Merrill, Brown on US team is proof of how well Berenson still recruits
Following some of this US hockey stuff recently in the World Junior Championships in Buffalo, it's just really interesting to me to see how well-represented Michigan is and how that makes Red Berenson look. Berenson has been around for ages, brought the team into the national spotlight, and he's picking up top players every year. Jon Merrill and Chris Brown both came from the US developmental team in Ann Arbor, and while some guys like Jack Cambell are passing up UM to go straight to the OHL, Red keeps getting the players he needs...even landed a great goalie prospect a few weeks back.
Merrill assisted on a goal last night in the US win over Finland, and Brown scored three times in the three warm-up games (the most on the team). While most of the guys are from out east or the AHL, Red has two guys who made the team, and they are the only CCHA players in it. Bravo to one of the greatest Michigan men around.
Here's a video of the US team in Buffalo. Brown steers a kid into the boards at 0:56 of the video.
December 27th, 2010 at 5:47 PM ^
and i can tell you that he his a class A person, as well as a great hockey player. Go blue
December 27th, 2010 at 6:29 PM ^
Same. Agreed. Pioneer?
December 27th, 2010 at 7:16 PM ^
when you said brown "steers a kid into the boards" i wasn't expecting to see a small child. i was expecting a hip check or something
December 27th, 2010 at 7:31 PM ^
Red can recruit well in part because no matter how many years he's actually going to stay, he can point to his staff and say "this is who you're going to work with if I'm not here." And said staff can be counted on to actually deliver and sustain the success this program has enjoyed. Under other circumstances, Billy Powers and Mel Pearson would have been head coaches themselves years ago.
Michigan Hockey is the #1 example of what to aspire to when building a college program.
December 27th, 2010 at 8:10 PM ^
I've never really had a problem with Red's recruiting classes. I feel like most people haven't. The big exception being a couple weeks ago, when he had basically Alex Guptill to replace Carl, Louie, Rust, Hogan, etc. and not that much time before signing day. But, I think ust about everybody was with me when it was mid- December and we had 2 commits, one of which was the walk-on type. Now, with Gibson and Serville, I stil think we NEED a forward (so, you know, we can field a full fourth line...) and I (obviously) really hope it's a high-skilled one, but I'm confident we'll get someone decent.
I know nobody is going to believe this and there is no reason anybody should, since I never put it down anywhere, but once Campbell de-committed and then there were rumblings that Gibson might be backing out on his OSU verbal, I had the feeling that he would come here, though by the time he committed I had pretty much lost hope. We are Michigan, with all the athletic and academic tradition that comes with that, he's NTDP and he pretty much gets to be THE guy, for Michigan Hockey, from the get-to.
Also, I REALLY wanted Jason Zucker in our last class, but until last night with the WJC I didn't realize just how well he was doing at Denver, 14 goals, to lead all freshman, in the first half. That said, I do love the team the way it is and I know they're going to be there at the end, yet again, this year and likely for many years to come.
That's all I got with recruiting complaints. Red, Mel and Billy know what they're doing.
December 27th, 2010 at 9:55 PM ^
Speaking of Red and recruiting, all he needs to do is point out his track record of getting players to the NHL. He's been successful at that his whole career. Watching the Wings-Avs game right now and the Avs have Matt Hunwick and Kevin Porter. Used to have Hensick too, but he got traded to the Blues.