The return of the National Hockey League cost Michigan its number-one goaltender Wednesday, as senior-to-be Al Montoya opted to leave school and sign a contract with the New York Rangers. “Al is one of the top goaltending prospects in hockey and we are extremely pleased to have signed him,” said Rangers general manager Glen Sather. … Read more
No. 4 Michigan’s seniors class of 10 has now won three CCHA Super Six championships to go with their three regular-season CCHA titles and two Frozen Four appearances. But there is one thing missing from their collective mantle: a national championship. “[The NCAA championship] has been elusive to us,” senior captain Eric Nystrom said. “We’ve … Read more
It’s easy to get overlooked on a team that has eight 10-goal scorers, but there is one place Michigan’s Brandon Kaleniecki seems to score big goals to distinguish himself: Joe Louis Arena. “Growing up, I always wanted to play here,” Kaleniecki said of the Joe. “I’m from [nearby] Livonia, so I know I’ve watched so … Read more
Northern Michigan senior goaltender Tuomas Tarkki became the first Wildcat in 24 years to be named the CCHA Player of the Year. Eight individual honors were awarded Wednesday at Detroit’s historic Fox Theatre, including six determined by a vote of the league’s 12 coaches. NMU’s Tuomas Tarkki became the first European to win CCHA Player … Read more
FSN Detroit will rebroadcast the historic Cold War Hockey Game between Michigan State and Michigan on Tuesday, Dec. 28, 2004, from 8-10 p.m. The outdoor hockey game, which was originally held on Oct. 6, 2001, saw a world-record 74,554 people jam Spartan Stadium to watch the Spartans and Wolverines skate to a 3-3 overtime draw. … Read more
It doesn’t get much bigger than this matchup of CCHA powers.
The first weekend of the season was certainly wild, and it’s only going to get wilder as CSTV’s Friday Night Hockey heads to Ann Arbor.
“When I look at our team this year, we could have a good team.” So says the master of understatement, Michigan head coach Red Berenson. Good? Try great. Try if-we-don’t-win-a-national-title-we-haven’t-reached-our-potential great. As scary-good as they are on paper, the Wolverines backed into the CCHA regular-season title last year, relying on — children, cover your ears … Read more
The New York Rangers didn’t get Michigan goalie Al Montoya to leave school early, but they did get one of his teammates. According to the Ann Arbor (Mich.) News, senior forward Dwight Helminen will be leaving Michigan to sign a deal with the NHL team. The Rangers acquired the rights of the former 8th Round … Read more
If Al Montoya had taken any longer to decide whether or not to return to Michigan, the Maize ‘N Blue Deli would have named a sandwich after him. While it’s not quite the same as New York City’s Carnegie Deli, the place the “Al Cubano” calls home, it’s the best Ann Arbor can do. Fortunately … Read more
Despite becoming a mini-N.Y. celebrity in one month, Al Montoya decided after all to return for his junior season at Michigan.
Michigan goalie Al Montoya has decided to return to school for his junior season. The No. 6 overall pick by the New York Rangers in June’s NHL Entry Draft labored over his options since then. “It comes down to it, I’ve got some unfinished business at school I want to take care of,” Montoya told … Read more
Michigan and college hockey await the decision of the junior-to-be goaltender — the 6th overall pick in the recent NHL draft.
Al Montoya, according to published reports, says he’s close to announcing a decision about whether he’ll sign with the New York Rangers and give up his final two years of eligibility at Michigan. But the 19-year-old goaltender has yet make that decision, and the official word out of Ann Arbor today is that the coaching … Read more
There’s a good chance that when the New York Rangers selected Michigan goaltender Al Montoya with the sixth pick in Saturday’s NHL Entry Draft, they realized that they got more than simply a hockey player. Sure he’s a solid goaltender whose numbers have gotten better in his two seasons at Michigan. And his performance in … Read more
Al Montoya is set to become the highest-selected college goaltender in the NHL Draft in four years.
There’s something missing in Boston …
The Frozen Four at the FleetCenter, six years ago.
Andy Burnes went out giving all he had.
Three schools each have a pair of players among the six freshmen named to the 2003-04 CCHA All-Rookie Team by vote of the conference head coaches. At least one Wolverine has been honored in 12 of the 16 years since the team was created. The team will be honored at the 2004 CCHA Awards on … Read more