MADISON, Wis. — Head Wisconsin men's hockey coach Tony Granato announced the signing of a skilled class of future Badgers, who put pen to paper on National Letters of Intent since the NCAA's signing period began last Wednesday.
 
Among the signees are Mathieu De Saint Phalle (Glencoe, Illinois), Anthony Kehrer (Winnipeg, Manitoba), Daniel Laatsch (Altoona, Wisconsin), Luke LaMaster (Duluth, Minnesota), Liam Malmquist (Edina, Minnesota), Cameron Rowe (Wilmette, Illinois), and Sam Stange (Eau Claire, Wisconsin).

"This is a talented class with players from Wisconsin, Illinois, Minnesota and Canada," Granato said. "We are really excited about them - lots of character and guys who we've been tracking for a long time who are coming in to be part of our program."

Mathieu De Saint Phalle
Forward, 5-9, 160, R
Glencoe, Ill.
Chicago Steel (USHL)
De Saint Phalle is currently second in the USHL with 11 goals and stands third with 20 points in 16 games played. Originally from Connecticut, by now an Illinois native, the forward has helped the Chicago Steel to first place in the Eastern Conference early on this season.
 
The son of former Badger Jacques De Saint Phalle (1982-83), the younger De Saint Phalle was acquired by the Chicago Steel early last season, finishing up with 13 goals and 51 points in 60 regular season games between Chicago and Omaha. He posted six goals and 27 points in 65 games during the 2017-18 campaign with Sioux City and Omaha. He joined the U.S. Under-17 team for a pair of games during the 2016-17, skating alongside current Badgers Ty Emberson and K'Andre Miller. He played with Sioux City and the Chicago Mission that season, as well.

Granato on De Saint Phalle
"We expect him to come in and by a top-three-line player. He's very gifted offensively. He's smart. He's sneaky. He's got the offensive instincts to get open to make plays. He was actually Alex Turcotte's linemate with the Chicago Mission and fit in with him and Owen Lindmark a few years back. He's a hockey sponge who can't wait to be a Badger. He'll be a mature player."

Anthony Kehrer
Defense, 5-11, 196, R
Winnipeg, Manitoba
Sioux City Musketeers (USHL)
Kehrer, one of three incoming players on the Sioux City Musketeers, is eligible for the 2020 NHL Entry Draft. He was named to the USHL All-Rookie Second Team for the 2018-19 season. In the most recent update by NHL Central Scouting, Kehrer is listed as a C-rated prospect for the 2020 NHL Draft, which shows fourth to sixth-round potential.
 
He has two assists through 15 games this season and posted a goal and 11 points last year for Sioux City playing for former UW assistant coach Luke Strand. 

Before joining the Musketeers, Kehrer played for Rink Hockey Academy Prep in his home town of Winnipeg, Manitoba.

Granato on Kehrer
"He is a good two-way player. I think he's a guy who will push for minutes on the power play here. He's tough.  

"We thought he might make the U.S. development team as a dual citizen. As we watched the tryout progress, we thought he was among the top-three players. He plays similar to a Drew Doughty. His presence on the ice with his balance, skating and aggressiveness, he's very similar to that."
 
Daniel Laatsch
Defense, 6-5, 180, L
Altoona, Wis.
U.S. Under-18 Team (USHL)
Another 2020 draft prospect, Laatsch is skating in his second season with USA Hockey's National Team Development Program on the under 18 squad. The defenseman has a goal and five points in 16 games played this season. He has already gotten a taste of NCAA competition, facing off against Northern Michigan, Notre Dame, Ferris State, Providence, Holy Cross, Cornell, Canisius, and Miami.

Laatsch is listed as a C-rated prospect for the 2020 NHL Draft by NHL Central Scouting, which projects him to be a potential fourth to sixth-round pick.
 
Named the USHL defensemen of the week in early October following a three-point performance against the Green Bay Gamblers, he finished the game with a plus-four rating. He totaled two goals and six points in 44 games with the U.S. Under-18 Team last year.
 
Granato on Laatsch
"He's an in-state kid who has really developed. He's a big defenseman who I think is a little bit under the radar in how much he can do with the way he moves the puck. He is a very smart player. His growth is going to be great. You hate using the potential word, but his allowing his body to catch up with his growth will be something to watch. His hockey smarts are off the charts and he's coachable."

