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.
Not long after Shawn Ramsey was eligible to make an unofficial visit to the University of Wisconsin men's hockey team in January, he got the full behind-the-scenes experience.
It made a big impression on the 16-year-old defenseman from the Toronto area.
"Ever since I went to Wisconsin for the first time — that was the first school I toured — I just fell in love with it right away," Ramsey said.
When NCAA rules allowed the Badgers to make an offer on Aug. 1, the Badgers were on the phone to Ramsey. On Saturday, he gave them a nonbinding oral commitment to join the team as early as the 2022-23 season but more likely in 2023-24.
Ramsey said he also had heard from New Hampshire and had looked into Colorado College and Denver but UW made the only offer so far.
He was a fourth-round pick of Peterborough in this year's Ontario Hockey League draft. He and his family decided to pursue NCAA hockey instead.
"We all agreed that education is key," Ramsey said, "and that even if hockey doesn't turn out then I always have education."
Ramsey was one of two Canadian players to commit to the Badgers over the weekend. Aiden Fink, a 15-year-old forward from Calgary, Alberta, also indicated that he'll play for UW.
Listed at 5-foot-10 and 159 pounds, Ramsey considers himself an offensive defenseman in the mold of Quinn Hughes, whose offseason training habits he got to study in Oakville, Ontario.
Ramsey was among 37 defensemen selected for Canada's under-17 development camp even though the World Under-17 Hockey Challenge scheduled to start Oct. 31 has been canceled. Also on that camp roster: Tyson Jugnauth, who also committed to the Badgers this month, and Tristan Luneau, who was a UW recruit until he was drafted first in the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League draft and signed.
Ramsey's family adviser, Harkie Singh, gets an assist for connecting Ramsey with members of the Badgers coaching staff with whom he's close.
Drafted by the Green Bay Gamblers of the United States Hockey League this year, Ramsey took part in the team's camp earlier this month but he's not sure where he'll play in the 2020-21 season. The Junior A Central Canada Hockey League with teams in the Ottawa area is a possibility, he said.
He posted 15 points in 33 regular-season and playoff games for the Toronto Young Nationals' under-16 team in the Greater Toronto Hockey League 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: Johnstown (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: Minnesota Magicians (NAHL)
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.), Bismarck (NAHL)
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: Janesville (NAHL)
Date committed (age): Sept. 10, 2018 (15)
Earliest arrival at UW: 2021
ETHAN MANN
Mann
Position: Forward
Hometown: Grafton
2020-21 teams: University School (Wis. HS), Team Wisconsin
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), Rosemount (Minn. HS)
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), Janesville (NAHL)
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
OWEN MEHLENBACHER
Mehlenbacher
Position: Forward
Hometown: Fort Erie, Ontario
2020-21 team: Muskegon (USHL)
Date committed: Feb. 15, 2021 (17)
Earliest arrival at UW: 2022
On Twitter: @mehlenbacher_37
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.
