The Wolverine: Covering University of Michigan Football and Sports
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2014 HOCKEY PREVIEW 2015 HOCKEY PREVIEW and brand new. During the summer months, he ran us through his pro‑ gram. It wasn't something where you lift for one week. It was an eight‑ week program. It was completely off‑ ice, and what we did was building toward the first day of the season. "It was just awesome. The team was together and it really paid off. The vast majority of guys stayed in the summer and it's become a year‑round thing working with our strength guy voluntarily. It's going to pay off for us." The summer months faded into September and the process of in‑ formal practices conducted by the captains became the next vehicle for change. Coaches are limited to two hours per week on the ice with the team by NCAA rules. That put the onus squarely on the shoulders of Copp, Hyman and Compher to maintain the summer's momentum. "Captain's practices went very well," Hyman said. "Guys have been working very hard, which is nice to see with coaches not there. We have a really young team. Every‑ one wants to prove themselves to the older guys. We're trying to instill a hard‑working environment, and it's showing up well in the practices. "It's a little frustrating not having the coaches out there. It is good for younger guys trying to break in to feel a little bit less pressure with the coaches not out there. They're trying to get used to playing with new guys. They're coming into a new environ‑ ment. Getting guys comfortable and getting guys moving is what we're trying to accomplish." Copp was a little more guarded in his analysis of the September process. "Anytime you're having practices and the coaches aren't on the ice, especially at the start, not that they weren't as fully intense as possible, but it just isn't as crisp," Copp ex‑ plained. "That can be attributed to not having the coaches on the ice. Zach Hyman, a senior forward from Toronto, will be an alternate captain for this year's Wolverines, along with sophomore forward J.T. Compher. PHOTO BY LON HORWEDEL