former Badgers currently playing professional hockey

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