The Wolverine: Covering University of Michigan Football and Sports
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and don't play them again because as he gets more comfortable, he'll become a bigger factor for them." THE MISSING LINK After a tumultuous November in which Michigan posted a 1-6-1 mark, squandering away its 6-1-1 start, the Maize and Blue began playing better. The Wolverines went 2-1-1 in their fi- nal four CCHA contests in the first se- mester, and then won a pair of games — against No. 3 Boston College and rival Michigan State — to claim the Great Lakes Invitational title Dec. 30. They accomplished this without Mer- rill, but now that he's back U-M be- comes even more potent. "They were always pretty danger- ous, even without him, but adding a player of that level makes them a team to keep an eye on in the second half," Notre Dame coach Jeff Jackson said. "They could really go on a nice long run with him in the lineup. "He's a guy that generates offense. He just sees the ice really well and has the poise to make plays under pressure that you just can't coach … it's a tremendous quality to have as a defenseman, almost like a quar- terback in football that doesn't get rattled with the pass rush. Jon just stands in there and makes the play." Merrill on his own will not carry the Wolverines to a top-four finish in the CCHA regular season, a postsea- son conference crown and a Frozen Four berth, but he does make Michi- gan a better team. "You're talking about a kid that came on the scene a year ago and could handle 25 minutes, and handle it well," assistant coach Billy Powers said. "He's a steadying influence. A puck-moving, intelligent guy, and our power play and penalty kill will benefit because he's such a smart player that really excels in those situ- ations where we're outnumbered or outnumber our opponent. "What I think you'll see defen- sively is our fifth, sixth, seventh, eighth defensemen — their games are going to take a huge step. You might think he's taking a spot in the lineup away from them, but in tak- ing a spot they know every shift and every practice is so vital to getting in the lineup, and we're already starting to see glimpses of that. "He obviously elevates the top part of your defense, but he elevates the bottom two also." In the first 24 games, Michigan's defense ranked 19th nationally, al- lowing 2.54 goals per contest. But in a sweep of Ohio State Jan. 13 and Jan. 15, U-M allowed just one goal. Moving forward, it's imperative the Wolverines lower their goals against in the final month of the season if they want to push through the play- offs and earn an NCAA berth. Merrill should help. "I've always said the team with the best defense ends up winning, and I think our defense just got better," Berenson said. Merrill's narrative is in flux. An- other chapter is being added every weekend, with every assist, every goal. The story's conflict almost sabo- taged an All-American career, but it is in the past and Merrill aims to keep it there. "When you lose hockey for such a Head coach Red Berenson credited Merrill for accepting his punishment and sticking it out at U-M, and believes the defenseman will have a big second half of the season. PHOTO BY LON HORWEDEL long time, it makes you think about the decisions you make off the ice that can influence your hockey ca- reer," Merrill said. "Now I'm in a place where I will do anything to play hockey, and I don't want to make any more mistakes." ❏ New Jersey Devils Are In No Rush To Force Merrill's U-M Exit Ranked as the No. 20 skater, and sixth defenseman, among North American prospects in the 2010 NHL Draft, Michigan sophomore defenseman Jon Merrill was selected in the sec- ond round by the New Jersey Devils. He has a bright future in hockey whenever he decides to leave Ann Arbor, but he is in no rush and the Devils aren't either. "To be a professional hockey player, you have to be con- fident in who you are, and in the decisions you make, and you don't achieve that by having someone tell you what to do," said David Conte, New Jersey's executive vice president/ director of scouting. "We obviously feel he's a outstanding talent or we wouldn't have drafted him so high, but we don't benefit by forcing a kid out the door before he's ready to leave. When the time is right, the time is right, but that's his call, not ours." When Merrill violated team rules in the fall, earning a sus- pension that cost him the first 22 games this season, many expected him to sign a contract with the Devils and begin his pro career. Conte said New Jersey is not "here to be a kid's parachute." "I think he did the right thing standing by his team and the team is doing the right thing by him," he said. "He can be great for them and I think the coaches and his teammates have already proven they've got his best interests at heart." Now that Merrill's suspension is in the past, he can focus on helping the Maize and Blue fulfill their goals while the Devils continue to scout the 6-3, 209-pounder. "There are five components to a well-rounded hockey player — size, he has it; skating, he has it; hockey sense, he has that in abundance; spirit and competitiveness, and he has that; and skill, which he has," Conte said. "Will he get stronger? You'd like to think so. Will his skill evolve to the level it needs to be to succeed in the NHL? We think so, with time. "There is nothing he lacks except experience and maturity." Merrill models his game after longtime Detroit Red Wings' defenseman Nicklas Lidstrom — a 12-time all-star and seven-time Norris Trophy winner as the NHL's top blue liner — while Conte also offered a comparison to 1973 Hall of Fame inductee Doug Harvey. "Jon sees the ice differently than most players," Conte said. "He's playing chess while everyone else is playing checkers." — Michael Spath FEBRUARY 2012 THE WOLVERINE 73