Brandon Naurato has built a roster that checks more boxes than any in his young tenure. The Wolverines return a forward group that led the nation in scoring in recent years, and for once, key players like Michael Hage, Will Horcoff and Jayden Perron will stick around past their junior and senior seasons. None of them are leaving for the pros just yet.
The offense has legs. Hage (13 goals, 52 points) and Perron (18 goals, 41 points) are both first-line threats. Horcoff (25 goals, 39 points) brings a high-octane scoring punch. They are joined by T.J. Hughes, who leads the way with elite production. The Wolverines are not reliant on freshmen to carry the puck.
Sophomore Jack Ivankovic was already one of the nation’s best goalies as a freshman. He posted a 25-8-1 record with a 2.15 GAA and a .921 save percentage. That’s not a fluke. Naurato has a goaltender who can carry the team in close games.
On the back end, the Wolverines lost key defenders like Tyler Duke and Luca Fantilli. But they added projected No. 1 overall pick Landon DuPont and 2025 first-rounder Cameron Reid. Both are mobile, puck-moving defenseman who should stabilize the blue line.
Core of Experience and Depth
Ben Robertson, Dakoda Rhéaume-Mullen, and the returning sophomores Asher Barnett, Drew Schock and Henry Mews form a solid core. None of them are proven shutdown D-men yet, but they’re getting better.
Garrett Schifsky, Nick Moldenhauer, Cole McKinney and Adam Valentini bring a two-way presence on the forward lines. They control face-offs, get to the net and can play physical without getting swallowed up. Naurato now has options in all game situations.
The X Factor
Freshmen Jack Nesbitt and J.P. Hurlbert are high-end recruits already signed by the Flyers and Red Wings. They should see regular time and could push the team over the edge. But they are still kids. If they struggle, the depth behind them is tested.
Are the Wolverines big enough? Are they physical enough? Those questions still linger. But the scoring, the depth and the coaching all point to a team ready to break through. Naurato has done everything he can to set it up.