Assistant hockey coach Mark Miller (left) and Athletic Director Don Canham flank Michigan's new
head hockey coach Red Berenson during yesterday's press conference in the 'M' Club Room.
Berenson was an All-American forward at Michigan in 1961 and '62 and then went on to play 16
years in the NHL.
Berenson back with Blue
(Continued fromPage1) again. I wasn't planning to leave until this came
recent years. up," said Berenson. "It just came down to this is
"I'd like to improve the image of the Michigan where I wanted to be."
hockey team on campus and with the alumni" Michigan was th"We'r place that Canham wanted
said the 44-year-old Berenson. "I think that now Berenson to be too. delighted to have Red
people will be thinking more highly about the back on campus," said Canham. 'He is the type of
program., person that our family can rally around. he has en-
JUST THE fact that someone with the hockey joyed success at all levels of hockey."
background that Berenson posesses stepped into Despite being away from the college game for so
the job should be enough to excite anyone who many years, Berenson feels that the transition will
thelobs holveienogs oecteayn.h be no problem. "Hockey is hockey. 'if you have a
TheRegnaSasatcewa naivewasa to-tmegood team, you'll win in any league," Berenson
The Regina Saskatchewan native was a two-time sad. "The biggest adjustmen wil begtigt
All-American during his playing days at Michigan sad the bigestt
then went on to a very successful 16-year stint in the To make this task easier, Berenson has decided
NHL, playing for Montreal, the New York to keep assistant coach Mark Miller on the staff.
Rangers, St. Louis and Detroit. Canham wouldn't reveal how much he will be
In December, 1979, Berenson was named head pain Berenson, but it is believed to be in the
coach of the Blues and the next season St. Louis $5y nge -ss than w ee so was
finished with its best record ever and Berenson making in Buffalo, but substantially more than
was named Coach-of-the-Year. But in 1981, he was what former coach John Giordano was getting.
fired when the team was back around the .500 Said Canham, "I found out what the top
mark. Berenson was an assistant for the Buffalo (college) hockey coach was making and I paid
Sabres the past two seasons. him the same. You have to do that to get a guy like
"I WAS expecting to be an NHL head coach him."
'M' ff faces stiff challenge
in quest for Big Ten title
c ~ntimr dfr Pav R
Quick on the Draw
By Mike McGraw
Berenson puts excitement
back in Michigan hockey
IT'S AMAZING how much the Michigan hockey program
has improved in only two weeks.
Of course there is no guarantee that the Wolverines will
blend into a winning unit under new coach Red Berenson. But
based on the amount of enthusiasm that the coaching change
has produced among players, alumni and fans, it's obvious
that the program is headed in the opposite direction - up.
First of all, the addition of the former NHL mentor is a
tremendous boost, not only to Michigan but to the CCHA and
all of college hockey as well.
Not one of the eight other coaches in the CCHA has had
anything to do with the NHL outside of spectating. Now,
though, the Wolverines have come up with a coach who has
spent 21 years in the big leagues. Everyone who has followed
hockey in the last 10 years has heard of Red Berenson. The
recruiting pull that he could bring in should be tremendous.
Berenson already has the support of the Michigan hockey
community because of his great background. Previous coach
John Giordano was about as unpopular as you can get at the
time he was fired.
"(The change) has been a long time in coming," said-
goaltender Mark Chiamp. "For a few years we've been
blaming it on the coach, but now we have to do the job. I don't.
think there will be the second guessing there was before.
Berenson should know what he's talking about."
Bad times are over
Already one aspect of the Michigan hockey team has im-
proved - the public relations. Berenson was very much at
ease in front of the large crowd that gathered at the golf cour-
se yesterday, a result of his many years of professional ex-
perience. Giordano seemed uncomfortable just talking to one
reporter on the phone.
"Giordano was very hard to communicate with. You could
talk to him, but he would never listen," said one player on the
team. "He played mind games with the players. He would
bench people with no explanation and wouldn't say what they
were doing wrong."
Two years ago, Giordano even got in a fistfight with one of
his players. This came after Giordano had called Jeff Grade
into his office because he had criticized some of the coaching
tactics being used. This led to Grade's suspension and his
ultimate transfer to Northern Michigan.
But enough about the past. Michigan has got itself another
great coach that should bring the hockey program back up to
its previous successes enjoyed in the '50's and '60's.
Everyone involved in the program is excited about the return
of the greatest Wolverine icer ever.
Everyone's fired up
"I'm looking forward to working with a first class guy
that's been around hockey so long," said Mark Miller, who
will be staying on as assistant under Berenson. "When I first
met Red, he mentioned that he wanted me to stay, which is
what I was hoping for."
"It's great that Berenson came back," said Chiamp. "He
could've had jobs for more money, but he came here. I think
that really shows us something."
It is true that when Berenson came to the Sabres two years
ago it was planned for him to take over the head coaching
reigns when Scotty Bowman decided to step down and
concentrate on being general manager. But when the Maize
and Blue called this time, Berenson, who twice before had
turned down the job, couldn't stay away any longer.
"I always had a good feeling about Michigan," said
Berenson, whose son will be a freshman at the University this
fall. "I wondered what it would be like to coach here, butI
was always too busy with the NHL career.
"This time the timing was better. If I'm going to do it, I
might as well do it now," he said. "I'm really excited about
the job, I wish we could start tomorrow."
Who would have said that two weeks ago about the team
that had just completed its second straight dismal season.
Yesterday the excitement came back to Michigan hockey.
(uonunuea trom rage 16) "
NORTHWESTERN
The Wildcats are definitely the tournament un-
derdogs. A season-ending four game sweep of
Illinois enabled them to move past Iowa in the Big
Ten West and into the playoffs.
Besides Miller, Northwestern has three other
capable starters. Lefty Grady Hall (8-2, 2.64 ERA)
and righties Paul Tichy (8-1, 4.07 ERA) and John
Trautwein (7-3, 5.17) should all see action during
the tournament.
Sophomore outfielder Dan Grunhard is the
leading hitter for the Wildcats, boasting a .458
average with eight homers and 50 RBI. Other
leaders are catcher Joe Girardi (.428, 5 homers,44
RBI), and centerfielder Michael Huff (.361, 3
homers,33 RBI).
MINNESOTA
"I think everyone would like to be the home
team. I know I would; historically the home team
has won it."
These words are courtesy of Anderson, and he's
got a point. The Gophers have a big advantage
playing on their home field, which can seat as
many as 6,000 fans.
Ace lefty Bryan Hickerson will open against
MSU. This year Hickerson was 6-4 with a 2.09
ERA. If he tires look for rubber-armed reliever
Doug Kampson to take over. Kampson appeared
in 11 of Minnesota's 16 Big Ten games.
Junior rightfielder Jack Schlicting leads the
Gophers in virtually every hitting category. His 31
runs, 54 hits, six homers and 40 RBI are all tops on
the club.
MICHIGAN STATE
Power, power and more power.
Any mention of Michigan State and that's the
virtue that comes to mind. -
The main man in the power-pack is designated
hitter Mike Eddington. Eddington broke the MSU
record for homers in a season (previously held by
Kirk Gibson), with 19 round trippers. His 60 RBI
were also tops on the club.
Speedy shortstop.Cordell Ross (.392), and third
baseman Dave Corey (.402), are also vital cogs in
the big green machine.
Pitching may turn out to be the achilles heel for
the Spartans however. After righty Tom Shook
and lefty Chris Hayner, MSU doesn't have very
many reliable moundsmen. If the Spartans are to
be successful they'll have to prosper at the plate.