“It was a pretty easy decision for me with that one,” Messner said. “I got to see some other schools, but I ended up going with Wisconsin. I knew that was the place for me. Their facilities and stuff are awesome. Both my dad and grandpa and dad’s brothers and sisters went to Wisconsin. At the time, coach Eaves (Mike Eaves) was the coach there and now the coaches are the Granato’s and coach Osiecki. I just love those guys, too, so it was the combination of the coaching, facilities and academics that made me choose Wisconsin.”
Badgerville could not be happier. To put it mildly, Messner has been making a name for himself in the Madison area since he started playing in the Madison Capitols youth hockey program. But when the winger jumped to the Capitols AAA team, and then the Madison Capitols of the USHL, he started to turn heads around the country thanks to his lethal combination of skill and determination. This past September, Messner was selected to play in the fifth annual CCM/USA All-American Prospects game as one of only 34 players on the roster to have USHL affiliation and the only player invited from the Capitols. Then in mid-October, Messner’s name appeared on the NHL Central Scouting Preliminary List. Given a “C” rating, the list projects Messner as a potential fourth-, fifth- or sixth-round draft choice in the 2017 NHL Draft.
Even with all of the accolades, Messner finds it easy to keep his eye on the prize. To him, all that matters is the effort he brings to the rink every day. The rest will take care of itself.
“I didn’t even see the list,” Messner said. “One of my teammates showed me it. I didn’t even know I was on it until the day after it was released. I don’t even pay attention to that stuff. It’s just a list. I don’t really care who is on it or where they are ranked. I just need to focus on my own game. It’s pretty easy to stay grounded when I see just how skilled guys who are in the NHL truly are and how far I need to go to get there.”
That approach is the main reason why Messner has become so popular with fans, coaches and teammates, and one of the reasons why the Badgers are pinching themselves over the possibility of Messner wearing cardinal and white next season. Messner has excelled in almost every level of hockey, but what has set him apart from the rest hasn’t been his skill, but his composure and passion for the game. That competitive streak has made him one of the hardest working players on the ice. It’s a quality those close to him notice immediately.
“He is an extremely hard worker,” said Cole Hults, a veteran defenseman for the Capitols. “He doesn’t like to lose. He’s got great character and is a great guy in the locker room. He comes to work every day no matter when it is, rain or shine. The thing I really respect is his work ethic and desire to give it his best no matter when it is. He is a younger kid in the league, but he doesn’t play like it. He plays with a lot of confidence. With the puck or without the puck, his work ethic is outstanding.”
“When I was growing up, I played with Phil (Kessel) and Jack Skille. He reminds me of Jack,” said Garrett Suter, the Capitols head coach. “He’s a north-south player. He likes to shoot the puck and he can play physical when he wants to. He won’t back down and his work ethic is amazing. He just goes and goes and goes.”
High praise, but deserved praise. Suter knows what he’s talking about. Last season, he watched Messner split his time between the Madison Capitols AAA team and the USHL squad. While playing for the AAA team, Messner scored 40 goals and tallied 79 points in just 55 games. In 27 games with the USHL team, the future Badger notched four assists and showed an uncanny ability to adjust to the higher level of competition and responsibilities, despite having to balance going to high school and sometimes practicing two times per day.
“I was on the ice pretty much every day,” Messner said. “Most weeks I had days where I would practice two times a day, so I got a lot of ice time, that’s for sure. The difference between the U18 team and the USHL team I’d say is the maturity of the players. Even though they aren’t necessarily older, they are just more mature in the way they think and the way they act on the ice. It was an adjustment, but I just went to practice every day with the goal of working hard and getting better.”
It’s scary because he has gotten better. One year later, as a full-time member of the Capitols’ USHL squad, Messner is tied for the team lead in goals (2), assists (3) and points (5) through eight games. In addition, he leads the team in shots on goal. It’s scary because Messner knows he can do better.
“I set some goals for myself before the season,” Messner said. “I’d say I am working towards them. One of my goals was to be an impact player for my team this season, to make an impact every time I’m on the ice and help lead the team to the playoffs. We are on the way but I still have some work to do.”
Badger hockey fans are watching from a distance … smiling every step of the way.
Andrew Vitalis can be reached at lphprep@yahoo.com
