We learned more Saturday about what happened in Patrick Wiercioch's de-commitment to Wisconsin and his signing of a National Letter of Intent with Denver.

Badgers coach Mike Eaves said he didn't know those wheels were in motion until Wiercioch called him last week. The UW coaches had heard speculation after the NHL entry draft that the defenseman may have been considering a move to major juniors along with a return to the USHL or a trip to the BCHL.

Eaves said he still didn't know the real reason why Wiercioch de-committed last week, but things seemed to add up quickly.

"As soon as we got off the phone, you could kind of figure it out," he said.

With incoming defenseman David Carle out of the picture at Denver because of a heart ailment, there was an opening. Both Carle and Wiercioch have Denver-based Kurt Overhardt as their family advisor, so there was knowledge of the situation.

But there's one part of the situation that should be cleared up. By what is currently known, Denver coach George Gwozdecky did not make a pitch to Wiercioch while he was still committed to Wisconsin. Gwozdecky called Eaves this week, the UW coach said, to find out whether news of Wiercioch's de-commitment was true.

Wiercioch has returned neither a phone message nor an Internet message seeking comment.
Eaves had one more thing to say about the situation.

"It's interesting from the perspective that if we pulled the scholarship, we could come under great scrutiny," he said. "And yet if a young man does that, then we just have to bite our upper lip right now. That's the way of the world right now recruiting."

Very true. The only real punishment to players who de-commit comes from fans with memories.