Monday, June 20, 2011
The Michigan Daily - michigandaily.com

11

ICE HOCKEY
Early look at incoming
freshman Zach Hyman
By MARK BURNS soon-to-be transition to Division-I
ManagingEditor varsity status in 2012-13, Gadowsky
was named the head coach at Penn
Former Princeton hockey coach State in late April.
Guy Gadowsky told Zach Hyman to And with the change, came Zach's
go be "The Man." decision to re-open the recruiting
At the young age of 15, Hyman process. You name it, and every big
committed to play for Gadowsky and name school was after the 2011 BJ
the Tigers. With already two years Monro Memorial Award winner, an
of experience in the Ontario Junior honor given by the Ontario Hockey
Hockey League, that still wasn't Association to its top prospect.
enough for the college stage - Gad- But the one name that stood above
owsky wanted Hyman to play one the Denvers, North Dakotas and
more year in the OJHL. Boston Colleges of the world was the
According to Gadowsky, once school in Ann Arbor and the oppor-
Hyman became "The Man" in the tunity to play for Michigan coach
OJHL, he'd learn what it felt like to Red Berenson.
be the best and translate that feel- "If you're going to play NCAA
ing into being an impact player as a hockey, that's the team you always
Princeton Tiger during his freshman dream of," Stuart said. "They're like
campaign. the Detroit Red Wings of the NHL."
Yet the move by Hyman to play a Zach noted that he fits right into
third year with the Hamilton Red Berenson's defensive-minded brand
Wings in 2010-11- a team owned by of hockey, where he plays both ends
his father, Stuart Hyman - was met of the ice.
with stark criticism from Ontario "Defense is extremely important
Hockey League teams across Cana- to me," Zach said. "I like to think I'm
da. a two-way player - to protect your
"I kept getting all these OHL zone in order to attack the opposing
teams whispering in my ear, 'Zach team's zone. I really believe in being
should be playing in the 'O,' " Stuart a defensive player because that's the
said. "'He's wasting his talent play- only way you're going to succeed."
ing Tier II. " Aside from the hockey, the Toron-
Not to mention, OHL general to, Ont. native cited that the edu-
managers and personnel from across cation you receive at Michigan is
the league cut even deeper at the second to none and was a huge con-
2010 fifth-round draft pick of the tributing factor into why he chose to
Florida Panthers. spend the next four years as a Wol-
"OHL teams, like this past year, verine.
would saystufflike, 'Skinner, Caroli- At the Hyman's home in Hamil-
na. Seguin, Boston. Hyman, Hamil- ton, Ont., there used to be a big block
ton ... It's a detriment for him to play 'P' stickered to their front door. Since
college,"' Stuart added. mid-May, that has since change to a
Jeff Skinner and Taylor Seguin - big block 'M.' For now, Zach will be
both 2010 first-round draft picks - the only Hyman wearing a maize
each took the major junior route to and blue sweater, but in either 2012
the National Hockey League, with or 2013, his brother, Spencer Hyman,
Skinner playing for the Kitchener will be joining him at Yost Ice Arena.
Rangers and Seguin with the Plym- And not too far down the road,
outh Whalers in the OHL. there could be a third or potentially
A former teammate of both Skin- fourth brother, as Stuart has five
ner and Seguin in the Greater Toron- boys, with Zach being the oldest.
to Hockey League, Zach still racked The youngest, Shane, a 2003
up 40 goals and 62 assists in just 43 birthday, plays up a few age groups
games this year, earning himself with 10- and 11-year-olds, with his
Canadian Junior Hockey League teammates and parents nicknaming
Player of the Year honors, an award him 'The Great One.' He's already
spread across 10 CJHL leagues. sporting a Michigan hockey jer-
A year removed from Gadowsky sey whenever he hits the ice for the
telling Zach to play a third year inthe practice.
OJHL, plans have certainly changed Convinced now? How about a
as Zach is no longer going to attend reassuring remark from Stuart.
Princeton, but instead, Michigan. "I'm sure you'll have more Hyman
Following the creation ofthe Big Ten kids in the Michigan program," Stu-
hockey conference and Penn State's art said.

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