Denise Ilitch and Brendan Morrison had different entry points to
@umichwhockey
's push for varsity status, but they share the belief that DI WoHo in MI is not just a good idea but a natural progression from work already done
New for Gulo Gulo Hockey 🔗:
Denise Ilitch at this morning's UM regents meeting: "It's time for the University of Michigan to have a varsity team for its women's hockey program." Credits Jenna Trubiano for the program she's built and then says its time to push beyond club level and on to varsity status
One more note on Pacioretty tying Red Berenson’s record for NHL points by a UM alum: Though the game was in Detroit, Berenson was not in the building because he had his own men’s league game to play in. Berenson is 84 years old
Fun drill I don’t recall seeing at practice before: two simultaneous 3-on-0 cycles become two simultaneous games of 3-on-3. Noah West with a snipe from downtown as a bonus
Can report that Jenna Trubiano met with Warde Manuel yesterday and that Michigan is exploring options to initiate a feasibility study for varsity women's hockey in the coming weeks. UM alum Brendan Morrison was also present and has been an advocate for a varsity program
From Frank Nazar’s first ever NCAA game last February. Leading MSU 3-2 in the third, goes between the legs on a two-on-one. Didn’t work that night but turned out to be good practice
The 2023 Hobey Baker winner. Unsurprisingly, the biggest reactions came from Brandon Naurato and Luca Fantilli. Adam notes all the adversity Michigan fought through from Ian Hume’s passing to Steven Holtz’ stint in the ICU to Seamus Casey’s numerous moped incidents in his speech
There's nothing new about the idea of
@umichhockey
as an NHL factory, but you might not realize it applies to social media too, not just the players
On SID Kristy McNeil and the making of a social media powerhouse within a hockey one for
@TheHockeyNews
:
Friday, Jake Walman and
@KiwiClo_
will release one-off merch to support Vladimir Konstantinov and the Boys and Girls Club of Detroit. For Walman, the release is one step in a larger plan to support and connect with his community
🔗 for
@TheHockeyNews
:
Yzerman says there was “one player we thought might have been a real good fit” on July 1, but ultimately decided it would require too much “major surgery” to the rest of the roster to make it work
Frustration evident as a battle around the net turns into a shoving/wrestling match between Raymond and Chiarot before teammates intervene. All overwith quickly
Didn’t see this rondo-style drill in warm ups last year from
@umichhockey
. I think
@CoachRevak
would endorse the new plan from night one of the Naurato era
With Thomas Bordeleau making his season debut in the NHL tonight, it seems like a good time to remember this pass from the last time
@umichhockey
played Quinnipiac
Rutger McGroarty mentioned “unfinished business” with
@umichhockey
and at the WJC after today’s practice. Adds that he’s planning to grow his hair out this year to have an elite mullet by playoff time. Yet another reminder that you don’t have to get ready if you stay ready.
“Michigan’s structure under interim head coach Brandon Naurato may be the best outside the NHL. There’s non-stop activation, high middle-lane use, an emphasis on controlled plays, and intelligent puck movement. This is what Edwards was built for.”
Dylan Larkin joked that he had a bit too much pre-workout before the game and came out wired because "it just means a lot to me," but tonight's game made clear that it means even more to Detroit
On Larkin's return, a 6-3 win, and playoff hopes renewed:
Attack, retrieve, release. Symphony & heavy metal. Cruyff & Guardiola.
On the core idea, language, and people behind Brandon Naurato’s adaptation of Pep Guardiola’s domination through possession to the ice for
@umichhockey
:
A bit surprised by a couple of these decisions but none more than this. Hard to overstate how big this is to competing for a title in ‘25. Rutger’ll enter the year as a leading Hobey candidate, but he has exactly one thing left to prove as an NCAA player and it’s not individual
Think a lot of
@umichhockey
people could use a boost at the moment, so here’s Luke Hughes putting Rhett Pitlick (who was otherwise quite good) in the spin cycle at the end of the first
At his exit interview, Mo Seider says he’d love to play with Simon Edvinsson at some point in the future—“that could be a pretty cool D pair for the Red Wings.” Adds he was impressed but not surprised by Edvinsson’s performance to close out the year
Proud to announce that today I’m starting a new job as
@TheHockeyNews
’ Red Wings beat writer and Detroit publisher. I’m thrilled for this new chapter, but I also owe a massive thanks to anyone who has read, shared, or otherwise engaged with my work so far!
It’s the season of giving, and
@umichhockey
could get itself a present that will pay off for years by making Brandon Naurato its full-time head coach. As a recruiter, program builder, and teacher, Nar has made his acumen clear, so why wait any longer?
