Wisconsin hockey: Meet freshman defenseman Jake Linhart

	NHL Draft	Position	Shoots	Height	Weight
	N/A	Defense	Right	5'11	185
	Previous Team		Hometown		DOB
	Green Bay Gamblers		Brookfield, Wis.		2/17/1996

Anytime you can add a top-tier offensive defenseman, you do it. If that player happens to be from Wisconsin, all the better. While the shine has come off his star a bit over the past few years, the Badgers have to be excited about the skill set of young Jake Linhart and what he can add to the roster moving forward.

After spending the past two seasons in the USHL with the Green Bay Gamblers, Linhart makes the transition to Wisconsin as a true, 18-year-old freshman defenseman.

Verbal Commitment

Linhart committed to Wisconsin so long ago (May, 2011), that you forget how highly recruited he was coming out of the Chicago Mission Bantam program. Linhart visited national powers Boston College and Boston University and also considered New Hampshire, North Dakota and Notre Dame before giving his verbal commitment to the Badgers.

"Ever since I went to the 2006 Frozen Four and saw the Badgers win the National Championship, it became a dream of mine to someday play for Wisconsin and have a chance to be on a team like that. The hockey facilities at Wisconsin are the best in the country. It offers me the chance to become the best hockey player that I can be. And of course, the great education.

"Wisconsin was my No. 1 choice. There was no need to wait (to make a decision). Any other schools I had interest in were only if I didn't have an opportunity to play for the Badgers."

Coach Comments

"He's a very good skating, puck-handling defenseman who played two years in the USHL, which I think will help his transition to college hockey. He will be an impactful addition." -- Wisconsin head coach Mike Eaves

Scouting Report

"The knock on Linhart is that he is a touch one-dimensional and could struggle in the Big Ten defending against bigger and stronger forwards. The upside, though, is that the Wisconsin recruit will have the PP cooking at all times. He is slick with the puck, confident, and delivers tape-to-tape passes with authority." -- USHR

2013-14 Statistics

Games: 58

Goals: 2

Assists: 18

Points: 20

Penalty Minutes: 18

Plus/Minus: +7

Honors

- Tendered by the Green Bay Gamblers in the USHL

- Drafted in the OHL Priority Selection by the Plymouth Whalers (9th Round)

Recent Press

UWBadgers.com: Introducing freshman Jake Linhart

Season Projection

It will be interesting to see how the defensive pairs shake out for Wisconsin this season. You have to assume Chase Drake, Eddie Wittchow, Kevin Schulze and Jack Dougherty are locks to be in the every-night lineup. That leaves red-shirt freshman Tim Davison and incoming freshmen Keegan Ford and Linhart for the final two spots. Linhart has an offensive ability that is rare, but is still a bit weak and will need to adjust to the college game. At this point it appears Linhart is the seventh defenseman, but will certainly see opportunities to prove himself, especially in the early going this year.

Twitter

@jglinhart10

Video

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