Michigan hockey: Revamped and ready, off to a 2-1-1 start

Being the Michigan hockey coach comes with high expectations, thanks mainly to legendary coach Red Berenson. The Hall-of-Famer was always going to be a tough act to follow, and while experienced former U-M assistant Mel Pearson had some success in the wake of his former boss’s retirement, former Wolverine Brandon Naurato has been tasked with keeping it going. 

Now in his third season, the young (39) U-M head coach has already experienced a level of success many coaches around the nation would envy. He’s led the Wolverines to back-to-back Frozen Fours in his first two seasons, rallying his team last year in the final several weeks just to make the tournament, and continues to recruit at a high level. Sometimes, that comes with a cost, evidenced by a plethora of early NHL entries a year ago.

“We need guys to step up with all the turnover year after year,” Naurato said during his preseason meeting with the media. “Seventeen NHL contracts and guys that have graduated in the last three years … it feels like every year when you’re at this point, you’re like, ‘Who’s that going to be?’’’

The good news, he noted — they’re off to a fresh start with a hungry team with several guys having relished an opportunity to see more playing time.

“There were a lot of injuries last year. [This year], guys are healthy,” Naurato continued. “Guys have something to prove. Guys are looking for elevated roles. New guys are in, and they’ve got something to prove. 

“It’s been awesome. The team’s clicking; they’ve been working really hard. We aren’t expecting to be perfect for Day 1, but [I’m] just really excited to see where we’re at.”

Michigan Veteran Blueline Presence Returns With High Hopes

Michigan got a bit of a wake-up call in game one when Minnesota State came to Yost and handled the No. 7 Wolverines in the opener, 5-2. The Wolverines, picked to finish third in the Big Ten behind Michigan State and Minnesota, outshot their opponent 34-23, but way too many turnovers led to scoring chances, including three odd-man rushes that led to goals. 

“The beginning of the season, there are going to be mistakes,” Naurato said in his postgame interview. “I’m sure their coaching staff will look at the game and see that they weren’t perfect either. “But it’s like I always say, the game just comes down to winning your races and battles. And throughout the chaos, we’re trying to be predictable to each other with our spots, and guys need to be in spots, and then we need to make plays to those areas.”

They have the talent to do it, and U-M rebounded the next night with a much better defensive performance in a 4-1 win to split the season series with the Golden Gophers. Freshman Michael Hage was the star of the weekend for Naurato’s team, notching 2 assists in his first college game and following up with a goal and an assist in Game 2. He continued that success in a 1-0-1 weekend at Arizona State, adding 2 goals and an assist in two games. The Wolverines won 4-1 Oct. 11 against the Sun Devils before giving up two late goals and settling for a 3-3 tie the following night.

To reach their goals, though, the Wolverines are going to need their veterans to lead the way. It starts with defenseman Jacob Truscott, a graduate student and team captain after being an alternate captain last year. A steadying presence on the blue line, the defenseman blocked 28 shots a year ago and notched 4 goals and 12 assists, but he only has one real goal in 2024-25.

“Most importantly, I just want to win,” Truscott said. “I want to win a national championship here. That’s the expectation here. It’s a historic program with a lot of national championships, so that’s the standard here.”

Truscott finished 11th on the team in points (16) a year ago as a blue liner, making him the fourth-most productive Michigan returnee. He’ll look to improve upon his +5 plus/minus rating in 2024-25. Veteran defensemen Tyler Duke (Jr., 2 goals, 14 assists, 16 points, +12 rating in 2023-24), Josh Eernisse (Jr., 8-6-14), Kienan Draper (Jr., 4-8-12), Ethan Edwards (Sr., 3-7-10 in 21 games), and Luca Fantilli (1-7-8) are the leading returning defenseman producers coming back. 

They all understand the importance of keeping Michigan hockey elite, Naurato said, and the work it takes.

“I think they know how hard it is, especially the returners,” Naurato said. “It’s not a given. We can talk about taking that next step and getting over the hump, but we’ve got to find a way to do what we did to earn the opportunity to get back to that spot.

“We’re just trying to get together as a group and find our identity as much as we can … and then we’ll just kind of see where we’re at and constantly make adjustments.”

Behind the defensemen, transfer goaltender Logan Stein (Grad student, Ferris State) and freshman Cameron Korpi (South Lyon, Mich.) each started two of the Wolverines’ first four games in sharing the load. That platoon could continue in the early part of the season, at least, until someone separates.

Scorers Need To Emerge

Up front, meanwhile, the Wolverines lost most of their scoring from last year’s Frozen Four team. Initially, standout frosh Rutger McGroarty announced he’d return this year after notching 16 goals and 52 points a season ago. Instead, he joined defenseman Seamus Casey and forwards Dylan Duke, Gavin Brindley and Frank Nazar in signing NHL deals and moving on.

Junior T.J. Hughes (19 goals, 29 assists, 48 points) is the team’s leading returning scorer, and he’ll be called upon to up his production even more after an honorable mention All-Big Ten season a year ago. Sophomore Garrett Schifsky, too, is expected to make a leap after making the Big Ten All-Freshman team a year ago with 16 goals and 18 assists. He got off to a good start, his hat trick leading the Wolverines to a 4-1 win at Arizona State Oct. 11. 

Sophomore forward Nick Moldenhauer (8-13-21) and senior Mark Estapa (5-4-9) are also looking to bolster their games, but several newcomers will have to contribute, as well, in addition to Hage. Twelve newcomers in all, 5 transfers and 7 true freshmen, will be called upon to help the cause. 

They’ll be thrown into the fire in what figures to be a tough schedule, and Naurato wouldn’t have it any other way.

“We want to play the best competition that we can as much as we can,” Naurato said. “I’m not trying to build a schedule to find a way to win this game, or to have a chance to win this game to make the tournament. 

“If you want to be the best team in the country, you’ve got to play the best, and you’ve got to learn and grow through some failure and learn and grow through some success.”

He hopes and expects that will help the Wolverines win when it matters most — at the end of the season, where Michigan hockey is used to being its best.