The Michigan Daily - Tuesday, April 15, 2003 - 11A
Hockey fans: Next year is the year, really
BB OHUNT
ON HOCKEY
Another Michigan hockey season has
come and gone, and it seems as if the
Wolverines are in exactly the same place
they were at this time last year. Just like
last season, Michigan had a decent but not
great start; It lost in the Great Lakes Invita-
tional, finished strong, pulled off upsets at
Yost Ice Arena to advance to the Frozen
Four and lost to Minnesota in the national
semifinals. Also, just like last year, the
Wolverines seem to have left the Frozen
Four with hope that next year could be the
year they win their first national title since
1998.
Wait 'til next year, Yost faithful.
Hold on, you're likely thinking: Wasn't
2002 supposed to be the year? When the
Wolverines had a young freshman class and
a senior goaltender as in 1998? Or how
about this season? Weren't Mike Cammal-
leri and Mike Komisarek supposed to come
back this season to help Jed Ortmeyer and
Co. with the Big One?
Yes, these thoughts may have gone
through the heads of many Michigan
hockey fans, but next year has a chance to
be different. This is because, for the first
time in a few years, no underclassman
stands to leave early this summer for the
professional ranks.
In the last few years, Red Berenson has
seen Jeff Jillson, Mike Comrie, Andy
Hilbert, Cammalleri and Komisarek leave
Ann Arbor early. But no underclassman on
this year's team seems ready - or at least
as ready as those five were - to try and
cash in on a large signing bonus.
What about Jeff Tambellini? Won't he go
pro after his breakout season? While the
Port Moody, British Columbia native had a
great season, winning CCHA Rookie of the
Year honors, he is just a freshman and
scored as many goals as Cammalleri did as
a freshman, but in 16 fewer games. Tam-
bellini's got his father, Steve, who is vice
president of player personnel for the Van-
couver Canucks, to help him make an
informed decision.
What about Al Montoya? Didn't former
18-year-old Boston University freshman
sensation Rick DiPietro leave after his first
season to become the first overall pick by
the New York Islanders in 2000? As an 18-
year-old, Montoya would have to forgo the
remainder of his NCAA eligibility to enter
the NHL draft. While Montoya had a spec-
tacular season, there is no proof that he
would be selected so highly this summer in
Nashville. It should also be noted that DiP-
ietro is still not a starting goaltender in the
NHL.
What about one of the sophomores, such
as Eric Nystrom or Dwight Helminen?
Nystrom and Helminen had good seasons,
but not the type of season that led Cammal-
leri to make the jump last summer.
With no Wolverine likely to leave early,
this could shape up to be one of the
smoothest summers the Michigan hockey
program has seen in quite some time. Yes,
the team will have to replace its senior
class which includes Ortmeyer and John
Shouyenia.
But Andy Burnes should fit into Ortmey-
er's role as a captain quite nicely, and Nys-
trom will probably be one of the alternate
captains to lead this year's sophomore class
into a bigger role next year. Tambellini and
Montoya also stand to become better hock-
ey players as they develop further. The
Wolverines will also be bringing in four
freshmen defensemen to bolster the thin
defensive corps, along with two forwards
from the U.S. National Team Development
Program.
So, could next year be the year? It's not
going to be easy, as two-time defending
champ Minnesota stands to lose just one
player, and with next year's Frozen Four to
be held at the FleetCenter, either Boston
College or Boston University could emerge.
But, for a change, the focus around the
Michigan hockey camp this October will be
on who is on the roster instead of who isn't.
And that can only be a good thing.
Wait 'til next year, Yost faithful. Wait 'til
next year.
JASON COOPER/Daily
Michigan forward Michael Woodford will be one of 11 juniors next season, unless there are some early
departures like there have been in the past.
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