Forward Aiden Fink, right, had 16 goals and 45 points in 29 regular-season and playoff games for the Northern Alberta X-treme in 2019-20.
Aiden Fink grew up watching future NHL players develop through the major junior Western Hockey League in Alberta. There may have been a point when he saw himself taking that path, too.
Instead, the 15-year-old forward now sees himself going through NCAA hockey. Fink announced his nonbinding oral commitment to the University of Wisconsin, likely for either the fall of 2022 or 2023.
"I just thought I needed some more growth, more development," he said.
At 5-foot-9 and 149 pounds, Fink is going to camp with the Alberta Junior Hockey League's Brooks Bandits in September but also could play another season with the Northern Alberta X-treme in the Canadian Sport School Hockey League.
He's part of a trend of the Badgers recruiting Alberta players after a stretch when few came to Madison.
From 2005 to 2019, only two players from Alberta dressed for the Badgers: goaltender Scott Gudmandson (2007-11) and forward Cameron Hughes (2015-2019).
Since late 2016, when UW sophomore Dylan Holloway committed, four other Albertans have done the same: defenseman Corson Ceulemans in 2018, forward Brett Moravec in 2019, forward Brayden Morrison just after last Christmas and now Fink.
Fink said he heard from a handful of NCAA schools but the Badgers came in with an offer once rules allowed it at the start of August.
He said the Badgers coaching staff was the best fit for him.
"They get my game and they know how I play," Fink said.
He said his game is based on intelligence, skill and being hard on the puck.
In 29 regular-season and playoff games for Northern Alberta last season, Fink had 16 goals and 45 points. He said he has mostly played right wing in recent years.
Fink was one of two Canadian players to commit to the Badgers last weekend, joining 16-year-old Ontario defenseman Shawn Ramsey.
As is common with 11th graders who commit, the timeline for Fink's arrival at UW is uncertain. He knows he needs to add weight over the next few years, whatever level he's playing at.
And he'd rather be a top performer at the junior level before considering making the jump to college.
"I don't really want to come into college when I'm playing bottom-line minutes when I could be in junior playing top line," Fink said.
Bohlin out
Wausau forward Josh Bohlin is no longer committed to the Badgers. He committed to the Badgers in 2017 but said the ending of the relationship was a mutual decision between him and the coaches.
Bohlin played for the North American Hockey League's Minnesota Magicians last season.
Wisconsin Badgers men's hockey recruiting tracker
As players give oral commitments to the University of Wisconsin men's hockey team, we'll add them here with their stats.
Players are listed in the order in which they committed.
TJ KOUFIS
TJ Koufis played youth hockey for the Chicago Mission.
Position: Forward
Hometown: Palatine, Ill.
2020-21 team: Lone Star (NAHL)
Date committed (age): July 6, 2016 (14)
Earliest arrival at UW: 2021
On Twitter: @TKoufis88
BEN HELGESON
Helgeson
Position: Forward
Hometown: Lake Elmo, Minn.
2020-21 team: St. Cloud (NAHL)
Date committed (age): Oct. 25, 2016 (16)
Earliest arrival at UW: 2021
On Twitter: @benhelgeson9
ISAAC NOVAK
Isaac Novak played with Janesville in the NAHL in the 2019-20 season.
Position: Forward
Hometown: Sussex
2020-21 team: Madison (USHL)
Date committed (age): Dec. 13, 2016 (14)
Earliest arrival at UW: 2021
On Twitter: @IsaacNovak1
SHANE LAVELLE
LaVelle
Position: Forward
Hometown: Chaska, Minn.
2020-21 team: Spruce Grove (AJHL)
Date committed (age): May 21, 2017 (15)
Earliest arrival at UW: 2021
On Twitter: @shanelave21
CASEY ROEPKE
Casey Roepke split the 2019-20 season between Janesville of the NAHL and Green Bay of the USHL.
Position: Defenseman
Hometown: Erin
2020-21 team: Amarillo (NAHL)
Date committed (age): May 30, 2017 (15)
Earliest arrival at UW: 2021
On Twitter: @Casey_Roepke
DANIEL LAATSCH
Laatsch
Position: Defenseman
Hometown: Altoona
2020-21 team: Sioux City (USHL)
Date committed (age): Sept. 20, 2017 (15)
Earliest arrival at UW: 2021
On Twitter: @DanielLaatsch
CORSON CEULEMANS
Ceulemans
Position: Defenseman
Hometown: Beaumont, Alberta
2020-21 team: Brooks (AJHL)
Date committed (age): April 2, 2018 (14)
Earliest arrival at UW: 2021
On Twitter: @corson_4
NOAH GRANNAN
Grannan
Position: Goaltender
Hometown: Germantown
2020-21 team: Sioux Falls (USHL)
Date committed (age): April 17, 2018 (15)
Earliest arrival at UW: 2021
CADEN BROWN
Brown
Position: Forward
Hometown: St. Louis
2020-21 team: U.S. Under-18 Team (NTDP)
Date committed (age): May 28, 2018 (14)
Earliest arrival at UW: 2021
On Twitter: @cadenwbrown21
NICK PIERRE
Nick Pierre played for Hill-Murray High School in Minnesota in 2019-20.
Position: Forward
Hometown: Cottage Grove, Minn.
2020-21 team: Sioux City (USHL)
Date committed (age): June 6, 2018 (14)
Earliest arrival at UW: 2022
On Twitter: @nickpierre11
JOE PALODICHUK
Palodichuk
Position: Defenseman
Hometown: Cottage Grove, Minn.
