Recruit updates: Incoming freshmen impress in the USHL, WHL
March 31, 2025 | Men's Hockey
2025-26 freshman class brings proven scoring, strong goaltending to the Badgers
MADISON, Wis. – Badger fans have a lot to be excited about in the fall as the 2025-26 Wisconsin men's hockey freshman class continues to dazzle in their final year of junior hockey.
Up North in the Western Hockey League (WHL), two future Badgers, forward Oliver Tulk and goaltender Daniel Hauser, are having historic seasons for the Calgary Hitmen.
Tulk, who inked his commitment to the Badgers in December, recently scored his 100th point of the season, setting a career-high. The forward tallied 38 goals and 62 assists in 65 regular-season games played, and he has one goal and two points in two playoff games played so far this year. His 100 points led the Calgary roster at the end of the regular season, and he ranked sixth among all WHL skaters.
Tulk Smash!
— Western Hockey League (@TheWHL) March 29, 2025
After a 100-point regular season, Oliver Tulk has the @WHLHitmen back on top late in the second 🚨🚨#WHLPlayoffs | #FeedingTheFuture pic.twitter.com/RHzY0wCTxe
At the Hitmen's annual awards ceremony, the Gibsons, British Columbia, native took home the team's Player of the Year and Leading Scorer awards for his efforts this season. He was also named the WHL Player of the Month in December after a five-goal, 21-point performance over nine games played.
Future Badger Oliver Tulk with 43 points in his last 19 games
— Wisconsin Hockey (@BadgerMHockey) January 11, 2025
WHL Player of the Month for December (21 points in 9 GP)
Going to look good in Red next season! https://t.co/qTqx4opHXM
Adding to his long list of accolades, Tulk recently reached the 250 career points milestone, becoming the sixth member of the Hitmen's 100-goal club and the first Hitmen in 12 seasons to reach the 90-point mark.
Casual facts about Oliver Tulk:
— X - Calgary Hitmen (@WHLHitmen) February 22, 2025
➡️ Hit 250 Career Points
➡️ First Hitmen in 12 seasons to reach the 90-point mark
➡️ 6th all-time in franchise scoring with 251 points
➡️ 6th member of the Hitmen 100 goal-club
👀 pic.twitter.com/DB6wmlyLXW
Daniel Hauser has also been having a strong season between the pipes for the Hitmen. Hauser, who was traded to Calgary after spending the first half of the year with the Wenatchee Wild, recently became the franchise record holder for most consecutive shutouts, posting four perfect games in a row from Feb. 19 to March 2. During that time period, he also set a record after going over 243 minutes without allowing a goal. His efforts helped him earn WHL Goaltender of the Week honors on March 3, while he was also named the WHL Goaltender of the Month for February after posting six wins and a .912 save percentage during the month.
ACKNOWLEDGE HIM.
— Western Hockey League (@TheWHL) March 4, 2025
A picture-perfect February for Daniel Hauser leaves the @WHLHitmen netminder on the cusp of several League records!
📝 | https://t.co/i7Ej70Psfo pic.twitter.com/wh3F6yvDdp
Hauser made history again on March 19 after he notched his 123rd career win, setting the record for most career WHL wins by a goaltender.
Future 🦡 https://t.co/Nk8MBUixI3
— Wisconsin Hockey (@BadgerMHockey) March 20, 2025
In 47 regular-season games played this year, Hauser has 28 wins, accumulating a 2.55 goals-allowed on average and a .913 save percentage. He ranks second in the league in goals-allowed on average, third in save percentage and fourth in wins. In 25 games played for the Hitmen in the second half of the season, the netminder has 20 wins, 1.91 goals-allowed on average and a .926 save percentage.
Tulk, Hauser and the Calgary Hitmen currently hold a two-games-to-none lead over the Saskatoon Blades in a best-of-seven first-round WHL playoffs series.
Forward Blake Montgomery is finding success for the Ontario Hockey League's (OHL) London Knights. Montgomery started the 2024-25 season with the United States Hockey League's (USHL) Lincoln Stars, recording three goals and 10 points in 10 games played, before making the jump to the OHL in November.
