NCAA: Wisconsins Fab-Five

Not many NCAA teams can match the collection of high draft-picks the Wisconsin Badgers have on their defensive corps, as they boast three first-round picks and two second-round picks on defense. McKeen's correspondent Max Giese has notes on several Badgers, including Montreal Canadiens prospect Ryan McDonagh and their Fab-five on defense.

Jake Gardiner (Ana), D, Wisconsin Badgers

Pure offensive defenseman that must begin to play with more fire in the furnace .. one of the most mobile defensemen in college hockey, Gardiner is a masterful skater that has a dynamic burst moving in all-directions .. highly skilled with soft hands and a fast one-timer, Gardiner boasts the type of offensive ability to carry the puck coast-to-coast .. hasn't fully caught up to the pace of the NCAA game yet, as his decision-making with the puck has often been erratic and belated when under fire .. doesn't pick his spots appropriately when jumping into the rush and is too reliant on his recovery speed to mask his tactical errors .. currently a defensive liability and his coaches haven't entrusted him with much icetime five-on-five or the penalty kill .. makes sluggish defensive reads and struggles to seal-off the puckcarrier, as he's consistently walked to the net because of his lack of strength .. there is no physical element to his game right now and he must begin to play tougher .. physically gifted defenseman that remains a project.

Ryan McDonagh (Mtl), D, Wisconsin Badgers

Robust two-way defenseman .. commanding all-access skater that is strong on his edges with sharp acceleration .. has become more productive this season because he's anticipating the play incisively and is asserting himself more offensively with the puck .. has underrated hand skill and a quick shot that he is beginning to get on net with more frequency, as he's already surpassed his career high with four goals on the year .. his on-ice vision and creativity with the puck are mediocre, although he makes calculated decisions and doesn't rush into many mistakes .. suffocating one-on-one defender that is a pillar of strength on the backend and is one of the most physically imposing defenders in college hockey .. lacks prototypical height but it doesn't matter because he boasts tremendous strength and has a mean streak .. his influential backwards and lateral mobility allows him to maintain tight gaps before angling off his man to the wall .. fiercely covers his net and clears his crease area with conviction .. a safe bet to play in the NHL sooner rather than later.

Brendan Smith (Det), D, Wisconsin Badgers

High-risk/high-reward-type-of-offensive-defenseman that loves to jump and kick start the rush .. smooth skater that is deceptively fast because of his relaxed stride and displays his influential momentum skating with his ability to change directions at full speed without losing a step .. acting like a fourth forward, Smith never hesitates to jump and excels at skating the puck up ice because his hands and feet work in unison .. he and Jamie McBain form a dynamic duo on the point during the powerplay where he receives a lot of icetime and acts as the triggerman .. playing defense hasn't stopped Smith from emerging as one of the top goal scoring threats on the Badgers thanks to his laser shot .. untamed defensively, as he still gets caught up ice and runs around too much while giving opponents overly generous gaps and can too easily be sucked to the outside of proper defensive positioning .. however, he has become more assertive physically and is flashing the ability to make keen anticipatory defensive reads .. raw but talented athlete that is beginning to come into his own.

Cody Goloubef (CBJ), D, Wisconsin Badgers

With the puck, Goloubef appears to be lacking some of the confidence and poise that he impressed with so much last year .. his ability to consistently make the first pass in the face of pressure has eroded and he's been taking that fatal misstep of hesitating for an extra second while manning the point, which has lead to his inability to manufacture the offense that was expected of him this season .. fluid all-compass skater with impressive lateral and first-step mobility .. owns a fast one-timer that he must begin to deploy more effectively .. has tightened up his gap-control and his defensive stickwork is superb .. proactively attempts to move bodies away from his crease area, but his noticeable lack of strength prevent him from doing so .. for such a positionally sound defensive player, it is surprising to see him take such poor angles to the puckcarrier and this leads to him being walked off the wall because of it .. has been disappointing to start the season, but he might just be in a funk and all the tools are here of a promising NHL prospect.

Jamie McBain (Car), D, Wisconsin Badgers

One of the top puckmoving defensemen in the NCAA, McBain is the Badgers' go-to-guy on defense .. a true powerplay quarterback with remarkable on-ice vision and a crisp shot, although he often elects to take a little off it and finesse it accurately on net with his wristshot .. a homerun hitter who doesn't have a pass that he can't make because of his quick and strong hands .. agile skating defenseman that increases speed out of his turns and activates his feet while manning the point to open up passing lanes for himself, although he lacks strength in his stride and a speedy open-ice gear .. joins and leads the offensive rush at appropriate times, as he perfectly straddles the line of maximizing offensive opportunity and maintaining disciplined defensive positioning .. an astute defender that makes instinctive reads, which allow him to always be in position and deploy his polished stickwork that allows him to strip the puck off unsuspecting opponents .. mature and should be ready for the pro-game after this season.

Derek Stepan (NYR), RW, Wisconsin Badgers

Currently on a rollercoaster of a freshman season in which he has flashed brilliant plays with the puck, but at times, has also looked physically immature at this level of play .. his skilled hands and great hockey sense have helped him overcome his skating and strength deficiencies to entrench himself amongst the Badgers top-six forwards .. an awkward skater that has a hitch in his giddy-up and needs to quicken his first-step while adding a separation gear .. rangy puckhandler that can deliver tape-to-tape passes right through the opponent's defensive box .. has great hockey sense and is a natural presence with the puck that cleverly distributes on the powerplay .. gives an honest effort defensively, however his lack of quickness and tardy defensive reads leave him a step behind the play and out of position away from the puck .. despite his gangly appearance, Stepan absorbs hits well while maintaining his balance and possession of the puck .. boasts a strong stick in traffic, but his lack of strength still leaves him ineffective during one-on-one defensive puck-battles along the wall.

Blake Geoffrion (Nsh), C, Wisconsin Badgers

Geoffrion is the Badgers' team captain this season and plays a bull-in-a-china-shop-type-of-power-game .. centering Wisconsin's top-line and is receiving ample icetime on both special team units .. skating is his Achilles heel because he still lacks a separation gear, remains heavy footed, and his turn radius needs to be tighter .. an effective presence in front of the opponents net that also boasts some commanding power moves with the puck that helps him get there .. has decent hands and his presence carrying the puck continues to grow .. has a healthy snarl to his game and his strength is accentuated by a physical edge that will continue to blossom once the cage comes off and he joins the pro-game .. strong along the wall and wins the all-important puck battles to aide in getting the puck out of the defensive zone .. detailed in his play away from the puck, as he's effective in the faceoff circle and positions himself properly in the defensive zone ..

John Mitchell (UFA), LW, Wisconsin Badgers

A mammoth winger that oozes upside, Mitchell is a great skill package in a 6-foot-5, 222-pound frame .. graceful skater for a player of his size that is light on his feet and swiftly gains speed out of this turns .. a near impossible task for opposing defenders to contain when he is authoritatively employing his massive frame to drive the net .. does a fantastic job at protecting the puck along the wall with his elongated reach and spacious frame .. lacks a mean streak while being guilty of going in-and-out physically and his effectiveness immediately decreases when he tries too much finesse .. all but guaranteed an NHL contract when he decides to come out.