Badgers NHL Draft pick defender could return in Frozen Four
Wisconsin men's hockey head coach Mike Hastings said Zach Schulz "has put himself in a position to be in that conversation"
Las Vegas, NV — After a collision sent Wisconsin hockey defenseman Zach Schulz into the boards on December 6th, he has remained sidelined with a broken fibula, but not out for the season. As the Wisconsin Badgers prepared to face the North Dakota Fighting Hawks in the Frozen Four on Wednesday, head coach Mike Hastings left the door open to the possibility of the NHL Draft pick’s return.
Schulz twice underwent surgery in December, but the Badgers have long remained optimistic about his chances to return to the ice. As early as January 13th, Hastings alluded to the possibility of Schulz playing in the NCAA Tournament.
“When it happened, we were hoping that would be the case,” Hastings said. “And that’s the case.”
Zach Schulz injury update
Schulz participated in Wisconsin’s open practice inside T-Mobile Arena on Wednesday. He skated in five-on-five and small area drills, appearing to be a full participant.
Hastings has praised Schulz’s continued leadership this season while the blue-liner has been away from the ice. One of UW’s alternate captains, Schulz and his teammates were motivated to have an opportunity to play on the final weekend of the season.
“He asked them to do the work. He has done all the work,” Hastings said. “Now we’ve been talking daily, checking in.”
The third-year head coach of the Badgers admitted that, as recently as four weeks ago, he was unsure his team would be in the Frozen Four. But they “found a way to get here,” and Schulz, similarly, worked with training staff to get back on the ice despite the odds.
Will Zach Schulz play in the Frozen Four for Wisconsin hockey?
Hastings could not definitively say whether the junior would be available for tomorrow’s national semifinal matchup against the Notre Dame Fighting Hawks. The Spencer Penrose Award finalist also emphasized that he and Schulz have had “a boatload of conversations” about preparing for this moment, and those talks are not over yet.
“We’ll talk tonight and figure out what we’re going to do for tomorrow, but we try not to put the cart ahead of the horse,” Hastings said. “This has been a process that both of us committed to with our unbelievable training staff and doctors that are here.
“With his effort, he’s put himself in a position to be in that conversation.”
Schulz logged three points, all in Big Ten play, before suffering his injury.
Wisconsin’s embattled blue line is currently missing a pair of NHL Draft picks due to injuries. In addition to Schulz (a sixth-round selection by the New York Islanders in 2023), Ottawa Senators first-round pick Logan Hensler is out for the year with a lower-body injury.
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