Friday, October 20, 2017 // FACEOFF 2017
6B 
Roster breakdown: Competition open
between pipes, youth could boost ‘M’

Coming 
off 
major 

disappointment and a losing 
record for the first time since 
2012-13, the Michigan hockey 
team seeks to rebound in a 
huge way this season, with 
expectations of an immense 
turnaround 
for 
the 
storied 

program. 
The 
Wolverines 

return an impressive 21 players 
looking to step up in leadership 
roles on and off the ice, and 
welcome 
six 
highly-touted 

newcomers determined to make 
an immediate impact. 

With a new head coach and 

fresh offensive and defensive 
systems, there will be trial and 
error as the season continues 

to unravel. But over the first 
two 
games, 
Michigan 
has 

already started to show signs of 
renewed and reenergized play, 
putting more shots on goal and 
tightening its defense.

The Daily takes an in-depth 

look at the Wolverine roster by 
position, 
deciphering 
which 

goaltender 
will 
be 
named 

starter, 
which 
veterans 
are 

primed to perform to potential 
and which freshmen could claim 
instant stardom.

Goaltenders

Michigan coach Mel Pearson 

has stated he isn’t one to rely on a 
goaltender rotation throughout 
a season.

Nonetheless, until a definitive 

starter 
emerges, 
sophomores 

Jack LaFontaine and Hayden 
Lavigne will continue to mind 
the net by committee, competing 
for the eventual starting role. 
At the onset, Pearson said they 
will split playing the first eight 
games, after which he plans to 
confidently announce a go-to 
goalie for the remainder of the 
season.

Either LaFontaine or Lavigne 

— the two goalies on the 
team with considerable game 
experience — will have large 
skates to fill. They replace last 
year’s third head of the three-
man goaltender rotation and 
team leader Zach Nagelvoort, 
who 
graduated 
last 
spring. 

Nagelvoort ended with a 33-26-
6 career record, a .917 save 

percentage — the second highest 
in Michigan history — and a 2.56 
goals against average, the sixth-
lowest in program history.

Last season, both LaFontaine 

and 
Lavigne 
saw 
almost 

identical 
action, 
but 
posted 

vastly different records while 
playing intermittently between 
Nagelvoort. LaFontaine entered 
11 games and went 1-7-1 with 
a 3.34 goals against average, 
while Lavigne finished 6-6-1 
and allowed 2.92 goals per game 
in 13 games.

But the tides may have turned 

this year. With the starting job 
still up for grabs, LaFontaine 
may hold the early edge. He 
led the Wolverines against St. 
Lawrence, allowing only one 
goal on 24 shots in a 3-1 victory. 

The following night, Lavigne 
didn’t have the same fortune, 
giving up three goals on 19 shots 
in a 3-0 loss to Clarkson.

While a clear frontrunner 

for the starting position has yet 
to materialize, once Pearson’s 
eight-game benchmark elapses, 
he will determine which goalie 
has risen to the occasion and 
can supplant Nagelvoort this 
season.

Forwards

After 
a 
season 
in 
which 

Michigan held the nation’s third-
worst Corsi-percentage — which 
measures shot differentials and 
puck possession — there are 
many promising aspects at the 
forward position to improve 
those numbers.

The sophomore class returns 

four forwards, headlined by Will 
Lockwood and Jake Slaker. Last 
year’s team MVP, Lockwood 
will be at full health following 
an offseason shoulder surgery. 
Despite missing five games last 
season, the speedy skater racked 
up eight goals and 12 assists for 
20 points, all second-highest 
marks on the team. Slaker was 
the backbone of the Michigan 
offense, playing in all 35 games 
as a freshman and posting a 
team-high 21 points.

While 
returning 
a 
solid 

corps of sophomores spread 
throughout line configurations, 
a major loss is Alex Kile. The 
former team captain provided 
point production during his four 
years, totaling 78 points on 39 
goals and 39 assists.

Tony Calderone will try to 

replace Kile in the veteran role 
and was named team captain 
Thursday. The senior forward 
started 
this 
season 
strong, 

netting two goals and one assist 
in the 10-1 rout over Western 
Ontario in an exhibition game 
and one goal on seven shots in 
the first two regular season 
contests. After recording 20 and 
18 points as a sophomore and 
junior, respectively, Calderone 

BENJAMIN KATZ

Daily Sports Writer

Michigan coach Mel Pearson says that the starting goaltender will be named after eight games

FILE PHOTO/Daily

Sophomore goaltender Hayden Lavigne conceded three goals after facing 24 shots against St. Lawrence, leading to the Wolverines’ first loss of the season.

