The Wisconsin Hockey program has made a name for itself as one of the most elite in the NCAA, sending 99 Badgers to the NHL — where many have had greatly successful careers.
The best of the best Badgers in the NHL are players who have continued to make impacts beyond their Wisconsin tenures, and proven themselves as established pros.
Cole Caufield (2019-2021), the Wisconsin wonderkid turned pro star
Caufield, a Wisconsin-born winger, is one of the most notable former Badgers currently in the NHL. In his professional career, he has 174 goals and 139 assists in 376 games played.
In the 2025-26 season, he came second among all goal-scorers in the league with a career-high 51 goals. He also racked up 88 points, the second-most of any Montreal Canadiens player that season.
To cap the 2025-26 season off, Caufield was the recipient of the Lady Byng Memorial Trophy, which recognizes the most sportsmanshiplike player in the league, and was named to the NHL’s Second All-Star Team.
This season, he has five goals and one assist in eight games played.
During Caufield’s sophomore season at Wisconsin, he won the 2021 Hobey Baker Memorial Award, which is given to the top player in NCAA men’s ice hockey. His impressive ability to score and create chances on the ice made him an incredible asset for the Badgers, and he was ranked first in the nation for goals and points during his award-winning season.
K’Andre Miller (2018-2020)
A former New York Ranger, Miller recently captured a Stanley Cup with the Carolina Hurricanes and is the most recent Wisconsin alumni to have done so. His impressive skating and shutdown defense were big factors of success for the Hurricanes during their cup run.
The defenseman logged eight goals and 29 assists during the 2025-26 regular season, and a career-high nine points in the playoffs. This season, he has a goal and two assists in 10 games played. He has 45 goals and 127 assists in 450 games played total.
During his first season with Wisconsin, Miller was named to the Big Ten All-Freshman Team, and was first in points among all Wisconsin freshmen. He was also recognized as the Mark Johnson Rookie of the Year. He continued to make an impact throughout his sophomore season, aiding Wisconsin with 48 blocked shots and four multi-point games.
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Ryan McDonagh (2007-2010)
McDonagh is a former captain of the New York Rangers, and current defenseman and alternate captain for the Tampa Bay Lightning, McDonagh is a Badger alum with an impressive resume. He led the Rangers to the Stanley Cup Final in 2014, and then finally won the trophy in 2020 with the Lightning.
In the 2025-26 regular season, McDonagh tallied six goals and 15 assists in 48 games played. This season, the defenseman has one point in eight games played. In his career, he has 86 goals and 356 assists in 1,066 games played.
McDonagh’s shutdown defense helped Wisconsin reach the Frozen Four championship game in 2010, and he finished off that season with four goals and 18 points. He was an integral part of the Wisconsin locker room, serving in a leadership role for his sophomore and junior seasons.
Jake McCabe (2011-2014)
McCabe, a Wisconsin native, is currently a defenseman for the Toronto Maple Leafs. As a veteran on Toronto’s back end, he put up five goals and 20 assists in 80 games played during the 2025-26 season.
His 190 blocked shots led the league last season, and is a testament to his defensive prowess. McCabe has no points through ten games this season, but has a career 40 goals and 160 assists in 733 games played.
McCabe was first among Wisconsin defensemen with 21 points during his sophomore season, and was named assistant captain in his junior season. He fortified Wisconsin’s defense, and was a major factor in winning games for the Badgers.
The future is bright for the Wisconsin Badgers.
Nine players on the roster are drafted in the NHL, with Logan Hensler leading the charge at 23rd overall for the Ottawa Senators.
Quinn Finley (2023-2026), a star forward for the Badgers and now a New York Islanders prospect, is just one example of the young talent that Wisconsin continues to bring to the pros. As more Badgers are finding success in the NHL, the Wisconsin program is gaining a stronger reputation for development that draws in new recruits.
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