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| Badgers Herald.com |
Here is some interesting speculation by the New York Post's Larry Brooks. As a hockey fan, I would actually love the opportunity to watch another season of
Justin Schultz who was hands down the best defenseman in the WCHA, if not the country last season and in my opinion, should have been in the Hobey Hat Trick. For some reason the voters left him out of the mix.
Larry Brooks, New York Post --- Ryan McDonagh told Slap Shots he spoke a couple of weeks ago to one-time Wisconsin teammate Justin Schultz, the junior defenseman selected 43rd overall by the Ducks in 2008 who can become an unrestricted free agent this summer if he so chooses.
“But he was smart enough not to tip his hand to me,” said McDonagh, who raved about the 21-year-old’s skating ability and skill, likening Schultz to Toronto’s Jake Gardiner.
Schultz cannot be signed until July 1, but he can become a free agent and start the negotiating process by mid-June — it’s the Blake Wheeler model — after giving notice to Anaheim.
There has been some speculation the defenseman might opt to return to the Badgers for his senior season because of the possibility of a lockout that would necessarily mean a start to his pro career in the AHL, but it’s expected he will indeed hit the open market after deciding not to sign with the Ducks last month, when doing so would have burned the first year of his Entry Level Contract.
Edit: I guess we can always dream right, Badgers guru Chuck Schwartz assures me that Schultz is not coming back and that he will might pursue the Blake Wheeler option.
