The Wolverine: Covering University of Michigan Football and Sports
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APRIL 2019 THE WOLVERINE 63 MICHIGAN HOCKEY the No. 1 overall pick in next June's NHL Draft and advance straight to the NHL without any further time spent in developmental hockey. OTHER WOLVERINES HAVE DECISIONS TO MAKE Quinn Hughes' departure from Michigan is not the only one faced by head coach Mel Pearson. Next fall's roster makeup is highly dependent on decisions by a handful of other Michigan underclassmen who are likely to be offered an opportunity to sign professional contracts before the completion of their four-year NCAA eligibility. Junior defenseman Luke Martin (second round, Carolina), junior for- ward Will Lockwood (third round, Vancouver), sophomore forward Josh Norris (first round, San Jose, subse- quently traded to Ottawa), and ju- nior forward Nick Pastujov (seventh round, New York Islanders) have all been drafted by NHL teams and could make the decision to sign pro contracts rather than return to Michi- gan next fall. And, although not a pre- vious NHL Draft choice, junior for- ward Jake Slaker potentially could be offered a pro contract as a free agent. Further early departures to pro signings will affect the size of the class Pearson is able to bring to Ann Arbor in the fall. U-M's 2019 recruiting class that will provide replacements for any early departures is currently ranked No. 2 by Neutral Zone, an online scouting bureau. The haul includes highly rated defenseman Cam York and forward John Beecher of the U.S. National Team Development Program under-18 team; forward Nick Granowicz of Merritt in the British Columbia Hockey League; forward Emil Ohrvall, a transfer from RPI who played for Waterloo in the United States Hockey League (USHL); and defenseman Jacob Semik of Dubuque in the USHL. ❏ Final Record: 13‑16‑7 overall, 9‑10‑5‑2 Big Ten National Ranking: unranked by United States College Hockey Online Best Win: 4-2 over Ohio State Feb. 22 Michigan hosted No. 6 Ohio State, which finished first in the Big Ten, for a two‑game series at Yost Ice Arena and came from behind with a three‑goal third period to knock off the Buckeyes in the Friday night series opener. S o p h o m o re d e fe n s e m a n Q u i n n Hughes' power‑play goal got the Wol‑ verines on the board in the second period and freshman forward Nolan Moyle bagged two even strength goals in the final period, before freshman for‑ ward Jimmy Lambert's empty‑net goal iced the victory. MVP: Junior forward Will Lockwood Lockwood, stepping up to fill the offensive void created by the season‑ ending injury to sophomore forward Josh Norris, consistently paced the Wol‑ verine offense with points in four of the final six games. Lockwood finished the season with a team‑leading 16 goals and a plus/ minus of plus‑8. Unsung Hero: Freshman forward Garrett Van Wyhe The stat sheet showed only four goals and six assists for the first‑year forward from Seattle, but Van Wyhe did much of the dirty work for the Wolverines, centering a line that regularly took on the opponent's top scorers. Van Wyhe also served on the penalty kill and took impor‑ tant face‑offs for Michigan in his first season wearing Maize and Blue. Freshman Impact: Forward Nolan Moyle Moyle — who steadily improved throughout the campaign along with his young linemates, freshman Van Wyhe and soph‑ omore Dakota Raabe — turned on the of‑ fense in the season's second half, scoring all seven of his goals during that stretch. Moyle made the scoresheet in seven of the Wolverines' last eight contests. Up Next Knocked out of the Big Ten Tourna‑ ment with two straight losses at Minne‑ sota in the quarterfinal round, Michigan faces a long summer of reflection due to their early season exit. The Wolverines were able to make it close in most games, as evidenced by the eight one‑goal losses and 11 overtime contests they played in. But ultimately, they lacked the offensive firepower to change the result of those defeats. Future Wolverine Watch Though he is a late addition to next fall's incoming 2019 class, forward Emil Ohrvall adds a scoring component to the class, a trait sorely needed by the Wolverines. He skated for a season at RPI after a successful preparation season at Waterloo of the United States Hockey League, but only registered two goals and 11 points in his initial collegiate season. The Vaxjo, Sweden, native opted to return to Waterloo this season, where he has exploded offensively with 28 goals and 24 assists in 42 games along with a plus‑19 plus/minus. Ohrvall differs from previous Michigan Swedish standout Carl Hagelin in style of play. Hagelin's game was built on his superior skating ability, which he used successfully in all three zones. Ohrvall has a sniper's mentality and potent shot that he uses by finding the open spots in the offensive zone. Ohrvall will have three seasons of eligibility remaining when he arrives next fall. — Bob Miller Junior forward Will Lockwood finished the season with a team-leading 16 goals and a plus/minus of plus-8. PHOTO BY LON HORWEDEL Hockey Rewind: Feb. 18-March 9