Skille Called up to Blackhawks
December 29, 2007 | Men's Hockey
Former Badger men's hockey forward Jack Skille is service=page&page=NewsPage&articleid=348041"> --> expected to make his NHL debut on Sunday when the Chicago Blackhawks play host to the Los Angeles Kings.
The Blackhawks announced Saturday that Skille, who skated for Wisconsin from 2005-07, was called up from the Rockford IceHogs of the AHL and will skate for the Blackhawks Sunday.
Skille, 20, was selected by the Blackhawks with the seventh overall pick in the 2005 NHL Entry Draft. In 33 games with the IceHogs this season, Skille has eight goals and eight assists for 16 points and 27 penalty minutes. Four of Skille's goals have come on the power play.
It could be an historic Sunday night for Wisconsin Badger hockey as three other former Badgers, including Rene Bourque, Adam Burish and Jake Dowell, may also play in the contest. If all four do, it is believed that it will be the first time four Badgers have played for one NHL team in the same game. There are at least five previous times in NHL history where three Badgers have skated on the same team. During the late 1980s and early 1990s, former Badgers Brian Mullen, Tony Granato and Mike Richter all skated for the New York Rangers at the same time. Richter also skated with Bruce Driver and Pat Flatley during the 1996-97 campaign for the Rangers. Also in the late 1980s, Mark Johnson, Dave Maley and Bruce Driver each skated for the New Jersey Devils. In addition, Mark Osiecki, Paul Ranheim and Gary Suter all played for the Calgary Flames during the 1992-92 season and Sean Hill, Paul Ranheim and David Tanabe all skated for the Carolina Hurricanes during the 1999-2000 season.
Note: The trio of service=page&page=NewsPage&articleid=347820"> --> Dowell, Borque and Burish have been playing together as the team's third line all week during practice and may skate that way Sunday night.
