The Wolverine: Covering University of Michigan Football and Sports
Issue link: https://comanpub.uberflip.com/i/201975
a two-way forward that is equally responsible in the defensive zone. Since 2000, a center has been awarded the Selke Trophy as the NHL's top defensive forward in 12 of 13 seasons, including each of the past nine campaigns. It is those players, such as the Carolina Hurricanes' Rob Brind'Amour (2006‑07), the Detroit Red Wings' Pavel Datsyuk (2008‑10) and the Chicago Blackhawks' Jonathan Toews (2013), that most developing centers try to fashion their games after nowadays. "We put a lot of pressure on our centermen because in the defensive zone he has to play like another defenseman," Berenson said. "When the opponent has a forward or two on the puck in the corner, and when we have a defenseman, then our next player in there should be our centerman. He has to be able to muscle some of the top forwards on the Red Berenson's All-American Centers YearCenter 1994 Brian Wiseman 1995 Brendan Morrison 1996 Brendan Morrison 1996 Kevin Hilton 1997 Brendan Morrison 1997 John Madden 2000 Mike Comrie 2001 Andy Hilbert 2001 Mike Cammalleri 2002 Mike Cammalleri 2005 T.J. Hensick 2007 T.J. Hensick 2008 Kevin Porter 2009 Louie Caporusso Team First First First Second First First Second First Second First First First First First other team, and be strong down low, and that's why I like Andrew Copp so much — because he embraces that role. "Whether it was his football upbringing, he played physical and played hard down low for a freshman. I can't tell you Boo was as good in that role, but he is really good on the other end of the rink." The 6-3, 200-pound Nieves, admittedly, does not excel defensively like Copp, Compher and Lynch, playing the more traditional role of a centerman as an offensive playmaker. However, Morrison, Hensick (2004‑07) and Louie Caporusso (2008-11) learned and worked to become better two-way players, and Nieves will too. "You have to be a solid 200-foot player or three-zone player," Wiseman said. "And that's every forward, but your centermen especially have to be that type of player because of the responsibilities they have in the defensive zone, as well as being a smart player that makes good decisions with the puck. "Someone like Boo has the natural offensive skills, and because he has the work ethic and desire, he will eventually be a kid that excels on both ends." Copp takes his role as a shutdown forward perhaps more seriously than filling the stat sheet, and it is that mentality that helped carry him from the fourth line during his rookie season to the third, the second, and eventually the first. Paired with Alex Guptill and Derek DeBlois, Copp helped create a true