Smilanic 'more than thrilled' for opportunity with Wisconsin

MONTREAL -- Following two seasons at Quinnipiac, forward Ty Smilanic is ready for a "new start" at Wisconsin.

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Smilanic, 20, transferred to the six-time NCAA champion Badgers for his junior campaign to play under head coach Tony Granato and continue pursuing an undergraduate degree in economics.
It was a move the Canadiens prospect felt compelled to make after failing to meet his own expectations with the Bobcats.
"I'm more than thrilled to be here, just to kind of get back to the player that I think I am. Last year wasn't a good year for me. I needed a new start and fresh scenery. I have great teammates here that are very encouraging, and I think I can be a big part of this team's success," said Smilanic, who registered 27 goals and 44 points in 70 career NCAA games. "And to be coached by Tony, that was probably the predominant reason I chose Wisconsin. That was one of the main deciding factors for me."

The Elizabeth, CO native is "chomping at the bit" and "counting down the days" until the Badgers hit the ice at the Kohl Center in Madison on October 2 for an exhibition game against Lakehead University, before officially opening the year later that week with a Big Ten Conference series at Ohio State.
In the meantime, Smilanic is looking ahead to starting classes, participating in official team practices with Granato at the helm, and continuing to explore the state capital where he spent the majority of the summer working out and skating.
"I just got back here a few days ago. It's the first time I've been here with students around. It's unbelievable. Everything's so busy. It's a lively city," said Smilanic. "It's definitely a change from where I was living before in Connecticut, but it's cool."
Madison isn't the only town the former third-round pick of the Florida Panthers has experienced in recent months.
Smilanic also visited Montreal for the first time in early July to attend Development Camp after being acquired days before the trade deadline - and the atmosphere at the Bell Sports Complex left a lasting impression.
"I know Canadiens fans are the most energetic and the most committed fans in the NHL, so being around that, seeing everyone show up and be excited for what the team's prospects have to offer, it was amazing," praised Smilanic, referencing the hundreds of spectators on-site every day. "That's what really stood out, just what the Canadiens mean to the city. You hear about it on TV and you see documentaries, that gives you an idea, but you don't know until you actually go up there and witness it for yourself. There were probably people taking off work to come watch us, which to me is really special."

Speaking of which, his parents, Pete and Nancy, even traveled from Colorado to see him sport his new threads on the South Shore.
The couple runs a construction company in the Denver suburb of Parker.
"They had smiles on their faces the whole time taking it all in, just like me, taking in everything that the city and the organization had to offer," explained Smilanic. "My parents are the reason I am where I am today, so being able to put on a Canadiens jersey and enjoy that moment with them was amazing. Having them there meant a lot because of all their support and time they've committed to me."
As for the deal that ultimately brought Smilanic to Montreal, the youngster couldn't be happier.
He's hoping to contribute down the road.
"I was pretty pumped to say the least," mentioned Smilanic, who learned of the transaction during the ECAC Tournament in Lake Placid, NY. "I see the young core they have, the young talent they have, and I was really excited to add to it."
That "young core" includes former Badgers star Cole Caufield.
And there's already some familiarity between them since they were members of the United States National Team Development Program (USNTDP) at the same time.
Smilanic also skated with the 2021 Hobey Baker Award winner several times this summer when he visited his brother, Brock, in Madison.
"I was with the Under-17s when he was with the Under-18s and he had his historic year and scored 72 goals," said Smilanic. "I think of myself as a goal scorer, too, and he's one of the best young goal scorers in the world, so to be able to watch him from a close point of view when I was only 17 was huge. I watched a lot of his game, just what he was able to do and how he was able to score."

Now it's up to Smilanic to put those observations into practice with Granato's squad.
General manager Kent Hughes clearly has faith in his skill set and sees him as a future piece of the puzzle.
"We feel like our style of play, which I think is becoming a little more obvious as we watch our team and watch how Marty is coaching this team, to the extent that we can continue to be faster and smarter and bring that brand of player to this organization, I think it's going to help us in terms of the team that we field and the success that we have, and Ty Smilanic helps us to address that," stated Hughes, during a press conference on March 17. "He can score and he can really skate. We've seen a lot of him. He made the U.S. World Junior team in December, so we thought he was a good prospect to add and he brought the qualities that we were looking for."