ANN ARBOR – It was well-documented throughout the summer that the Michigan Wolverines enter the 2023-24 with a few top five-pick-sized holes.
Two to be exact: Adam Fantilli joined a curiously large contingent of former Wolverines in Columbus, Ohio, for the NHL’s Blue Jackets and Luke Hughes is now with brother Jack with the New Jersey Devils.
High-profile losses are the cost of doing business for many teams in college hockey. If you recruit players skilled enough to be taken with the early picks in the NHL Entry Draft, you’re lucky to see them stick around beyond one or two seasons.
Thanks to a run of impressive recruiting classes, expectations are still high in Ann Arbor, and Michigan was ranked fifth in the nation in the initial USCHO Division 1 Men’s preseason poll.
With the regular season set to begin this weekend as the Providence Friars make a trip west for a pair of games at Yost Ice Arena on Saturday and Sunday, head coach Brandon Naurato is excited about the players he’s returning as he enters his second season as Michigan’s head coach.
Canadian Tune-Up
Wolverines fans got their first glimpse at the team last week, as Michigan defeated Simon Fraser Unversity, a team out of Burnaby, British Columbia, 8-1 on Sept. 30 – a full team effort that left Naurato impressed up and down the roster.
“There wasn’t [just] one person that stood out, to be honest,” Naurato said. “I think we know what we’re getting out of these guys, and that’s why we brought them in, whether it’s a freshman or a transfer. All those guys did a really good job, and the usual cast of characters all did well, too.”
“Going into the game, you just want to see where you’re at. What we did well, [find] some good teaching points and what we can work on. I thought we did a lot of good things. We’re seeing what we have with some of the freshman and transfers, and we’re trying to put guys in spots where they can show their value.”
Photos from the Wolverines’ exhibition opener against Simon Fraser. (Photos by Michael Caples/Great Lakes Skate)
Returning players will have the opportunity to earn expanded roles through the losses of Fantilli, Hughes and significant contributors at every position, such as forward Mackie Samoskevich (who turned pro with the Florida Panthers), defensive stalwart Keaton Pehrson (transferred to North Dakota) and starting goaltender Erik Portillo (signed with Los Angeles.)
For sophomore defenseman Seamus Casey, the exhibition was much-anticipated and a valuable way to shake off the rust.
“Coming back to Yost, coming back to the building, you’re so fired up,” Casey said. “Getting that first shift – give a hit, get hit – then you’re feeling the game and right back like you were playing yesterday. I was definitely nervous coming in, just excited jitters.”
New Faces and Old Friends
Michigan’s additions through the transfer portal include some new faces in winger Joshua Eernisse, who ranked second in scoring as freshman at the University of St. Thomas (CCHA) in 2022-23, defenseman Marshall Warren, who was named an alternate captain at Michigan after serving as captain of Boston College (Hockey East) last season, and goaltender Jacob Barczewski, who won 44 games over four seasons at Canisius College (Atlantic Hockey).
One new face is not new to all, as defenseman Tyler Duke transferred from Big Ten-rival Ohio State to join his brother Dylan, a returning junior for the Wolverines. He was also Casey’s primary defensive partner at USA Hockey’s National Team Development Program for two seasons (2020-22). That should add another layer of comfort for Casey, a 2022 second-round pick of the Devils, who was second only to Hughes in points by a defenseman last season.
“Ty’s one of my best friends, and he’s an unbelievable hockey player,” Casey said. “Getting to play with him again just makes me happy. I think he did a great job, so hopefully I get to keep playing with him and just keep building.”
The two looked like a pair who will see extended time together and play a larger role not only in the absence of Hughes, but also in returning junior defenseman Ethan Edwards, who Naurato announced would miss the first half of the season as he recovers from offseason surgery.
Adding a veteran like Warren to the defensive group will help stabilize the defensive group in the absence of a player like Edwards and provide a leadership presence, as Warren was primarily paired with senior defenseman and Fort Gratiot-native Jacob Truscott. Judging from their head coach’s comments, it seems likely to be another pairing he relies on heavily.
“[Warren’s] been outstanding,” Naurato said. “He and Truscott are like brothers from another mother. They feel like they have so much chemistry on the ice, and it seems like they’re becoming good buddies off the ice. It’s good to see them feed off each other.”
Truscott was also named the team’s captain last month, a move that earned high praise from both his coach as well as his teammates.
“He’s the best,” said Naurato. “He’s a guy you want to be your captain, a guy you want to marry your daughter. He’s just a special person on and off the ice. I feel like guys really gravitate towards him.”
“Jacob’s a great captain and an unbelievable defenseman,” said Casey. “You ask anyone – Jacob’s one of the best guys you’ll meet in hockey. He leads by example every day, he’s an unbelievable guy, he works so hard. He’s just a guy you want to lay it down for. I think what he does in all three zones, on and off the ice, he’s a guy you want to follow.”
