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4C Thursday, October 25, 2007
The Michigan Daily - michigandailycom
Thursday, October 25, 2007
The Michigan Daily - michigandaily.com
"The Coglianos and Johnsons of the world -
you try to predict that stuff.
They're leaving for pro hockey,
and you need to deal with that."
Associate head coach Mel Pearson and
assistantcoachBillyPowers, Michigan's
lead recruiters and team architects,
have traditionally brought in large groups of
freshmen every four years. Two seasons ago,
Michigan welcomed 11 fresh faces, including
phenoms Jack Johnson and Andrew Cogliano.
Now, just six remain, a shift that prompted the
Wolverines to draw in another big class much
sooner than anticipated.
"A big class every second year - that proba-
bly won't happen again," Powers said. "We got
to the point where, every four years, we were
h:a inga big class. It's not a plan, but it's today's
d an d ige in college hockey. It's predicting
si ho s styinyamd I'-, g itng
ii1a did its bstn to stay proacti c after
the i"' it thie early departures of Cgliaau
and Johson. Johnson lift rtht cL.Is IsgAne
KingsafterMichiginhums'ed nfiiout laseasno's
NC AATournaentandogiianojumpedship
last sumnner for the Ednilton Oilers.
"The Coglianos and Johnsons of the worild
- you try to predict that stuff," Powers said.
"They re leaving for pro hockey, and you need
to deal with chat. You need to deal sith the
NHL Draft, and you need to deal with those
guys leaving. And that's OK."
But the Wolverines couldn't anticipate the
loss of the four players who didn't bolt for pro-
fessional hockey.
Forwards Tyler Swystun, Zac MacVoy and
JasonBailey prematurely left Michigan to play
in junior hockey leagues. Swystun and MacVoy
stopped playingbefore their sophomore years,
and Bailey left the team during his sophomore
season.
And this summer, goalie Steve Jakiel's
last-minute transfer
to Division. III Curry
College forced Pear-
son and Powers to find
someone who could
play behind Michigan
junior Billy 'auer and
incoming freshman
Bryan Hogan.
Jakiel's replacement
was freshman Shawn
Hunwick, the final mem-
ber in this year's recruit-
ing class. Hunick, chose
brother Matt captained last
years team, had alreads
oesmmusirtit_ ito play fur a
nes Diviusin ill Ianvia
png as Adria Cii
lee. hi t sehes Jdv -i
I ft. Hhss isci calleid
and ash d fur lie.-
msissin tis speak
with Michigan
coaches.
And smith that, the freshmanclass was com-
plete.
Hunwick may have fallen into Michigan's
lap, but this year's class started three summers
ago in the Wolverines' backyard. '
By MICHAEL EISENSTEIN, COURTNEY RATKOWIAK AND ANDY REID 1 Daily Staff Writers
This wasn't how it was supposed to happen.
Over the past two seasons, the Michigan hockey team's roster eroded in front of the coach-
ing staff's eyes. The now-junior class was meant to be the foundation for the program's
return to glory.
But the class of 2009 has all but disintegrated.
Friday, 12 freshmen will don the maize and blue sweaters for
their first regular-season game at Yost Ice Arena. There
are just two seniors,- one upperclassman defense-
man and myriad questions about how good Michigan
ACIORETTY coach Red Berenson's new largest freshman class
can be.
How did' the Wolverines find themselves
in the midst of a rebuilding year two years
ahead of schedule?
Fellow Michigan natives Matt Rust and
Aaron Palushaj were also among the first
recruits in the class.
"The way our program's been over the last
10 or 15 years, we're in a good spot - that
(for) a lot of Michigan kids, their first choice
is Michigan," Powers said. "Most of the kids
don't leave the rink without making a com-
mitment, whereas kids from New York, like
(Kevin) Quick and, of course, (Carl) Hagelin
from Sweden, you have to recruit them. But
Michigan kids, you're not as much recruiting
as much as they're just dying for you to make
the phone call."
To attract potential players who aren't set
on Michigan, the Wolverines sell their playing
style and Berenson's reputation.
"We play a style that mostlkids can get excit-
ed about," Powers said. "We take pride inbeing
one of the cop offensive teams every year."
If Michigan's style doesn't sway potential
recruits, Berenson's legacycercainly helps. But
it's not the players who are initially giddy over
Berenson's reputation - it's the parents.
When looking at colleges with their
sons, some parents are star-
struck by Berenson's 600-
plus wins, two National
Championships and nine
NCAA Frozen Four
appearances. And
being a premiere
player on two Stan-
ley Cup champion-
ship teams during
his 17-year NHL
career doesn't
hurt his repu-
tation, either.
I think
the kids
get excit-
ed about what they're hearing, but they've
never watched him play or coach," Powers said.
"I always get a kick out of watching the parents
around Red - they want to ask him questions
about when he played, but I guess they don't
always feel comfortable doing that."
Yost Ice Arena has become known as one
of the toughest places in the country to
jplay hockey, and it's become a powerful
recruitment tool. In recent years, Powers said
the atmosphere at Yost has taken on "a life of
its own."
"It's absolutely amazing," Llewellyn said.
"I came to one game before I committed here.
(Michigan) played Michigan State and we beat
them, and the place was just rocking."
Though the freshman class was brought in
to replace players who left, the large group
nill have serious scholarship implications for
the future.
If the majority of the freshmen stay for four
years, the Wolverines will have fewer schol-
arships than planned to give during the next
few years. With just two seniors graduating,
Michiganhas much less room to sign potential
talent.
Pearson said the Wolverines already have a
few prospects in mind but agreed next year's
class will be much smaller than average.
The 12 newcomershavegottenoffto astrong
start. They've added a physical, gritty style
of play to the traditionally offensive-minded
team. In the first four games, three freshmen
have already tallied three or more points.
"If this group works out, it really sets the
tone," Powers said. "If you ever keep them all
for four years - who knows if that could ever
happen - but if you do a good job with the big
group, chances are that you'll be very competi-
tive every year that they're here."
Losing as manytalented players as Michigan
did could have set Wolverine title hopes back a
few years. But if defeating then-No. 2 Boston
College inthe season opener is any indication,
the Wolverines won't miss a beat.
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