2020-21 teams: MAP South Hockey (Elite League), Hill-Murray HS (Minn.)
Date committed (age): Aug. 18, 2018 (15)
Earliest arrival at UW: 2021
On Twitter: @JoePalodichuk
GRAYDEN DAUL
Daul
Position: Defenseman
Hometown: Glenview, Ill.
2020-21 team: Mount Saint Charles Prep (R.I.)
Date committed (age): Sept. 10, 2018 (15)
Earliest arrival at UW: 2021
ETHAN MANN
Mann
Position: Forward
Hometown: Grafton
2020-21 team: TBD
Date committed (age): Sept. 14, 2018 (15)
Earliest arrival at UW: 2021
On Twitter: @Ethan_Mann11
LUKE LEVANDOWSKI
Levandowski
Position: Forward
Hometown: Rosemount, Minn.
2020-21 teams: Chicago (USHL)
Date committed (age): Dec. 13, 2018 (16)
Earliest arrival at UW: 2021
On Twitter: @LukeLevy21
ZACH URDAHL
Urdahl
Position: Forward
Hometown: Eau Claire
2020-21 team: Lincoln (USHL)
Date committed (age): Dec. 21, 2018 (17)
Earliest arrival at UW: 2021
On Twitter: @ZUrdahl
BRETT MORAVEC
Moravec
Position: Forward
Hometown: Airdrie, Alberta
2020-21 team: Calgary (AJHL)
Date committed (age): April 19, 2019 (16)
Earliest arrival at UW: 2021
DYLAN GODBOUT
Godbout
Position: Forward
Hometown: Woodbury, Minn.
2020-21 teams: TDS Transportation (Elite League), Hill-Murray (Minn. HS)
Date committed: April 30, 2019 (14)
Earliest arrival at UW: 2022
On Twitter: @dylan_godbout
REED KLUENDER
Kluender
Position: Defenseman
Hometown: South St. Paul, Minn.
2020-21 team: South St. Paul (Minn. HS)
Date committed: May 10, 2019 (15)
Earliest arrival at UW: 2022
On Twitter: @ReedKluender
LIAM MALMQUIST
Malmquist
Position: Forward
Hometown: Edina, Minn.
2020-21 team: Penticton (BCHL)
Date committed: May 23, 2019 (18)
Earliest arrival at UW: 2021
On Twitter: @Liam_Malmquist
ROBBY NEWTON
Newton
Position: Forward
Hometown: Whitefish Bay
2020-21 team: Sioux City (USHL)
Date committed: Oct. 30, 2019 (18)
Earliest arrival at UW: 2021
On Twitter: @RobbyNewton13
JACK HORBACH
Horbach
Position: Forward
Hometown: Naperville, Ill.
2020-21 team: Lincoln (USHL)
Date committed: Nov. 6, 2019 (17)
Earliest arrival at UW: 2021
BRAYDEN MORRISON
Brayden Morrison played the 2019-20 season for Okotoks in the Alberta Junior Hockey League.
Position: Forward
Hometown: Calgary, Alberta
2020-21 team: Okotoks (AJHL)
Date committed: Dec. 29, 2019 (17)
Earliest arrival at UW: 2020
On Twitter: @MoBrayden
JACOB MARTIN
Martin
Position: Defenseman
Hometown: Eagle River
2020-21 team: U.S. Under-18 Team (NTDP)
Date committed: Aug. 1, 2020 (17)
Earliest arrival at UW: 2021
TYSON JUGNAUTH
Jugnauth
Position: Defenseman
Hometown: Kelowna, British Columbia
2020-21 team: West Kelowna (BCHL)
Date committed: Aug. 14, 2020 (16)
Earliest arrival at UW: 2022
On Twitter: @JugnauthTyson
SHAWN RAMSEY
Defenseman Shawn Ramsey played in 33 regular-season and playoff games for the Toronto Young Nationals' under-16 team in the Greater Toronto Hockey League in 2019-20.
Position: Defenseman
Hometown: Mississauga, Ontario
2020-21 team: TBD
Date committed: Aug. 22, 2020 (16)
Earliest arrival at UW: 2022
On Twitter: @shawnramsey04
AIDEN FINK
Forward Aiden Fink, right, had 16 goals and 45 points in 29 regular-season and playoff games for the Northern Alberta X-treme in 2019-20.
Position: Forward
Hometown: Calgary, Alberta
2020-21 team: Northern Alberta X-Treme (CSSHL)
Date committed: Aug. 22, 2020 (15)
Earliest arrival at UW: 2022
On Twitter: @aiden_fink
SAWYER SCHOLL
Scholl
Position: Forward
Hometown: Medford
2020-21 team: Green Bay (USHL)
Date committed: Nov. 6, 2020 (18)
Earliest arrival at UW: 2021
On Twitter: @sawyer_scholl
BOSTON BUCKBERGER
Buckberger
Position: Defenseman
Hometown: Saskatoon, Saskatchewan
2020-21 team: Saskatoon Blazers (Sask. Midget AAA Hockey League)
Date committed: Jan. 15, 2021 (17)
Earliest arrival at UW: 2021
On Twitter: @BBucky22
In this Series
Catch up on what you might have missed in the Badgers men's hockey 2020 offseason
Todd D. Milewski | Wisconsin State Journal
Todd D. Milewski covers Wisconsin Badgers men's hockey and the UW Athletic Department for the Wisconsin State Journal.
