The Michigan hockey team has announced the signing of nine players for
2007. They are forwards Louis Caporusso, Ben Winnett, Aaron Palushaj,
Carl Hagelin, Matt Rust, and Max Pacioretty, defensemen Tristin
Llewellyn and Kevin Quick, and goaltender Bryan Hogan. The Wolverines
also have one more player who will be a recruited walk-on to make this
a class of ten.

While U-M has grown to have a large recruiting class every four years,
this time they're bringing in another large haul in just two years.
Why so? First, there's seven players who will be graduating--T.J.
Hensick, David Rohlfs, Matt Hunwick, Jason Dest, Tim Cook, Mike
Mayhew, and Morgan Ward. Then you have to factor in the potential
early departures--Jack Johnson, Mark Mitera, Andrew Cogliano, Kevin
Porter, Chad Kolarik, and Chris Summers (scary to think that Michigan
could possibly lose their entire defense). Then of the remaining
players, will anyone simply leave a la Zac MacVoy or Tyler Swystun?
And of the incoming recruits, will any of them pull an 11th hour
Trevor Lewis manuever and go the major junior route? Add it all up,
and you'll see why such a large class is being brought in.

Though this large class might not have the "Jack Johnson" marquee name
at the top like the last one, it also doesn't tail off at the end like
the last large group. And that's not to disrespect those players, but
it was a top heavy class with guys like Johnson, Mark Mitera, and
Andrew Cogliano, while others were brought in as role players/grinders
who have lacked offensive output, and we've already seen MacVoy and
Swystun leave due to lack of playing time. This group for next fall
is very skilled from top to bottom, and I expect most, if not all of
them, to jump right into the fire. It's a very solid, deep group of
players.

To prove the point, the NHL Central Scouting Bureau just released
their Players to Watch list and has Winnett, Palushaj, Pacioretty, and
Llewellyn listed as 'A' Players (NHL draft top three rounds potential,
"must see" prospects), while Caporusso, Rust, and Hogan are listed as
'B' Players (late round potential). Hagelin is unranked, and Quick
was a third round draft pick of the Tampa Bay Lightning this past
summer.

Caporusso is a 5'10, 180 pound forward for St. Michael's of the
Ontario Provincial Junior 'A' Hockey League, the same team current
Wolverine Andrew Cogliano came from. Caporusso leads the Buzzers with
35 points in 22 games, and recently won a silver medal with Canada
East at the World Junior 'A' Hockey Challenge in Canada. He had a
goal and three assists in four games and was named to the tournament
All-Star team, not so much for his scoring (he was only 19th in
tournament scoring), but for his leadership. While he doesn't possess
Cogliano's speed, he is a solid, skilled center who should fit nicely
into Michigan's pipeline. Powers compared him to former Wolverine
captain Andrew Ebbett.

Winnett is a highly skilled 6'1, 182 pound forward for Salmon Arm of
the BCHL. He leads the SilverBacks with 20 goals and 36 points in 18
games. He recently won a gold medal with Canada West at the World
Junior 'A' Hockey Challenge where he scored three goals and two
assists in four games. Powers compared him to Andrew Cogliano, and
expects him to make an impact from day one.

Palushaj is a 6'0, 185 pound native of Northville, Mich. who is in his
second season with Des Moines of the USHL. Last season the Bucs won
the USHL championship. So far this season he has 13 points in 12
games, including a team high seven goals. Palushaj has a good stick
and nose for the net. Powers compares him to Brandon Kaleniecki for
his play around the net, though perhaps a bit more skilled. Some
early 2007 NHL mock drafts have had Palushaj possibly slipping into
the late first round.

Carl Hagelin was an interesting pick up because it's the first time in
a long time the Wolverines have ventured overseas for a recruit.
Hagelin come to Ann Arbor from Sweden, where he plays for Sodertalje
SK in the J20 SuperElit Sodrabut and averages about a point per game,
but is not an unknown commodity to the U-M coaches.

"Carl Hagelin, from Sweden, is a player we’ve been fortunate enough to
have over to our hockey school and have gotten to know the family,"
assistant coach Billy Powers said. "His older brother came to our
hockey schools. He came in last summer and skated at a camp in Big
Rapids. So it was good to see him in a North American environment over
the summer, and he did very well. He's a scorer. He's an offensive
player. A very good skater. He is excited about playing the North
American brand of hockey because he likes the physical game. He likes
to forecheck. He's a skill player."

Like Caporusso, Matt Rust is another center Powers compares to the
likes of Andrew Ebbett and Dwight Helminen. The 5'10, 180 pounder is
in his second season with the Ann Arbor-based U.S. National Team
Development Program and has nine goals and five assists in 20 games.

"He's an exceptional skater, a real honest centerman … a tough guy to
play against, but a guy, like Helminen, that can produce. He's getting
opportunities with the US program and he's showing that he’s capable
offensively. Matt Rust is going to be a shutdown centerman, an Andrew
Ebbett-type player."

Max Pacioretty is in his rookie year in the USHL playing for Sioux
City. Not too much was known about the big the 6'2, 205 pound native
of Connecticut when he committed to Michigan earlier this year, but he
has made a name for himself after a strong start to the season. He
has racked up 14 points in 11 games.

"Max is a skating, offensive, physical player," Powers said. "He's
really just a high-end guy in a lot of different ways, so we're really
excited what he's done in that league already and obviously look
forward to him coming next season."

Ann Arbor native Tristin Llewellyn headlines this year's defensive
crop. The 6'1, 178 pound blueliner for Tri-City (USHL) is considered
one of the top defensemen for next year's NHL draft. He plays a
physical game with an offensive upside that's still developing. He
had a nice start to the season with two goals, two assists, and +5
rating in seven games, but suffered an injury and has missed the past
handful of games. He's another recruit who should make an immediate
impact.

Kevin Quick is our rare Eastern prep school recruit who just committed
to Michigan a few weeks ago. He's a smooth skating offensive
defenseman and was a third round draft pick of the Tampa Bay Lightning
in this past summer's NHL Entry Draft. Powers says he reminds him of
U-M freshman Chris Summers.

Bryan Hogan is a Highland, Mich. native who won a high school hockey
state championship with Detroit Catholic Central. He also trained
under former Wolverine goalie coach Stan Matwijiw. Hogan joined the
Lincoln Stars of the USHL last season, where he bumped current U-M
backup goalie Steve Jakiel from the starting role (Jakiel was traded
to Indiana). So far in his second season he has posted a 7-3-0 record
with a 3.42 GAA and .866 save percentage.

"Bryan Hogan is having a good year again in Lincoln," Powers said. "He
had a strong rookie season. He's going to come in here and make the
goaltending situation even more competitive than it already is, which
will be good. He will compete with the idea that he has a chance to
play."

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That's all for now...

Go BLue!

Jason
Michigan Hockey Net
http://MichiganHockey.net/