Luke LaMaster
Defense, 6-0, 187, R
Duluth, Minn.
Sioux City Musketeers (USHL)
Captain of Duluth East High his junior and senior seasons, LaMaster won the 2018 Reed Larson Award as Minnesota's top defenseman and was a finalist for the 2018 Minnesota Mr. Hockey honor his senior year. He was also named to the U.S High School All-USA Hockey First Team by USA Today. Upon joining the Badgers, LaMaster will skate alongside former teammate and fellow Duluth East High alumni Ryder Donovan, both of whom reached the 2018 Minnesota State High School Hockey title game. 

LaMaster  currently skates with the Sioux City Musketeers, where he has one assist in five games after returning from injury.
 
Granato on LaMaster
"Here's a tremendous person for our culture. He just kept growing on us. He's gone through a tough time with some injuries and he's starting to persevere and is getting back on the ice. If you watched him in the Minnesota state hockey tournament two years ago, he was arguably one of the best defenseman.

"His skating ability, his hockey sense, his passing ability stand out, but right now it is going to take him time get his feet underneath him. He was a really solid fundamental player to begin with. We love his character, we love how he plays the game and he fits in with what we want in our program."

Liam Malmquist
Forward, 5-10, 153, L
Edina, Minn.
Penticton Vees (BCHL)
In 26 games played this season for Penticton, Malmquist racked up seven goals and 12 assists for 19 points, which puts him three points off the BCHL lead among rookies and ranks fifth on his squad. Malmquist played high school hockey in Minnesota last season alongside current UW defenseman Mike Vorlicky on Edina, totaling 52 points (23g, 29a) in 24 games played during their Minnesota State High School Hockey Class AA championship run in the 2018-19 season. That run included a hat trick in the semifinals.

Malmquist is familiar with the college game, with his brother Dylan Malmquist a former player for Notre Dame.

Granato on Malmquist
"High-character kid and a bit of a sleeper. He's got a lot of offensive instincts and is really having a great start to the year. I love how he thinks the game. He's another kid who we watched and who kept on growing on us. He's coming out of an Edina program where they win championships so he's a winner. Another player who comes in to help build our foundation. He's a really, really fun hockey player to watch."
  
Cameron Rowe
Goaltender, 6-3, 212, L
Wilmette, Ill.
Des Moines Buccaneers (USHL)
Rowe boasts 6-4-0 record with a 3.63 goals-against average and .895 save percent average in 10 games with the Buccaneers this season. He was a member of USA Hockey's NTDP from 2017-19, winning bronze at the 2019 Under 18 World Championship. Also on this team were current Badger forwards Cole Caufield, Owen Lindmark and Alex Turcotte. In 2017, Rowe won gold with Team USA at the U17 World Hockey Challenge.

Granato on Rowe
"He's got a ton of international experience and is getting one more year experience after playing for the U.S. program playing in the USHL. I've always liked him. He was really good last year when Spencer Knight got hurt and he played some college games. This has been a good year for him. He's a big, athletic goalie that I look forward to having in our program."

Sam Stange
Forward, 6-1, 200, R
Eau Claire, Wis.
Sioux City Musketeers (USHL)
In 12 games played this season, Stange has two goals and four assists for six points. The Wisconsin native was named to the U.S High School All-USA Hockey Second Team by USA Today for the 2018-19 season after getting named the Wisconsin state player of the year, making the 2019 Wisconsin Hockey Coaches Association All-State First Team and winning the Joe Pavelski Award as the state's top forward in 2019.
 
Before joining the Musketeers, Stange played for both Team Wisconsin (UMHSEHL) and Eau Claire North High, scoring a high of 67 points (31g, 36a) in 24 games played during the 2018-19 season. Although only skating in two games, Stange made his USHL debut at 16 years old in December of 2017.

Stange is the third Badger in the signing group listed as a C-rated prospect for the 2020 NHL Draft by NHL Central Scouting, which projects him to be a potential fourth to sixth-round pick.

Stange made headlines last spring when he hit the go-ahead three-run home run in the Wisconsin State High School Division 1 title game to lead Eau Claire North to the title. He earned Wisconsin Baseball Coaches Association Division 1 Player of the Year.

Granato on Stange
"He's a great example of slowing down and going through the process of sport. He played baseball and we saw the home run that clinched the state championship. As a hockey player, he had a lot of pressure on him to leave high school early and play in the USHL. Tremendous academically. Did will in high school, did well in the Elite League. His maturity really helps him right now to battle through the toughness of the USHL. Great speed. He's going to be a fun person to add to our roster."