MADISON, Wis. — Four signees put pen to paper on their National Letters of Intent to attend the University of Wisconsin and play for the Wisconsin men's hockey team, head coach Tony Granato announced on Tuesday.Â
Among the 2021 incoming class are Boston Buckberger (Saskatoon, Saskatchewan), Jack Horbach (Naperville, Illinois), Tyson Jugnauth (Kelowna, British Columbia) and Charlie Stramel (Rosemount, Minnesota).Â
"I like the skill they bring, but I also like the character of the kids who are coming in," Granato stated. "They are kids who could all potentially be captains of our team some time down the road. They are going to have an opportunity when they get here to have an impact on our program right out of the gate.
"It's a smaller class, but these are guys who we've planned to have for a while so it's exciting that they are that much closer to being here."
Boston Buckberger
Defense, 5-11, 171, L
Saskatoon, Saskatchewan
Brooks Bandits, (AJHL)
Buckberger is the latest recruit to join the Badgers from the Brooks Bandits of the AJHL. The defenseman has eight goals and four assists in 27 games played this season. His goal total shares third among the league's defensemen. Prior to making the jump to the AJHL, Buckberger skated with the Saskatoon Blazers of the Saskatchewan Male AAA Hockey League. He tallied three goals and three assists despite only skating in four games over the 2020-21 season, which was cut short due to the COVID-19 pandemic. In his first full season with the Blazers in 2019-20, Buckberger posted almost a point-per-game average with 14 goals and 26 assists for 40 points in 43 games played.Â
Buckberger is eligible for the 2022 NHL Entry Draft and attended the Philadelphia Flyers development camp in 2021. He was given a 'C' rating by NHL Central Scouting in their players to watch list for the 2022 NHL Draft which indicates a fourth-to-sixth-round candidate.
Granato on Buckberger:
"He's an offensive defenseman who sees the ice extremely well. Boston came out of AAA midget hockey and jumped into the AJHL and he's done really well. He went to the NHL development camp this past summer with Philadelphia and did well there too. He still needs to learn and grow as a defenseman, but has offensive instincts that will really help him in the future."
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Jack Horbach
Forward, 5-11, 176, R
Naperville, Ill.
Madison Capitols (USHL)
Horbach skates just down the road from UW-Madison's campus as captain of the Madison Capitols. He boasts three goals and 14 assists for 17 points in 19 games played this season to rank third on the squad and surpassing his point total for his 2020-21 season with the Lincoln Stars while Madison took the year off during the pandemic. He also skated the 2019-20 and 2018-19 seasons with the Capitols combining for three goals, 11 assists and 14 points in 51 regular-season contests. Horbach played his youth hockey with the Chicago Mission and won USA Hockey's national championship with the program in 2017 and 2018. He was named to the USHL's All-Academic team for the 2019-20 season.
Horbach's sister, Macey, skates for Aurora University's Division III women's hockey program.Â
Granato on Horbach:
"He's an experienced player. He's in his fourth year in the USHL and that has seasoned him well. He'll go through the wall for you and he's been a really good leader and developed those skills. He's a good skater and high-energy kid who plays on the edge. Now he's settled into his game where he's been able to pick up some points here and there and certainly helped the Caps to a great start."
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Tyson Jugnauth
Defense, 6-0, 162, L
Kelowna, British Columbia
West Kelowna Warriors (BCHL)
Jugnauth currently skates with the West Kelowna Warriors of the British Columbia Hockey League. The defender has 15 assists for 15 points in 18 games thus far in his 2021-22 campaign, which shares third in the league in scoring for rear guards. He tallied four goals and 13 assists for 17 points in 20 games with the Warriors last season. He was tied for fourth in scoring among all BCHL defensemen as one of the younger players in the league at 16.
Jugnauth was invited to Team Canada's U17 virtual camp in 2020, although the tournament was canceled due to the pandemic. He is draft eligible in 2022 and is projected as a fourth-to-sixth-round candidate for the 2022 NHL Draft.
Granato on Jugnauth:Â
"Tyson is a really, really high IQ passer and a really good skater. He's a gifted playmaker on the blue line that makes him a great power-play contributor."
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Charlie Stramel
Forward, 6-3, 215, R
Rosemount, Minn.
U.S Under-18 Team
Stramel comes to the Badgers from the US National Team Development Program's Under-18 team in the USHL. The Minnesota native notched nine goals and 12 assists for 21 points in 30 games with the Under-17 squad last season before being called up to join the Under-18 squad. In the final stretch of the season he recorded four goals and three assists for seven points in 15 games.
On the international stage, Stramel played in five games for Team USA in the 2021 Under-18 World Championship where he tallied two goals and two assists as the squad's youngest player.
Stramel's current U.S. Under-18 Team takes on the Badgers this Thursday in an exhibition game at the Kohl Center, though he has been out all season due to injury.
He will be eligible for the 2023 NHL Draft.
Granato on Stramel:Â
"Charlie is a big, powerful player. At times at a younger age he could dominate the games, but he's always played the game the right way -- He still shared the puck and played a 200-foot game. He's got offensive instincts. He's bigger, but he kind of plays the style of game of a Luke Kunin."
