{"id":27658,"date":"2005-10-07T10:02:27","date_gmt":"2005-10-07T15:02:27","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.uscho.com\/2005\/10\/07\/200506-michigan-season-preview\/"},"modified":"2010-08-17T19:56:19","modified_gmt":"2010-08-18T00:56:19","slug":"200506-michigan-season-preview","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/wp-admin.uscho.com\/2005\/10\/07\/200506-michigan-season-preview\/","title":{"rendered":"2005-06 Michigan Season Preview"},"content":{"rendered":"
We cannot escape history.<\/i> — Abraham Lincoln<\/p>\n
Talk about a change in the wind. Michigan captured just one first-place vote in this year’s CCHA preseason coaches’ poll, presumably only because Ohio State head coach John Markell couldn’t vote for his own team to give the Buckeyes the unanimous nod.<\/p>\n
Sure, OSU returns a killer team and Michigan brings in half a roster full of newcomers, but let’s remember our history here. This is Red Berenson’s team, and no Red Berenson team has finished below at least a share of second place in league play since 1990-91. <\/p>\n
Berenson won a national championship in a hostile environment against heavily favored hometown heroes — in overtime — with a freshman-laden squad in 1998. <\/p>\n
“The Michigan team will have a different look to it this year with so many different faces,” says Berenson of the Wolverine squad that will boast 11 freshmen. “We graduated 10 players and lost three underclassmen to the pros during the summer. One of those positions will be goalie, and our freshman goalie, Billy Sauer, who is 17, will be tested early.”<\/p>\n
Sauer looked less than stellar in exhibition play, allowing three goals on 20 shots to Toronto, but Berenson is very high on Sauer. “He’s a great kid…he’s coachable … he has all the intangibles.”<\/p>\n
“I like our incoming freshmen,” says Berenson, “led by [defenseman] Jack Johnson, who was drafted No. 3 overall [in the NHL Entry Draft], and [forward] Andrew Cogliano, who was No. 25 overall, who should be impact players.”<\/p>\n
Berenson also likes freshman Travis Turnbull; he’s eager to coach the son of Perry Turnbull, whom Berenson coached when he was with the St. Louis Blues.<\/p>\n
While the fresh faces will add enthusiasm to the Michigan lineup, the remaining Wolverines are no slouches. Players like T.J. Hensick, Matt Hunwick, Brandon Kaleniecki, Chad Kolarik, and Kevin Porter are guys any CCHA coach would be happy to have on his roster. The Wolverines are not by any means hurting for talent, in spite of the personnel turnover.<\/p>\n