The Annapolis, Maryland, native finished the regular OHL season with 23 goals and 50 points in 51 games and has one assist in two playoff games played so far. The forward, who was drafted by the Ottawa Senators in the fourth round of the 2024 NHL Draft at No. 117 overall, helped the Knights to their second consecutive Hamilton Spectator trophy given to the OHL regular season champions.
BLAKE MONTGOMERY IS ON A DIFFERENT PLANET@Senators | #GoSensGo pic.twitter.com/YOsmBHpAhx
— London Knights (@LondonKnights) January 11, 2025
Montgomery and the Knights currently lead the Owen Sound Attack, 2-0, in their best-of-seven first-round WHL Playoffs series.
Four future Badgers – Finn Brink, Grady Deering, Luke Osburn and Vasily Zelenov – are currently playing in the USHL.
Brink captains the Madison Capitols, whose arena is just down the road from UW in Middleton. The forward has 21 goals and 42 points in 53 games played, notching two goals and seven points in the team's recent seven-game win streak from March 15 to March 29. His 42 points are good to rank fifth on the roster. The Capitols currently lead the Eastern Conference with 80 points and have clinched a spot in the USHL Playoffs set to begin in mid-April.
A whole flurry of Caps goals have Madison in the lead 5-2 in the third period.
— x - Madison Capitols (@MadCapsHockey) March 16, 2025
🚨Long, Lee x2, Brink, Uhlenkamp#GoCapsGo I @KwikTrip pic.twitter.com/fthHM2pX4w
The Maple Grove, Minnesota, native comes to the Badgers with three years of USHL experience. The forward has also spent time abroad with Team USA, most recently helping the Americans to its 10th World Jr. A Challenge tournament title in December 2024. Fellow future Badger, defenseman Luke Osburn, was also part of Team USA's gold-medal winning roster.
A huge congrats goes out to our six representatives at the World Junior A Challenge for bringing home the gold medal from the event after beating Sweden 7-4 in the championship game.
— x - Madison Capitols (@MadCapsHockey) December 16, 2024
L to R: John Stout, Caleb Heil, Andy Brandt, Finn Brink, Mason Moe, and Ryker Lee#GoCapsGo pic.twitter.com/nyFhQvIPKG
Deering, a forward, has 15 goals and 35 points in 55 games played this year for the Waterloo Black Hawks. A team assistant captain, the Des Moines, Iowa, native recently recorded a hat trick in Waterloo's 7-3 win at Dubuque on March 21. The forward has skated in the USHL for the last two years, racking up 30 goals and 70 points in 112 games played. Deering and the Black Hawks sit in third place in the Western Conference and have clinched a playoff position.
Future 🦡 https://t.co/iwLSjwgrfa
— Wisconsin Hockey (@BadgerMHockey) March 22, 2025
Plymouth, Michigan, native Osburn currently skates for the Youngstown Phantoms. Picked by the Buffalo Sabres in the fourth round of the 2024 NHL Draft at No. 108 overall, the defenseman has nine goals and 35 points in 55 games played for the playoff-bound Phantoms this year. His 35 points lead all defensemen on the team.
Osburn finds the back of the net!!😎 pic.twitter.com/Tr9uU4sqab
— x- Youngstown Phantoms (@YtownPhantoms) March 29, 2025
Forward Vasily Zelenov, a seventh-round pick of the Buffalo Sabres at No. 204 overall in the 2024 NHL Draft, has 14 goals and 30 points in 50 games played for the Green Bay Gamblers this year. The Moscow, Russia, native's 30 points rank fifth among Green Bay Skaters while the team fights for a spot in the USHL Playoffs.
This marks Zelenov's first year in the USHL after playing in Austria for RB Hockey Juniors in 2023-24.
"Uh oh, lookout": Vasily Zelenov somehow gets wide open and connects for his 15th goal of the year and fourth in his last five games. pic.twitter.com/pRv8uPoDNT
— Kris Baker (@SabresProspects) March 16, 2025
Finally, Bruno Idzan of the LIncoln Stars has torn up the USHL since he joined the league in December. The forward boasts 22 goals and 42 points in 32 games played to lead the Stars with a 1.31 points-per-game scoring average. He's just three goals shy of the team lead with 21 fewer games played that the team leader.
Lincoln leads the entire USHL with 84 points.
