So much could be said about Michigan hockey’s 2016-17 season, which came in off one of the best seasons in recent years that brought Michigan back in the national picture.
On March 3, it will mark the final two weekends of the regular season and for the Wolverines, it could be the final culmination of the end of a tough season.
Obviously, anything can happen in hockey and that is a true statement with any team. Unfortunately for this year’s team, they are a lot like Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde in that one game they show you a glimmer of what they can be in the future and the optimism that can sell out Yost Ice Arena but also at times, it can be hard to watch.
We do know that this year’s team isn’t last year’s team. They don’t have a freshman like Kyle Connor leading the nation in goals, a defenseman like Zach Werenski on the blue line commanding the backline or many of the other stars that made up last years experienced team. Entering this season, they lost 5 of 6 of their top scorers, experienced blue liners and offensive stars. This hockey team has 11 freshman that are mixed in with a very inexperienced hockey team that at times has showed what the possibility of the next few Michigan hockey teams could look like.
This Michigan hockey team has showed us what a little more discipline and experience could do for this team and program. They have gone toe-to-toe with some of the better teams in the NCAA this season; Union College (N.Y), Boston College and Michigan Tech (1-1-1 on the season). Consistency and experience have seemed to be a plague for the Wolverines this season where they have not swept a weekend series all season nor have they looked stellar against Big Ten opponents – they are a staggering 3-11-2 and will be facing No. 5 Minnesota and No. 11 Penn State in the final two weeks of the regular season.
Many of their players have shown potential that they could become one of the leaders of this young team.
