The Wolverine: Covering University of Michigan Football and Sports
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MICHIGAN HOCKEY IN 2012 RECRUITING CLASS The Michigan hockey team has WOLVERINES SIGN SIX signed six recruits, including a much- needed goalie, two defensemen and three forwards, in what may be one of the program's most accomplished recruiting classes in years. "I think it's a terrific class; this isn't an average class," head coach Red Be- renson said. "Starting in goal, we're looking for a starting goalie, and I think we hit a home run with Jared Rutledge. "And I think it's a home run for Rut- ledge. He's in the right place at the right time, and so were we." A 5-11, 170-pounder out of Chi- cago, Rutledge was 16-12-0 with a 2.53 goals-against average and a .911 save percentage in 31 games with the U.S. National Team Development Program Under-17 team a year ago and is now starting in net for the Under-18 team. Michigan only began recruiting Rut- ledge in October, following the USA's exhibition game against Michigan. The Wolverines had landed a netminder in last year's class, John Gibson, but he signed a professional contract in the summer. Two years ago, goalie Jack Campbell decommitted to sign with an OHL squad, leaving U-M in a quandary. "I told him, 'Jared, we're not inter- ested in a goalie that is going to bail on us. I want a major commitment, and if you're even wishy-washy, then we'll change direction,'" Berenson said. "The feedback I had was the kid wasn't sure he wanted to go to school, and something changed his mind. Once he showed a serious interest in school, academics and the develop- ment he gets in college hockey, then we were ready to move on him." A pair of current USA teammates — defenders Jacob Trouba and Connor Carrick — will join Rutledge at U-M. A 6-2, 194-pounder with an all- around game, Trouba is considered a likely top-10 pick in next June's NHL Entry Draft. Carrick (5-10, 183 pounds) is more of an offensive defenseman. At forward, U-M signed Cristoval "Boo" Nieves, Justin Selman and Dan- iel Milne. The 6-3, 190-pound forward Nieves is also a potential first-round pick next June. A 6-0, 185-pound for- ward, Milne plays for the St. Michael's Buzzers in Toronto while the 6-1, 195-pound Selman skates for the Sioux Falls Stampede in the United States Hockey League. 82 THE WOLVERINE DECEMBER 2011 HOCKEY NOTEBOOK GOBBLE, GOBBLE • In 1993, Michigan, Michigan State, Wisconsin and Minnesota entered a partnership to match the CCHA teams against the WCHA teams in an annual Thanksgiving tournament dubbed the College Hockey Showcase. The CCHA schools would host one year, welcoming the Badgers and Golden Gophers to Ann Arbor and East Lansing, and would then return the favor the following season. Over the 18-year history of the tournament, Michigan owned the best record, going 20-14-2, while Minnesota ranked second at 18-13-5. The Showcase ended, however, in 2010, when Wisconsin asked out. Michigan filled the open slots with a pair of non-conference contests this season, hosting Northeastern Nov. 25 and Union Nov. 27. In the future, U-M will look into a more stable weekend opportunity. "I would definitely be interested in creating or joining a worthwhile tourna- ment," head coach Red Berenson said. The four teams will be reacquainting themselves soon enough, though, when the Big Ten introduces a hockey conference in 2013-14. HEADED TO THE JOE • Michigan and Michigan State will continue to play a neutral-site regular- season game at Detroit's Joe Louis Arena through the 2014-15 season. The rivals meet four times a year, with a 2-1-1 format. Two games at either Yost or Munn ice arenas (it rotates every year), one game at the other arena, and one at Joe Louis. Essentially, every other year, one team sacrifices a home game to be played in Detroit. "The one thing we like about the game at the Joe is it does give us an op- portunity to play in front of fans that otherwise might not see a game at Yost," Berenson said. "I think there are some bragging rights and there is some re- cruiting exposure in the state of Michigan that you get out of playing there. "And the last thing is we end up playing some of our biggest games of the year there, when we play in the CCHA playoffs, so you better have some com- fort level of playing at Joe Louis." Michigan owns a 91-44-5 all-time mark at the Joe, including a 22-18-5 record against the Spartans. NO RUSH ON MERRILL • With Michigan stuck in a slump, many panicked fans have been begging for the coaches to end the indefinite suspension of sophomore defenseman JON MERRILL, believing the standout performer could be the shot in the arm the Wolverines need. Berenson has not indicated when, or if, Merrill will return this season, but he won't be rushed back simply because the Maize and Blue are losing. "There is going to be a decision-making time to bring back Jon Merrill, and that's not right now," Berenson declared. STREAKING • U-M has participated in a college-hockey-record 21 consecutive NCAA Tour- naments, dating back to the 1991 campaign. The Wolverines have qualified for 11 Frozen Fours in that span, winning championships in 1996 and 1998 while placing runner-up in 2011. That streak is a source of pride for the program, and the current team admits they feel the pressure to keep the streak alive amongst a six-game winless stretch of hockey that has dropped Michigan to 20th in the Pairwise Rankings (outside the 16-team field). "No one wants to be that team that breaks the streak," fifth-year senior goalie Shawn Hunwick said. "We know we have to pick up wins. But it's about playing good hockey. If we're playing good hockey and still losing, you can't worry about it. But right now we're not playing good hockey and we're losing games."