Team of the Week: Michigan - College Hockey News

News

TourneyWatch: All the Latest Articles and More
Atlantic Hockey Current Report Tournament Bracket/Info History
Big Ten Current Report Tournament Bracket/Info History
CCHA Current Report Tournament Bracket/Info History
ECAC Current Report Tournament Bracket/Info History
Hockey East Current Report Tournament Bracket/Info History
NCHC Current Report Tournament Bracket/Info History
Log In/Register
October 14, 2025
PRINT
by Adam Wodon/Managing Editor (@chn-adam-wodon)
• 2025-10-14 – Michigan
When you don't make the NCAA Tournament at Michigan, alarm bells are raised.
After making three straight Frozen Fours, the Wolverines fell short of the NCAAs last year, with a 18-15-3 record.
But a re-tooling was understandable. After losing numerous high-end players to the pros over the previous couple of years, some unexpectedly, and some injuries last year along with unstable goaltending, it stood to reason that Michigan would take a step back amid the fierce competition in the Big Ten.
Nevertheless, this season has started with a chip on its collective shoulder. The Michigan coaching staff got busy re-tooling in the offseason, with 11 freshmen, eight of which are draft picks, and 14 new faces overall. Four come from Major Junior, in their backyard, in the OHL. Three come from its more traditional stomping grounds, the U.S. National Program. Juniors Jayden Perron and Ben Robertson came from North Dakota and Cornell, respectively.
Michigan missed out on some of the big names in college hockey's summer free agent frenzy. But no one is shedding a tear for Michigan and its 13 NHL Draft picks. Only two of those are first rounders, but it's more about being well-rounded, deep and having the right people.
"Everyone's got a role and they're working towards it, it's just been really good," Michigan coach Brandon Naurato said. "It's not the first rounder or the fourth rounder, or the 18-year old or the 25-year old. If I've learned anything, it's just all about the right people."
The biggest coup may have been landing goaltender Jack Ivankovic, a second-round pick in this year's draft. That will help stabilize a position that's been, well, not stable. Ivankovic, who comes from the Brampton in the OHL, was part of CHN's preseason All-Rookie team. So far in four games he's 4-0 with a .958 save percentage.
"He's got this quiet swagger, confidence," Naurato said. "It's early, he had a good weekend, there's a long way to go, but every time he makes that save, someone is giving him a fist bump or tap on the pads. It's just a different feeling, it's a quiet confidence where you don't have to be perfect if you've got someone to bail you out. And he makes it look easy. He's just a good goalie, sky's the limit on what he can be. Like all these guys, he's 18 years old and they all have stuff they can add to his game, on and off the ice, but it's really nice to have that."
So far, this has translated on the ice. After casting aside Mercyhurst in a pair of games to open the season, the Wolverines stepped up in weight class to face Providence for a pair this past weekend, on the road. Michigan passed that test with flying colors — winning 5-1 and 3-1. They are outscoring opponents 26-3 so far this season.
"They play hard, above you, you really have to earn every chance," Naurato said. "So it was good to see us do what we did in both games. I felt like both games were completely different. But to find ways to win in those ugly games, where not much is really going on either side outside of a turnover and a chance — both teams were playing winning hockey. It reminds me of the (NCAA) Tournament or the Big Ten schedule, where you really have to earn your chances and play hockey the right way. So it was a good step —it's two weekends, it's four games. We feel good about it but it's early."
Friday, Michael Hage led the way with a pair of goals, giving him four already on the young season and nine points. He's one of those first rounders (no. 21 overall in 2024), and put up a strong 13-21—34 line last year. But sky's the limit for him this year.
"He's always been really good offensively. I think he changed his body this summer," Naurato said. "He put on nine pounds of lean muscle, three percent body fat. He found the gym consistently this summer. And now his skill set is coming out that much more, because he has a bigger motor and engine. His play away from the puck, down low play as a young centerman are some of the biggest steps a guy needs to take to play in the NHL. And he has the depth around him where he and T.J. (Hughes) don't have to pull the weight all the time."
Michigan wound up dominating the second period, outshooting the home-standing Friars, 17-3, and scoring three unanswered goals. And against a rough-and-tumble opponent, the Wolverines had six power plays and only had to kill two, both of which were successful.
"We kinda struggled with discipline and PK last year, so there's been a big emphasis on that. I feel your PK is better if you only have to kill two, three a game versus five or six."
Saturday, Providence, which was playing its first games of the season, beared down. It limited Michigan's shots to 23 and its power-play chances to zero. Michigan only had three minor penalties itself, but when getting no PP chances of your own, and playing in a slog, it had to get creative.
So instead, Michigan foiled the plot and took a 2-0 lead on two shorthanded goals, one from Malcolm Spence and one from Josh Eernisse. Providence got one back on that latter power play. But in the third, Ivankovic made 12 saves on 12 shots, and Eernisse scored again to put the game away.
It was yet another morale boost that Eernisse was a driving force in Saturday's win. He transferring from St. Thomas after his freshman year and had a strong sophomore season, going 8-6—14 for Michigan. But last year, that dipped to 1-10—11. He's a big part of Michigan's depth plan for this season.
"Looking at his chances this summer, the numbers were the same," Naurato said,. "It was just a little bit snakebit and just working on that net-front scoring. So he looked like a 50-goal scorer with two breakaway goals last weekend. But just him putting in the time and doing stuff in front of the net. Getting chances is good and it should come at some point. So hopefully he's feeling confident.
"Our third and fourth lines were our best lines on Saturdays. And when you shut down the top two lines and you don't get any power plays, where do you get offense? And it was cool to see it come from multiple areas. We've been top heavy for a few years now. And it feels good to reward different guys with ice time at different moments."
So far, nine players have four points or more in four games.
"We play a sport where one guy is not gonna beat you. Or three," Naurato said. "So it's about the individual, it's about the team. Credit to Western Michigan, they were the best team we played last year, from the beginning to watching them at the end. Four lines, six D, two stud goalies. Everyone needs depth. We've gone far with top-heavy teams where you're just hoping. The teams we've lost to at the Frozen Four has depth. So it's depth and people who have bought into the bigger picture."
Michigan will get a chance to play this year's version of Western Michigan in less than two weeks (home-and-home Oct 23-24). It will do so with a team better prepared for battle this time around.
Send Feedback | Privacy Policy | Terms and Conditions
©2025 Adam Wodon. All Rights Reserved.

source

Hockey Arena

Team of the Week: Michigan – College Hockey News

News

Leave a Reply Cancel reply