Badger Hockey Recruit Review: Peter Tischke, Chicago Mission U18

The Badger Hockey Recruit Review will run every Monday, Wednesday and Friday for the next five weeks. Today, we feature Peter Tischke, a defenseman from the Chicago Mission.

By Andy Johnson Jun 24, 2013, 2:08pm CDT

Class	Position	Hand	Height	Weight
2014	Defense	Left	6-1	190
Team		Hometown		DOB
Chicago Mission U18		Hinsdale, Ill.		1/3/1996

Verbal Commitment

If you're sensing a trend of Chicago players being featured lately, you're not alone. Mike Eaves and the UW coaching staff made the area a recruiting priority the past few years, and landed another big score back in May 2012 when defenseman Peter Tischke gave his verbal commitment to the program.

"I chose to play for Wisconsin because it's a top-notch NCAA hockey school, but also because they are known for developing players so they are ready to play in the NHL," Tischke told Bucky's 5th Quarter after his commitment. "I feel the coaches at Wisconsin are the best of the best.

"I visited Madison and loved it. The atmosphere was great and the sites were amazing. It seemed like there was a lot to do. When I went there it felt like a perfect fit for me."

Coach Comments

Chicago Steel (USHL) head coach and general manager Scott McConnell on Tischke:

"He's a big, strong, defenseman that can move," McConnell told Bucky's 5th Quarter in February. "He's got a good shot when he takes it. Problem is right now he breaks sticks all the time because he's so strong, so he doesn't take it as much as he should.

"(Peter) has good things ahead of him."

Chicago Mission coach Gino Cavallini on Tischke:

"He's physical, he reads the play and he hits like a freight train,'' Cavallini told the Wisconsin State Journal. "His compete level is off the charts, he does what it takes to win.''

Scouting Report

Red Line Report on Peter Tischke from USA Hockey Select 16's:

"Man-strong defender is tough and physical. Character player will block shots and do whatever it takes to help his team win. Pretty mobile with a strong stride. Not an offensive guy, but he has a deceptively good stick and made good decisions with the puck.''

Tischke is a throwback style defenseman who is willing to put his body at risk to make a hit, or block a shot for the betterment of the team. I watched Peter play at the Central District tryouts in the spring of 2012 in Fond du Lac, Wis., and had him highly regarded for his defensive play.

Tischke was clearly one of the elite shut-down defensemen in the 1996-born group, and was rewarded with a trip to USA Hockey Select 16's. Tischke has also been invited to the 2013 Select 17 festival that will take place next week in New York.

I made another trip to see Tischke play last fall, but unfortunately only saw the Hinsdale, Ill., native play one shift before he suffered a freak injury that forced him to the locker room for the rest of the game.

The injury was a brief setback for Tischke last season, who had a very successful campaign for the Chicago Mission U18 team. As a reward for his strong play at the midget level, Tischke was called up for four games with the Chicago Steel of the USHL.

Originally drafted in the second-round of the USHL futures draft by Des Moines, Tischke was traded to the hometown Steel last fall.

I'm not a huge fan of making player comparisons, but Tischke will remind a lot of people of former Badgers' blue-liner John Ramage. Tischke, like Ramage, is a huge-hitter with a cannon of a shot.