Projecting the 2023-24 Michigan men's hockey lineup
With Adam Fantilli officially in the NHL, here's what the Wolverines' lineup could look like on opening night.
There are less than three (3!) months until hockey season starts back up, but the Michigan men’s hockey team is still putting together its pieces. After Hobey Baker winner Adam Fantilli left for the NHL on Saturday, the Wolverines are down the best player in college hockey. They’re also still in need of a third-string goalie, a spot that opened up when Tyler Shea hit the transfer portal.
So, naturally, it’s the perfect time to break down what the roster looks like. Included in this post are how I think the lines would look if the season started tomorrow, as well as takeaways drawn from those lineups.
Did I spend far too much time making these jersey clip-arts? Yes. Do they look sick? Absolutely.
Looking past the artwork and into the meat of it all, this is what I think the forward corps looks like right now. Let’s talk about it.
No. 1: Center depth — good, not great
Gone are the days when Michigan could bury a first-round draft pick on its third line. In terms of top six caliber centers, Michigan has sophomores Frank Nazar III and T.J. Hughes, as well as freshman Nick Moldenhauer. Nazar brings speed and tight checking, while Hughes brings playmaking and vision. Moldenhauer excels in the defensive end, and he’s a playmaker too. All three bring unique styles that could make them contributors throughout the lineup.
All that, however, hinges on Moldenhauer contributing right away. He played well at center for the Chicago Steel, and his attention to defensive responsibilities seems like a good starting point for a D-1 centerman. But if he struggles, or if any of those three get injured/suspended/invited to World Juniors, then the Wolverines are in a bit of a pickle. That’s not to say I think that’s likely, but it’s a reality the Wolverines could face. Freshmen have to learn the game, and it’s hard to do that under a microscope in the top six. Opponents will give Moldenhauer their best, and it’s on him to solve it. That’s why I say this group’s depth is good — it can hang with most teams — but it’s not great.
While there are still options in the transfer portal to add more depth — namely former Northeastern sophomore Jack Hughes (obligatory not that Jack Hughes) — I don’t think Brandon Naurato & Co. chase another forward. Picking Hughes, for example, would tie up a scholarship for two seasons, as NCAA rules stipulate that any scholarships given to transfers must last the duration of their education. Considering the big class coming in next season of deferred commits, I don’t know if there’s a scholarship to give up. For a one-and-done grad transfer, Michigan also can’t offer much playing time with its Nazar-Moldenhauer-Hughes stack.
No. 2: Depth scoring is crucial
Last season, watching the Michigan hockey team had sit-com energy. Most episodes, the Wolverines would face a grudge match of a game, the protagonist Fantilli would come to the rescue and score 2-3 points, and everyone would be home by dinner just to do it all the next day.
That’s not how this 2023-24 team is built. Rather, this team has a multitude of options, with talented scorers on all four lines. Though the top six is assuredly better than the rest of the forward corps, I’m more confident in this group than last year’s to provide extra ballast.
One wrinkle to the offense could be the usage of junior forward Mark Estapa. He is one of the few members of his recruiting class still wearing maize and blue. He’s got far more skill than he’s utilized the past two seasons, including last year when he switched to center, but he has yet to adequately harness it.
But this season could be a renaissance, especially under a focused offseason. Whereas last offseason, Estapa went to the Vegas Golden Knights’ development camp, it looks like he’s not headed anywhere this season. While he thus misses out on the instruction of NHL coaches, this gives him time to focus on a steady offseason and prepare for the season without distraction. That’s not to say he’s destined to be a breakout player this year, but with the right mentality, he’s got potential to reinvent himself.
No. 3: Who plays with Dylan Duke?
The past two seasons saw one of the greatest on-ice duos between then-sophomore forwards Dylan Duke and Mackie Samoskevich. Duke parked himself at the netmouth, Samoskevich fired his NHL level wrister, and one of the two skated away credited for a goal. Rinse and repeat.
Now, though, Samoskevich has left the nest to chase NHL dreams, leaving Duke without a go-to linemate. Who exactly fills Samoskevich’s complementary shoes could be an ongoing experiment next season. Right now, I think splitting sophomore forwards Rutger McGroarty and Gavin Brindley makes the most sense, allowing McGroarty to cause ruckus with the second line and Brindley to cash in on the double trouble speed of himself and Nazar. I might be eating my words on opening night, however, because there’s no guarantee who fills that right wing spot for Duke.
Let’s switch gears to the other end of the
Compared to the offense, this defensive corps is stacked. Any time you can put another school’s captain — or an equivalent player — on your third pairing is an absolute win. These duos can defend in wave after relentless wave. But there’s still plenty to talk about:
No. 1: Will Michigan land Artyom Levshunov?
