The Wolverine: Covering University of Michigan Football and Sports
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MICHIGAN HOCKEY An All-Rookie Team honoree in 2014, Downing picked up second- team recognition after notching 15 points — third among Big Ten defend- ers — in 20 conference contests. His four goals and 11 assists both ranked second in those categories among Big Ten defenders. WERENSKI REMAINS A TOP NHL DRAFT PROSPECT Michigan has produced 17 first- round NHL Draft picks during its his- tory, and freshman defenseman Zach Werenski is poised to become the program's 18th. The 6-2, 214-pound left-handed standout is ranked sixth among draft-eligible North American skaters in Central Scouting Service's mid-term rankings and is projected as the No. 10 overall selection this June by NHL.com's Adam Kimelman. A 17-year-old freshman that accel- erated his high school classes to be able to enroll last fall, a year ahead of schedule, Werenski finished the regu- lar season with 24 points, including nine goals, becoming the 16th Wol- verine defenseman ever to earn All- Rookie Team honors. "He's a special player," head coach Red Berenson said. "We've had a lot of really good defensemen, but no one that I think he compares to. He does a lot of things well, and has a unique style all his own." Werenski has been highly regarded for some time, but the Grosse Pointe Woods, Mich., native admitted he was a little overwhelmed by the college game when he first laced up his skates in October. "In the Boston U. game [Oct. 25], they beat me three times wide; the first one I had to take a penalty just to prevent a breakaway, and it was a real learning moment for me that I couldn't just rely on my skating," Werenski said. "After that, I really worked on my gap control and po- sitioning myself so that I always cut down the angle a forward can take to get to the front of the net." If he finds a deficiency, and there have not been many, Werenski has the maturity to seek out assistant coaches Billy Powers and Mike Komisarek, immediately seeking to address his weaknesses. "Billy and I watch tape with him, and Zach is one of those guys that is always asking questions, always hoping to pick our brains as much as possible because he wants to be the best defenseman he can be," said Komisarek, an 11-year NHL veteran who now works as a volunteer coach for the Maize and Blue. "I've heard a few people compare him to me, but he's way better than me. He's way more mature. I didn't work as hard as this kid to improve my game. "That's something guys figure out eventually, but most of them figure it out in the NHL or in the minors when they're trying to make the NHL. He's really ahead of the curve." Michigan is thankful Werenski was willing to push forward last summer. He has emerged not only as U-M's best defenseman, but arguably one of its top four players along with senior forward Zach Hyman, junior forward Andrew Copp and freshman center