In the last two weeks, the University of Wisconsin men's hockey team has landed the top two available prospects from far western Canada.

And another one might be on the way.

Derek Lee, a 17-year-old center with Salmon Arm of the British Columbia Hockey League, will enroll at UW and play for the Badgers in the
2009-10 season.

"He's ecstatic, we're ecstatic,'' Brent Lee, Derek's father, said Monday night from the family's home in North Vancouver, British Columbia. "That's where we wanted him to go from the beginning.''

Derek Lee visited Madison in September and also was considering Michigan and New Hampshire — a swing through both campuses on the same trip was tentatively scheduled for later this month — but he called UW coach Mike Eaves last Friday with his decision.

"Why pass a chance to be in a place you love?'' Derek Lee asked rhetorically. "It's the right fit for me.''

NCAA rules prohibit Eaves from commenting on recruits until they sign a national letter of intent.

Lee is a very skilled, playmaking pivot who is listed at 5-foot-9 and 162 pounds.

He has 20 goals and 49 assists for 69 points in 45 games for the Silverbacks after totaling 15-23-38 in 45 games last season.

Lee has interesting ties to the state. His mother, Beth, is a descendent of John Quinn, who was the general manager of the Milwaukee Braves when they won the World Series in 1957.

Lee played in the World Junior A Challenge for the gold medal-winning Canada West team, but passed up a berth in the BCHL All-Star Game in order to get his school work in order.

There's an outside chance Lee could be brought in to UW for the
2008-09 season, but that would only happen if multiple underclassmen leave the Badgers for the pros.

"I think for my sake, 2009 is best because I need to hit the weights,'' Lee said. "For my development, I need to get bigger and stronger.''

Lee's commitment came on the heels of one from 17-year-old Patrick Wiercioch, a defenseman from Maple Ridge, British Columbia, who plays for Omaha in the U.S. Hockey League.

According to various scouting sources, Wiercioch's decision left Justin Schultz of BCHL team Westside as the top available defenseman.

Schultz, a 17-year-old BCHL All-Star from Westbank, British Columbia, made a campus visit to UW last week. He reportedly has at least 20 NCAA Division I schools interested in him.

Listed at 6-1 and 170 pounds, Schultz has totals of 8-26-34 in 50 games for Westside.

Red Line Report, an independent international scouting service, has Schultz ranked 141st among prospects eligible for the 2008 NHL Entry Draft.