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Page 12 - The Michigan Daily, Thursday, October 30, 1986

Bjorkman steers career back on track

IMP, I I . . - .1

By PETE STEINERT
All athletes drive themselves to
improve from year to year.
Unfortunately for senior left wing
John Bjorkman, his progress ran
into a road block last season.
After a respectable sophomore
year (10 goals, 16 assists, 26
points) Bjorkman (pronounced
BYORK-man) missed almost all of
last season because of illness. In
the seven games he played he had
no points.
"LAST YEAR when I came
into camp, I was feeling good," said
the 5-11, 180-pound forward. "Two
or three weeks into the season, I
started feeling tired and run down so
they ran a blood test on me." ~ He
came up positive for
mononucleosis.
"He wasn't playing up to par,"
said head coach Red Berenson, "and
we knew there was something
wrong."
Bjorkman spent the rest of the
season as a spectator. He said he did
not skate at full strength until two
or three weeks after Christmas, and
by then he had a lot of catching up
to do.
"I DON'T think I really got
back to where I wanted to be until
coming back thisyear. That's one
of the reasons I decided to sit out

the remainder of the season. By the
time I was back in halfway decent
shape, there were so few games
left."
The road back can sometimes be
a bumpy ride. "Even though he was
always a part of the team,"
Berenson said, "you kind of lose
that feeling when you're not
playing for a long time.
"Coming back the next year I
think it's important you establish
your position on the team again. I
think he's still doing that."
THE WARROAD, Minn.,

Aily Photo by JOHN MUNSON
John Bjorkman (16) looks up the ice for an open man in last Friday's 8-2 victory over Ohio State. Bjorkman
has scored two goals this season after missing almost all of last year due to illness.

Bjorkm an
..versatile performer


native started the season on th
team's fifth line. In other words, h:
did not dress for the opening serie
against Bowling Green.
Berenson gave him ai
opportunity to play the next wee]
in the second game against Miami
The third-year coach put Bjorkmai
on a line with Brad Jones and Bra
McCaughey in hopes of shoring ul
a line that allowed four goals th
previous night.
"We put Bjorkman on the lin.
hoping he would be a safer playe
and be able to get back and pick hi:
man because sometimes Jones an4
McCaughey have a tendency to ge
trapped in the offensive zone,
Berenson said.
IN THE THIRD perio(
Bjorkman took a pass at the poin
off a faceoff from Jones and drov4
the puck past Redskin goalie Stew
McKichan for his first goal of th+
season and his first in more than i
year.
Bjorkman's last tally cam(
March 2, 1985, in a CCHA playofi
game at Lake Superior State.
He said his goal in the Miam
game was important. "It's alway:
good to get that first one over witt.
right away."
IJORKMAN scored his secon(
goal of the season in last Friday',
8-2 win over Ohio State.
The New York Islander drafte(
admits that playing with Jones anc
McCaughey, the team's top twc
scorers, has been a big help.
"I enjoy playing with those two.
They're such good players, goo
with the puck. I'm the third guy
playing with them."
BERENSON, however, was
critical of some missed scoring
opportunities by Bjorkman last
weekend, and he said he will
probably make some line changes
this week to improve the
production of his offense.
But Bjorkman understands his
role on the team. "I wouldn't
stereotype myself into any specific
role. I just want to do whatever I
can to help the team."
Bjorkman's versatility will most
likely keep him playing
somewhere. Besides left wing, he
can also play center or defense in an
emergency.
"As the year goes on, I'm sure
that he'll be moved around from
position to position depending on
where we need himh most,"
explained Berenson.
Wherever Bjorkman finds
himself playing will be far better
than watching from the stands, and
hopefully for him, it will be a
season of nothing but through
traffic.

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