The Wolverine: Covering University of Michigan Football and Sports
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skaters in the final Central Scouting Service NHL Draft rankings. He is a projected first-round pick after rank- ing fourth on the U.S. National Devel- opment Team Under-18 squad with 56 points (31 goals) in 60 games played. "He's a world-class skater," assis- tant coach Brian Wiseman said. "He has a good head for the game, great offensive instincts. High IQ. "He's a local kid that we're confi- dent will be at Michigan next year. We have watched him for four years and he was always the best out of his age group in the state and we want the best to come here." Larkin will give the Wolverines four centers with terrific two-way potential, joining junior captain An- drew Copp, junior Boo Nieves and sophomore J.T. Compher. "He's a throwback — he gets the puck and goes with it," Berenson said. "He can make things happen, but the thing I like is he competes hard, and he's like J.T. — you notice him every shift. "He has the offensive skills to be a great player, the speed, and he's con- tinuing to grow his game. He's going to be a good fit." Michigan ranked 19th in the coun- try this past year in scoring offense, averaging 3.06 goals per game, down from seventh and 3.23 goals in 2013. The Wolverines want to be a more capable offensive team, and both Dexter Dancs and Tony Calderone should also aid in that pursuit. The 6-2, 205-pound Dancs is a le- gitimate power forward, in the mold of former Wolverine and NHL stand- out Max Pacioretty (2008). In 2014, he registered 26 goals and 41 assists in 56 games with the Vernon Vipers of the British Columbia Hockey League, improving on meager numbers — four goals and 12 assists in 24 games — with the Vipers the year before. "When we recruited Dexter Dancs, we knew we needed size. We had lost Chris Brown [2010-12], Kevin Lynch [2010-13], and we're losing Derek De- Blois from this year's team, and we didn't have a real physical presence on our roster," Berenson said. "And Dexter will add that to our team. Plus, he's a real good skater. "He's a good worker, and now his offensive game has been kicking in. We didn't recruit him to score, but we've had those type of players be- fore that could play physical, play strong, play well with anyone they're paired with, and eventually got a nose for the net, and I think that's what Dexter will do for us." Dancs will already be 19 years old when he arrives, allowing the North Vancouver, British Columbia, native to mature physically and emotionally. "He'll come in over 200 pounds as a freshman, which we haven't had a 200-pound freshman in a long while, and he plays physical," Wiseman said. "He can play with the puck of- fensively and skates like a pro, and I think it's his competitive level that will make him effective in college hockey as a power forward." Calderone will also be an older freshman when he enrolls, turning 20 in October. The Trenton, Mich., native enjoyed two productive sea- sons as a goal scorer for the Sioux Falls Stampede of the United States