The Wolverine: Covering University of Michigan Football and Sports
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MAY 2023 ❱ THE WOLVERINE 33 Michigan back from winning that game." The guys coming back know the ex- pectations now, Naurato added in thank- ing the seniors for what they'd done for the program. There's a good chance the Wolverines could be back in this position next year with added experience. But the team will have a different look. Portillo is gone, having signed with the AHL's Ontario Reign, a Los Ange- les Kings affiliate. This year's backup, Noah West, was in the transfer portal but pulled out after the Portillo announce- ment, while senior defenseman Keaton Pehrson and senior forwards Eric Cic- colini and Nick Granowicz entered the portal after the loss. There's hope that defenseman Jacob Truscott, a 2020 fifth-round pick of the Vancouver Canucks, will return for his senior year. He suffered a broken thumb and did not play the last two months of the season. Defenseman Luke Hughes, the fourth overall pick in the 2021 draft, signed April 8 with the New Jersey Devils and made his NHL debut three days later. The two- time first-team All-American racked up 27 goals and 60 assists in his two seasons on the U-M blue line. Sophomore forward Mackie Sa- moskevich signed with the Charlotte Checkers, the Florida Panthers' AHL farm team, April 11, forgoing his re- maining two years of NCAA eligibil- ity. He finished his U-M career with 30 goals and 42 assists in 79 games. Freshman phenom Adam Fantilli, the Wolverines' other first-team All-Amer- ican, was at the top of the list along with several others with decisions to make about going pro or remaining in college. Regardless of who comes back, Nau- rato said, the objective remains the same. "Our goal is to win the national cham- pionship," the Michigan coach said. "We didn't. But … we won in a lot of ways this season." Just not on the ice when it mattered most. With the talent returning and the way Naurato is recruiting, however, it appears they'll get several more opportunities in the years to come. ❏ Michigan lost its Frozen Four game with Quinnipiac April 6, but the pro- gram got great news the following day when freshman Adam Fantilli won the Hobey Baker Memorial Award as the nation's best college hockey player. Fantilli became only the third freshman ever to win the award. The talented sniper beat out Minnesota freshman Logan Cooley and sopho- more Matthew Knies for the award. Fantilli led the nation in scoring this season with 65 points in 36 games, scoring his final goal in the loss to the Bobcats. His 30 goals were eight more than Cooley, the nation's No. 2 scorer, after the Frozen Four. He thanked his family, his coaches, the Michigan fans, and several others in his acceptance speech. "To my teammates — you are my brothers," Fantilli said. "I've never been on a team that's made everyone feel like family as much as you guys. This has been an unforgettable ride. And thank you to our senior class. You guys have had such an impact on us as freshmen and our team as a whole. You guys are amazing." He later thanked coach Brandon Naurato, recently named permanent coach, for his support. "He's one of those people I wouldn't be here without," Fantilli said. In addition to being named a first-team All-American, Fantilli was named to the Big Ten's All-Freshman first team and the All-Big Ten first team and earned Big Ten Freshman of the Year recognition. He was still contemplating returning to Michigan for another year the week after the Frozen Four, but admitted he wasn't sure about his next step. Michigan is now tied with Boston College and Boston University for the third-most Hobey Baker winners (three) in NCAA history. Brendan Morrison (1997) and Kevin Porter (2008) won it before Fantilli. "I would say No. 1, it's just his compete level," Naurato said recently of Fantilli on the "NHL Draft Class" podcast. "He's such a competitive kid on and off the ice. He wants to win every race and battle in the game, every small-area game in practice. And he has such a high-end motor. … He's always going 100 mph all the time." Sophomore forward Dylan Duke, meanwhile, called him the best player he'd ever played with. "[Last year's standouts] Owen [Power] and Matty Beniers are right there with him, but he does a lot to make himself better," Duke said. "At the end of the day, he's a great person, and I think that's why he has so much success on the ice. He treats all of us with respect, and he's like the rest of us. He doesn't act like he's supposed to go first overall, second overall, whatever he's going to go here [in the NHL Draft]. "He's just a special person." And clearly not the typical superstar. His entire team proved it by sticking around to support him at the outdoor award ceremony in Tampa the day after the semifinals. Now, Fantilli will have a tough decision to make about his future. "I don't know," Fantilli said. "I've got to talk to the people around me and discuss that decision eventually. I'll come to it pretty soon." He hadn't yet as of April 11, clearly torn about the decision. — Chris Balas Adam Fantilli (right) became the third Wolverine, and third fresh- man ever, to win the Hobey Baker Memorial Award as the nation's top college hockey player. U-M head coach Brandon Naurato (left) led the Wolverines to a Big Ten Tournament title and a Frozen Four appearance in his first season. PHOTO COURTESY MICHIGAN PHOTOGRAPHY Freshman Adam Fantilli Wins The Hobey Baker Award As Nation's Top College Hockey Player