16 - The Michigan Daily - Monday, July 29, 2002

BRETT MOUNTAIN/Daily
Former Michigan defenseman Mike Komisarek will not return to Michigan this fail.

DEPARTURES
Continued from Page 13
some of the priorities that I would
have thought were important."
Some of Michigan's most success-
ful alumni, Brendan Morrison, Marty
Turco, Steve
Shields and John
Madden all played
four years for the -
Wolverines and
according to
Berenson, didn't
give consideration
to leaving early.
This leaves coach-
es and fans of col-
lege hockey to Komisarek
wonder why so
many players are leaving now.
"It's a changing culture, there's
something out there that is encourag-
ing people to forget about their edu-
cation, to forget about their
teammates, to forget about the pro-
gram that has been so good to them
and forget about winning a champi-
onship," Berenson said. "There's
rand New Four
Redrnnm Anartment!

something that's changing that.
Maybe it's money, maybe it's agents,
maybe it's pro hockey that's coming
after these players harder now than
they were ten years ago. But there is
definitely a changing landscape."
The loss of the two stars also cre-
ates some drastic changes in Michi-
gan's roster. With the loss of
Komisarek, the CCHA's best defen-
sive defenseman last season, the
Michigan defense is down to just
seven players. According to Beren-
son, the team would consider taking a
walk-on defenseman next season if
the coaching staff felt the player was
capable of helping the Wolverines. It
also means that the rest of the
defense, including incoming fresh-
man Danny Richmond, will be
pushed to make up for the loss of
Komisarek.
"I wanted to learn from (Komis-
arek), because his game is different
than mine," Richmond said. "He is
more physical than I am, and I was
looking forward to learning from him
in practice. After seeing him leave, it
opens a way for me."
The loss of Cammalleri, who led
Michigan with 23 goals last season,
creates a big hole in the Michigan
offense. Itsis unlikely that any one
player will be able to fill that hole,
and instead multiple players will have
to step up and contribute. Trying to
play without Cammalleri is nothing
new to the Wolverines since the star
forward missed much of last season
with mono. Like last season, when
different players stepped up during
Cammalleri's illness, Michigan will
have to count on greater contributions

from many of its players the offen-
sive end.
Cammalleri's offensive numbers
from last year had some slating him
as an early candidate for next season's
Hobey Baker Award. But the 5-foot-9
forward chose instead to forgo that
opportunity for a chance he's waited
his whole life for.
"Leaving provided me for an
opportunity to play professional
hockey, something I've been trying to
do my whole life," Cammalleri said.
Just because professional hockey is
something Cammalleri has been wait-
ing to do his whole life, didn't mean
the decision was easy for him. With
pressure from both Los Angeles and
the Wolverines, Cammalleri faced one
of the hardest decisions of his life.
"To go to play at Michigan wasn't
too hard of a decision," Cammalleri
said. "This decision was definitely
harder, but at the same time it was
something I realized I wanted to do."
While Cammalleri may have the
chance to play in the NHL next year,
he could also be stuck in the minor
leagues, like former Michigan great
Andy Hilbert, who played along side
Cammalleri. Hilbert, who also left
early, thought that he would be play-
ing for the Boston Bruins last season,
but instead spent most of the year in
the minor leagues.
"There's no question that a player
in college has a different perspective
of what it is going to be like in pro
hockey than what it is going to be like
in pro hockey," Berenson said. "But
by the time you find out what's really
happening to you, it's too late and you
can't go back."


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