From the Mackie Samoskevich zone entry at ~9:58, MSU would touch the puck once (a Nash Nienhuis full-length clear) until it was time to fish it out of the net after Gavin Brindley’s goal at 11:32. Hard to stack two better 5-on-5 OZ shifts on top of one another than those
Exactly one (1) outlet has covered this U-M season every weekend all year long. The idea that the entire beat putting in that work would not be welcome at the Frozen Four is laughable, a thoughtless and pointless power trip. Nothing new from the NCAA but there is an easy fix...
I am one of four student journalists on
@theblockm
’s hockey beat. We have covered and traveled to every single
@umichhockey
game this season.
But when we tried to get credentials for the Frozen Four, we were told by
@NCAAIceHockey
that there were only two available seats. 🧵
Though it would become a trend, Luca and Adam Fantilli played their 1st season together at
@KimballUnion
, a prep school in NH’s Upper Valley.
On the year that brought the brothers closer than ever and crystallized their respective paths to
@umichhockey
:
Per Brandon Naurato, Rutger McGroarty will be out for the remainder of the first half for Michigan, but beyond that, the timeline isn’t yet clear. Hopeful but uncertain about his chances of being back for Team USA at the WJC
She cites Kirsten Simms and Cassie Hall as examples of "broken cycle" of elite talent being forced out-of-state for college opportunities. President Santa Ono says he's recommended a feasibility study to Warde Manuel, who is not present but Ono says will report back
Can’t say I saw this one coming, but it’s another great add from the portal. Strongsville Mustangs legends reuniting for
@umichhockey
? You love to see it
At the end of camp, Derek Lalonde implored his team to "knock the noise away" when it comes to negative prognostications of Detroit's playoff chances. Why are projections down on the Red Wings, and how might Detroit outperform them?
For
@TheHockeyNews
:
The full Finnish delegation is now on the ice. Tons of skating and pace, and you can see the groundwork of the fast/direct game that gave USA White trouble in the first set of games
#WJSS2023
Mishandles, recovers, snipes, then pops the glove off for the “call me” celly. It appears last night’s between-the-legs pass was not an isolated incident, but I guess you have to come out firing after you miss 28 games. We aren’t far from a discourse on whether 91 is Him
After missing the whole season until making his season debut yesterday, Blackhawks prospect Frank Nazar gets his first college hockey goal and is fired up
Luke on being named captain: “Any time you get that credit and to be able to wear the ‘C’ for your country it’s a huge honor. I said to the guys, ‘If we’re gonna win this tournament, we’re going to need everyone to jump on board and be leaders at different times.’”
Introducing Team USA's captains for the 2023 IIHF
#WorldJunior
Championship! 🇺🇸
Swipe → to step on the turf with head coach
@RandPecknold
to deliver the news.
First glance at some (mostly) NHL lines:
Raymond Larkin DeBrincat
Fischer Copp Rasmussen
Hanas Kasper Brandsegg-Nygard
Chiasson Danielson Ratcliffe
Petry Edvinsson
Chiarot Holl
Wallinder Tuomisto
Dello Viro
Lyon, Talbot, Bednar rotating through the nets
Good morning!
Adam Fantilli is
-
#1
in the nation in points (49) and points/game (1.81)
-Tied for
#1
in the nation in assists (30)
-Tied for 5th in goals (19)
-Shooting 19.2% (!!!) on 99 shots
“Playing big is the ability to prioritize body positioning and control space. Rather than fishing using their stick, players that play big take the extra step or shuffle push to establish or keep body positioning.” -
@CoachRevak
Might as well have been describing Gavin Brindley
First practice this morning is Griffins-centric with an NHL practice to follow. Perhaps worth noting that Simon Edvinsson isn’t on the ice now and will skate with the NHL group later, at least for one more day
If the only outcome you’ll be satisfied with is a national title, you’re gonna have to be patient. Team 101 was special, and I feel lucky to have seen them play and to have covered them. Also, that tag came off so more banners would come. Lots to look forward from
@umichhockey
People did not give it credence that a talented but young
@umichhockey
team could win the B1G with an interim head coach, but it didn’t seem so strange Saturday night.
On the Wolveirnes’ togetherness, shared vision, and 2nd straight B1G Tournament crown:
After some passing and shooting progressions, Sweden slows things down to work on defensive transitions/rotations.
