The Michigan Daily
One hundred and thirty-four years of editorial freedom
This season, junior forward T.J. Hughes has been out on the ice for the No. 12 Michigan hockey team less frequently than he was last year. But that doesn’t mean he’s been less effective for the Wolverines. In fact, he’s had a stronger season, managing the game at a higher level than he had been previously.
While Hughes has had an extremely-productive season, it’s what isn’t registered in the stat sheet that has led to his success. From taking the optimal shift length to the forecheck and backcheck, it’s the little things that add up in the end.
For Michigan, there’s been an emphasis on this individual game management, which builds up to playing as a cohesive unit.
“Every sequence of events is individual plays, but you can’t do it by yourself,” Wolverines coach Brandon Naurato said Tuesday. “So if you have the puck in the corner and you get pinned, and I come to support you, will I get the puck back?”
Those small details behind possession add up over time. One poor forecheck can easily set off a chain reaction, and in the span of a period, it may have negative consequences. So over the course of the season, Michigan has emphasized minimizing personal mistakes.
“They may not get scored on on their 50-second shift, but now their teammates are jumping on the ice playing in the defensive zone,” Naurato said Jan. 21. “Now they’re frustrated that they’re playing in the defensive zone, so they cheat. And six shifts later, it hurts our team. We have a line for that, ‘set your teammate up for success.’ ”
When Michigan strays from that formula, it predictably hasn’t had much success. The Wolverines’ second game against Minnesota this season is an example: After a penalty, Michigan had to stave off a strong Golden Gophers’ power play — one that only got tougher once the Wolverines took a second penalty.
Over the next two minutes, Michigan was unable to clear the puck and make a line change, even as one of its skaters exited the penalty box. This allowed Minnesota to grind away at the Wolverines that were on the ice., eventually leading to a goal, as Michigan’s exhausted skaters couldn’t hold off the Gophers any longer.
But when the Wolverines have stuck to ‘setting their teammates up for success’, there have been many moments of promise. Hughes, for example, is currently having his most prolific season yet in Ann Arbor. By staying mature and taking short shifts, he’s kept his body fresh as the game goes on while giving teammates the opportunity to get on the ice at opportune times. As a result, Hughes has flourished, leading the Wolverines in points and having his name thrown in Hobey Baker Award conversations.
“(Hughes is) getting more shifts and his minutes are probably down, as crazy as that sounds,” Naurato said Tuesday. “It’s because he’s changing quicker, because he’s learning how to manage the game and his body, which is a very mature thing to do and hard to do.”
Like Hughes’ play has indicated this season, game management is a clear predictor of success. By keeping shift times low and making smart decisions on the ice, he’s had success, and so have his teammates.
And as the season draws closer to the Big Ten Tournament this management will continue to be of utmost importance. Because for the Wolverines, game management can be the difference between a crucial win or a crushing loss.
Please consider donating to The Michigan Daily
Stanford Lipsey Student Publications Building
420 Maynard St, Ann Arbor, MI 48109
Edited and managed by the students at the University of Michigan since 1890
[ditty id=484978]
