It's been nearly two months since you last laid eyes on Kyle Turris in person, so an update seems to be in order.

Turris last appeared at the Kohl Center on behalf of the University of Wisconsin men's hockey team Dec. 1. Since then the freshman center has traveled through 26 time zones, won international acclaim, finished his first semester of college with a 2.7 grade-point average, embarked upon his second and done so without looking too worse for the wear.

Then again, Turris said the pace and pressure of the past 54 days might be catching up with him. He helped Canada win the World Junior Championships in the Czech Republic Jan. 5, flew to Vancouver, British Columbia, then joined UW for WCHA series at Denver and Alaska-Anchorage.

"I might not look like it," he said this week, "but I feel like it."

Rejuvenation may be on the way from a source that might surprise you.

When the No. 16 Badgers play host to No. 17 Minnesota in a WCHA series at the Kohl Center Friday night and Saturday night, Turris will face the one guy who knows precisely what he's going through.

You name it — exceptional talent, top-five NHL draft pick of Phoenix, endorsed by The Great One, anointed as the next savior of the franchise — Gophers junior center Blake Wheeler has walked the same path as Turris.

Wheeler was a 17-year-old high schooler from Plymouth, Minn., when Wayne Gretzky tabbed him with the fifth overall pick in 2004.

Turris was a 17-year-old from New Westminster, British Columbia, when Gretzky called his name for the third overall pick last summer.

Wheeler and Turris got to know each another when they attended a Coyotes prospects camp in Phoenix last summer. They now text message one another regularly.

"I see a lot of myself in (Turris)," Wheeler said. "He was just such a young kid down there. He was about the same age I was when I was drafted. It was pretty cool to see the way he handled it all. He's a pretty humble kid."

Turris made a point of hooking up with Wheeler because he wanted to know what he was getting himself into.

"I asked him for some advice going into the college years," Turris said. "He said to just have fun and to enjoy it all. Work hard and stay focused, but at the same time enjoy yourself."

Wheeler had a respectable freshman season in 2005-06, totaling nine goals, 14 assists and 23 points, but he remembers being overwhelmed at times.

"I was expecting so much to happen and expecting a lot of success and that didn't come right away or as easy as I anticipated," he said. "It was a little bit tough for me."

Wheeler improved greatly as a sophomore, showing 18-20-38. He leads the Gophers with 12-11-23 despite missing one game and having had 10 different linemates.

Turris, meanwhile, leads UW in scoring, showing 9-15-24 despite missing four games and having eight different linemates.

Something else Turris and Wheeler have in common: The question of when they will make the jump to the NHL.

Followers of both programs can find a measure of comfort in the way Phoenix officials go about their business.

"They've been completely supportive of me staying in school and me developing at my pace and not rushing me," Wheeler said.

Two WCHA players taken in the first round with Wheeler — Travis Zajac and Drew Stafford — left North Dakota as underclassmen and are NHL fixtures in New Jersey and Buffalo, respectively.

"When the time is right, it should be pretty well apparent," Wheeler said.

Meanwhile, Turris has seen two of his fellow top-10 picks from last summer — Patrick Kane and Sam Gagner — establish themselves in the NHL with Chicago and Edmonton, respectively.

"If a player's ready, then he moves on," Turris said. "And even if you are ready, what's it going to hurt to stay in college? It just allows you to mature more and be that much more prepared for the next level.

"I think everyone takes (leaving early) too seriously. I'm just here to play hockey and have fun and go to school and get an education."