Since the Belarussian defenseman announced his intention to play D-1 hockey in his draft year, Michigan has been linked to Artyom Levshunov, along with Vermont and Michigan State. Levshunov is a hybrid defenseman with excellent skating and an all-around high-level skill set. Think of him like a large-sized Nick Blankenburg, or maybe a higher-scoring Jacob Truscott. He’s a massive add on any blue line, projected to be the first or second defenseman off the board at the draft next June.
In order for him to help Michigan, though, Naurato has to get him to commit. That’s the million dollar question. Right now, Michigan’s defense is full of high-end players, but Levshunov, as I said earlier, is a guy you grab if available. He also fills a need as a first-pair righty, which is filled by Ethan Edwards right now on his off hand.
Speaking of which:
No. 2: Where to put Ethan Edwards
Last season, now-junior defenseman Ethan Edwards had a breakout year. He played a pivotal defensive role alongside now-sophomore defenseman Seamus Casey, at times the best pairing collectively and individually on the ice.
The makeup of this roster, however, looks a little different. Michigan grabbed transfer sophomore defenseman Tyler Duke from the portal, who was Casey’s longtime partner at the US National Team Development Program. Surely, Michigan at least spins the tires on putting those two back together.
On the right side, Michigan also needs a lot of help. Casey is the best righty on the squad, followed by senior defenseman Steven Holtz and sophomore defenseman Johnny Druskinis. Sophomore defenseman Brendan Miles factors in there somewhere as well.
All that sets up an ideal situation where Edwards plays on his off hand, a la Luke Hughes. Edwards has a gifted playmaking mind, though he’s only shown it in part playing a second pairing role on the blue line. He also played the right side when Hughes was injured during the February Ohio State series last season, showing he can keep pace with the technical and physical requirements of working in reverse.
Levshunov would change the calculus, but for now, Edwards seems the likely choice to fill that right-hand spot. Senior defenseman Jacob Truscott — newly minted captain — can also play with quite literally anybody, and Edwards’ skill and mindset make him most valuable with higher minutes. Those two at the top seems the most likely scenario.
No. 3: Who’s the extra skater?
Last season, Michigan showed a tendency to rock with an extra defenseman instead of a forward. It’s harder to disrupt forward lines, and defensemen often play higher minutes. Really, it’s a math problem — there are fewer D-men to plug holes, so the extra defenseman has higher utility.
But will Michigan stick with sophomore defenseman Luca Fantilli in that role? He hardly played as the games got more important last season, quite literally riding the bench. He’s far more capable as a player than that role suggested, but he’s also on a crowded blue line. He’s not beating out Truscott, Tyler Duke and Marshall Warren for a guaranteed spot on the left.
Right now, Luca Fantilli seems the best option for extra skater, but the physical edge of Druskinis could also be valuable in tougher environments such as Notre Dame or Ohio State. If Levshunov joins, then none of this matters. One of the lefties, likely Tyler Duke, would become a rover of sorts and play the extra skater position.
But until that happens, it seems to be Luca Fantilli’s spot to lose.
No. 4: Who’s the third goalie?
You might’ve noticed “Mystery Box” under the third goalie. No, that’s not the name of an actual hockey player (though that’d be pretty sick). Rather, it’s to mark that Michigan has yet to fill the third goalie spot. Right now, senior goalie Noah West and fifth-year transfer Jacob Barczewski will be a 1A-1B tandem. However, the Wolverines need a third goalie for practice and potential injury sub purposes. No one has been linked to the Wolverines yet, likely because a transfer would require a scholarship and there are a million and one junior goalies to sort through. Michigan is probably going to tap into the junior leagues like it did with Tyler Shea last season.
The time to grab a third goalie is dwindling though — for reference, Shea joined July 12 last season. The third goalie will likely be announced any day now.
Another aspect of the question, however, is whether that’s just somebody to shoot pucks at in practice, or whether that third goalie is a usable goaltender with a long-term development path. With goaltender Stephen Peck committed to Michigan for next season, it seems that its future starter is earmarked to join the team. But the other two spots are wide open, and it’s hard to expect a freshman to play all 34 games plus the postseason. Someone needs to make up the difference.
Perhaps West takes a fifth-year and tandems with Peck, or another transfer goalie fills a stop gap need. But eventually, stop gaps fail, and Michigan can’t afford to flirt with that reality. Right now, goaltending is the Achilles heel of this roster by sheer comparison. Only time will tell how it holds up to competition next season.
So that’s a way-too-early look at what Michigan is cooking with for the fall. There are multiple variable still waiting to be sorted, but the nucleus of this roster includes plenty to be excited about.