Beyond the rink, this multi-sport athlete and gritty goal scorer is starring for Wisconsin.
The best athletes are multifaceted and Bruno Idzan fits right in to that trend. A native of Zagreb, Croatia, Idzan plays basketball and tennis away from the rink. He also picked up pickleball upon his arrival to North America towards the middle of last season.
However, pickleball isn't the only thing Idzan picked up in the United States. That other thing was his on ice production. Idzan joined the USHL's Lincoln Stars in December 2024, earning 44 points (22 goals + 22 assists) in 36 games.His nose for the net made Idzan a staple on the Stars' forecheck with a USHL second 1.22 points per game.
"I'm a gritty goal scorer," Idzan said. "I love to score goals. Getting to the hard areas of the ice in front of the net and around the around the net is my area."
Wisconsin's Bruno Idzan moves the puck past Minnesota State goaltender Alex Tracy to score a shoot out goal that left the Badgers to a 2-1 victory on Thursday Oct. 16, 2024 at the Kohl Center in Madison, Wis. © Mark Stewart / Milwaukee Journal Sentinel / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn ImagesChoosing an NCAA home was a perfect storm for Idzan, saying the coaching staff, existing players and facilities all clicked to make Wisconsin the right fit.
Meanwhile, Idzan's performance with Lincoln caught the attention of the NHL's Ottawa Senators, who took him in the 6th round (181st overall) of the 2025 NHL Draft. He feels that gets the best training possible at Wisconsin and is striving to progress year by year for the Badgers.
Outside of a National Championship, Idzan is hungry to earn more playing time and says he has been developing well in his freshman year. He and the Badgers hope to cap this season off on top of the college hockey world in Las Vegas. Wisconsin plays University of North Dakota April 9 at 4pm CT in the NCAA Tournament Semifinals.
For now though, Idzan remains a relaxed person and stays humble. "I'm a pretty normal guy," Idzan said. "I like hanging out with friends. I value my family a lot. Just a pretty down to earth guy."