The Wolverine: Covering University of Michigan Football and Sports
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where are they now? and me and my linemates seemed to click," he said. Michigan hockey coach Red Berenson is not surprised to see Lebler enjoying great success overseas. Berenson watched as the forward worked his way up from a pedestrian start at U-M — 19 points in 66 games his first two seasons — to become a 14-goal scorer as a senior. "He was a big, classic power winger," Berenson said. "He had good hands. He was a big body. He was strong in front of the net, good in the offensive zone and he could be a physical player. "It took us awhile to get his whole game rounded into shape at the college level, with its speed, but he continued to progress and work hard to be a better player. His best year was his last year here. He was one of those kids that was a late bloomer and has History Of Michigan YearPlayer 1956 Willard Ikola 1956 John Matchefts 1956 Bob White 1980 Mel Wakabayashi* 1988 Jeff Norton 1992 Todd Brost 1994 David Harlock 1994 David Roberts 2006 Mike Knuble 2006 Marty Turco 2010 Jack Johnson 2014 Carl Hagelin 2014 Max Pacioretty 2014 Brian Lebler * Coached the team clearly continued to develop in Austria based on the seasons he's put together since he's moved. He's played really well. And good for him." Lebler has been rewarded the past three years for his perseverance and dedication to his craft, first with a steady income and most recently, the incredible honor of earning a roster spot on the Austria Olympic Team that will compete in the 2014 Sochi Games Feb. 7-23. "For my citizenship, my father is Austrian and I was born in Austria and moved to Canada," Lebler said. "For the process of being chosen for the Olympic team, there were two camps I participated in, and then the staff monitored players over the season and chose the team." Lebler's father, Edward, played in the 1984 Winter Games in Sarajevo and the 1988 Games held in Calgary. Austria went 1-8-1 in Hockey Olympians those two OlymCountry Medal pics and is not expected to be a United States Silver medal contender United States Silver this year, but Canada Bronze Lebler promises Japan — to relish every United States — moment of his Canada Silver Olympic experiCanada Silver ence. United States — "This means United States — a lot to play for Canada — Austria," he United States Silver said. "My father Sweden TBD played in two United States TBD Olympics, and it Austria TBD has been a dream of mine to do the