#LGRW
first rounder Axel Sandin-Pellikka at RD in this rep
ICYMI Jim Mandich, Desmond Howard, Charles Woodson, Dylan Duke. Four Ohioans who went on to stardom in Ann Arbor.
The only difference between Duke and the first three? They didn’t have brothers playing for Ohio State
On Dylan Duke:
Depending on your chosen metric, it's not hard to paint the Red Wings as a poor defensive team, so how are they winning games with defense? The answer lies in the discrepancy between their xG against and high-danger shots against
More for
@TheHockeyNews
:
If you aren’t going to consider an official assessing a major over a slur “indisputable evidence” that a slur was used, then you aren’t interested in enforcing consequences for on-ice racism
The Big Ten now has a statement out on why there was no further punishment for Ohio State's Kamil Sadlocha beyond a game misconduct for alleged racial targeting of Michigan State's Jagger Joshua.
It could be resolved with just a couple of pen strokes, but until an agreement is reached, Moritz Seider's absence will be felt at Red Wings training camp. As Dylan Larkin said, "Obviously, he's a huge part of our team and we need him"
For
@TheHockeyNews
:
So a lot of crocodile tears about this. One of these ended in Mich not being able to clear while short handed, another ended in a Portillo save. The obvious answer is to, ya know, fix the pegs
In the "not news" department, a
#gophers
scoring opportunity comes to an abrupt halt as the net behind Erik Portillo is dislodged. Michigan leads 4-3 with 2:25 left.
In answering the 1st question at his 1st collegiate presser, Nazar described his celly and rapped: “Was just thinking of an Eminem song, where it’s like ‘that’s why they call me Slim Shady, I’m back,’ so it’s like call your friends tell them I’m back, something like that”
Mishandles, recovers, snipes, then pops the glove off for the “call me” celly. It appears last night’s between-the-legs pass was not an isolated incident, but I guess you have to come out firing after you miss 28 games. We aren’t far from a discourse on whether 91 is Him
A year ago, Mackie Samoskevich was a talented freshman with a small role on a loaded team. Today, he is putting up a 1.5 points-per-game on
@umichhockey
’s top line. From a CT backyard to egg sandwiches and Fortnite with roommates, here’s how he got there
CBJ keeps a very good thing going by pairing Brindley and Fantilli. Plus, it shouldn’t come as much of a surprise that Columbus has steered further into U of M as its meal ticket after last November
No, he’s not related to Luke Hughes, but TJ Hughes has shown a virtuosic Hockey IQ and a unique maturity on his path from the
@BrooksBandits
to Ann Arbor. He may have arrived unheralded, but he’s always been a scorer.
On
@umichhockey
’s “Mobility Man”:
Looks like another recruiting coup for Brandon Naurato. If you somehow thought recruiting might not keep up under a thirty-seven-year-old rising star in the sport, you would appear to be mistaken. Love to see another top Ontario prospect choosing NCAA hockey over the OHL
Pavel Datsyuk turns 45 today. As alien and mesmerizing as he was to fans, he was even more confounding awe-inspiring to his peers. Why not take a moment to remember some of his brilliance this afternoon?
#LGRW
for
@TheHockeyNews
:
Ahead of this weekend's Duel in the D,
#LGRW
prospects Trey Augustine and Red Savage discuss life at
@MSU_Hockey
under Adam Nightingale, the U-M rivalry, and what it would mean to bring a proud program back to the NCAA Tournament
For
@TheHockeyNews
:
To me, Michael Rasmussen's extension is about 2 things:
(1) the importance of the internal development of quality, cost-controlled depth
(2) Finding talent isn't as hard as molding it into a functional role
More on his role & extension for
@TheHockeyNews
:
Trey Augustine destroyed worlds in his two years with the USNTDP. What is reasonable to expect of the 18-year-old as a freshman at MSU this fall, and what might his eventual path to the NHL look like?
#LGRW
for
@TheHockeyNews
:
Bob Probert is the NHL’s all-time heavyweight champ, garnering supreme respect from his peers. His addiction, death, and CTE diagnosis shine light on the ties between hockey culture, addiction, and head trauma.
Enforcers Week x
#LGRW
for
@TheHockeyNews
:
With shootout then OT losses to Notre Dame, it was a frustrating end to
@umichhockey
’s regular season. Still, with the B1G 2-seed secure, Brandon Naurato took confidence from the way his team came together on and off the ice Saturday night:
If Friday night was a feeding frenzy for
@umichhockey
, Sunday’s Regional Final against Penn State required more refinement. In the end, Michigan needed persistence, defense, and Mackie Samoskevich’s lightning bolt release to return to the Frozen Four