The more Chris Hickey thought about it, the more determined he became to change the course of his future with the University of Wisconsin men's hockey team.

Hickey, a 19-year-old center/left winger from Mendota Heights, Minn., learned last month that UW coaches wanted him to spend another year playing at the junior level.

Hickey, who orally committed to the Badgers in April of 2006, was "extremely disappointed" to learn that he would have to wait another year before embarking on his college career.

So after a week of contemplation, Hickey called UW coach Mike Eaves and outlined all the reasons why Hickey felt both parties would be better served if he came in for the 2008-09 season.

The case Hickey made was convincing enough that he's currently forwarding his national letter of intent to UW, where he'll be part of a seven-member recruiting class and a 29-man roster.

"I didn't push it," Hickey said. "I didn't throw it down their throats or anything. I just kind of called them up and we talked about things. We were on the same page the entire time."

Hickey, a product of Cretin-Derham Hall (Minn.) High School, spent last season in the U.S. Hockey League with Tri-City.

He totaled 15 goals, 16 assists and 31 points in 55 games for a club that failed to make the playoffs.

Hickey, listed at 6-foot-1 and 193 pounds, said the situation with the Storm was "difficult" in part because he felt like he was drifting academically and socially.

He missed the demands of being an honor student and a multi-sport athlete, which he was at Cretin-Derham.

Hickey, who declined to outline his scholarship situation, said he plans to attend summer school at UW and prepare for a major in law or business.

Hickey acknowledged that his status as an NHL draftee factored into "a little bit" into the situation.

He was chosen by Minnesota in the seventh round of the 2006 entry draft and, according to the current Collective Bargaining Agreement, his future in the Wild organization would have been compromised had he spent another year in juniors.

The CBA gives NHL teams a four-year window to tender a qualifying contract offer to draftees.

If no offer is made during that time, the prospect becomes a free agent.

After being drafted, Hickey played his senior year at Cretin-Derham and one year in the USHL. He said that during periodic talks with Wild officials last season, he was told "that if I were to go back to juniors, they would have lost my rights."

By signing with UW, Hickey said his homestate team will retain his rights "all the way to the end of my college eligibility."