Wisconsin adds a much-needed scoring threat with a big commitment.
Wisconsin Badgers head coach Mike Hastings landed a big-time commitment for the men’s hockey program on Monday as Croatia-born Bruno Idžan announced he will be attending the University of Wisconsin in an Instagram post.
Idžan is a proven offensive weapon, evidenced by his 29 points in 21 games played with the USHL’s Lincoln Stars since joining the team back in December. His 13 goals and 16 assists place him eighth on the roster, though it should be noted Idžan has played at least 20 fewer games than the players ahead of him.
Prior to joining Lincoln, Idžan played with KHL Sisak, a Croatian professional team in the Croatian Ice Hockey League and Alps Hockey League. He suited up in 19 games and scored 21 goals before making his way to the USHL.
The 6-foot-1-inch winger has a nose for the puck and is comfortable operating in traffic, which bodes well for a Wisconsin team that’s often outshot their opponents without much to show for it. Idžan and his nearly 200-pound frame will be able to help clean up rebound opportunities and earn some gritty goals with the Badgers.
Coach Hastings and his staff took a quick interest in the 19-year-old Idžan since arriving in Lincoln. The Zagreb native said Wisconsin reached out after his first 10 games, at which point he visited Madison and felt drawn toward the tradition and history, along with the hockey facilities.
Idžan is a fascinating prospect for a Badger team that briefly enjoyed a rise back to prominence a year ago, but has endured offensive struggles this year to find themselves near the bottom of the B1G. Wisconsin ranks 27th nationally with 2.97 goals per game, which is good for second-to-last in the B1G. They’d like to see more production, but more importantly, they’d like to see timely production. The offense seemingly ground to a halt for far too many stretches over the past two years, and Idžan provides an immediate option to help address this primary concern.
It’s impossible to forecast what a college athletics roster will look like year-to-year in this NIL era, but the possibility of a line featuring some combination of Quinn Finley, Gavin Morrissey, and Bruno Idžan is certainly an intriguing proposition. Finley and Morrissey are two of the Badgers’ bright spots this year, leading a youth movement and playing like two of the best young players in the league.
However the lines shake out, adding Idžan should be an immediate boost going into next season. There will still be an all-important transfer window after the season ends where Coach Hastings can mold his roster, but this week’s move was a big one for the Badgers.