The Wolverine: Covering University of Michigan Football and Sports
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TV," head coach Red Berenson said. "Within the game situation, he has an incredible understanding to know what is needed at that moment from himself and from the team, and he tries to set our guys up to make the most of their shift. "That's a very nuanced part of the game that doesn't show up in the stats, or maybe it does, but it's an important part of the game that few players possess. "We've had a lot great defensemen at Michigan — Aaron Ward, Mike Komisarek, Jack Johnson, Matt Hun- wick, Jon Merrill, Jacob Trouba — and he belongs in that conversation, but he still has something to accomplish here. "He has goals of winning a Big Ten title, making the NCAA Tournament, making the Frozen Four, so we'll see where he stacks up when his career is over." In his rookie year, Werenski led the Big Ten's defensemen in goals with nine and was second in points with 25. With six goals and 10 assists in 19 games through Jan. 18, Werenski is on pace for 10 markers and 17 help- ers this year, and while the numbers will come because he's an offensive- minded defenseman, the second-year Wolverine is focused on the bigger team goals. "Sometimes you can play well and it doesn't show up on the stats, but if you play well and you make your teammates around you better, it usu- ally shows up in the win column," Werenski said. "A lot of my remain- ing hockey goals are NHL goals, like playing in my first game, getting my first goal, but one of the things I've always wanted was to play at Michigan and win a national title at Michigan." THE NHL WILL WAIT Over the last few years, Michigan has seen a number of its most accom- plished skaters jump right from the collegiate ranks to the NHL before exhausting their eligibility — Larkin in 2015, forward Andrew Copp in 2015 and defenseman Jacob Trouba in 2013 — while forward Max Pacio- retty in 2008, forward Chris Brown in 2012, defenseman Jon Merrill in 2013 and forward Phil Di Giuseppe in 2014 needed some time in the minors. Werenski wants to join the former and not the latter, leaving U-M be- hind only when he is ready to take a permanent place with the Blue Jackets. "I'm a confident player and I think with my confidence and some of my abilities, there is a chance I could step in and play in the NHL right now, but when I do step in, I want to make an impact," he said. "I don't want to have a cup of coffee and get sent down to the minors. I want to stay. "So being at Michigan is the best way for me to continue to develop my game so that when the NHL op- portunity does come, I stay there." Werenski may have endured a bit of a sophomore slump to start the 2015-16 season, and had he gone pro after his rookie year, he might have spent the entire season in the AHL. But talent rises to the surface, and Werenski is once again proving that someday soon, he will play on an