Michigan Hockey’s Explosive Freshman Class
The freshmen on the University of Michigan hockey team have started the season with a bang. In only one exhibition game and four regular season games, out of the top seven point scorers, freshmen make up five. Let’s look and see who they are and what they are heading for.
Adam Fantilli leads the team with a total of eight points in his four games played, Rutger McGroarty is tied for second on the team for points with six, Seamus Casey and Gavin Brindley are both tied for fifth on the team with a total five points, and T.J. Hughes takes seventh for the wolverines with four points.
To start off, Fantilli is recently 18 and will be eligible for the 2023 NHL entry draft. Fantilli has one goal, seven assists, and has a +/- of +3 this season. He is one to watch this season as he gets closer to the draft and will almost certainly be picked within the first few. Fantilli seems to find the open men and make the right plays at the right times. His hard work has been noticed, as Fantilli plays on the top line with sophomores Mackie Samoskevich and Dylan Duke.
McGroarty has one goal and five assists so far and is +4 this season. McGroarty was drafted 14th overall by the Winnipeg Jets in the 2022 entry draft and has lots of potential to keep an eye on. McGroarty has a quick shot, which he shows off quite a lot, registering lots of shots on goal, and he charges the net looking for rebounds, a quality wanted in a player.
Casey has been a surprise this early season. As a defenseman, Casey has three goals and two assists for five points and has a +/- rating of +3. Casey is tied for second on the team for goals and shoots mostly from the left circle, a place of success. Casey was drafted 46th overall by the New Jersey Devils in the 2022 draft, and based on the way he is playing, they got a steal. Although Casey can sometimes get turned around and lose track of his defensive responsibilities while the team is on offense, he is definitely one to watch, as he has great puck management and skill.
Brindley is tied with Casey at five points this season. Brindley has one goal and four assists, with a +/- rating of +3. Similar to Fantilli, Brindley just recently turned 18 and is, therefore, eligible for the 2023 NHL entry draft. It will be exciting to watch him this season as he showcases his talents for the scouts to see. Brindley is a fast player who takes control of the play and makes sure to be the man in the right spot when needed.
One of the last notable freshmen this year is TJ Hughes. Not to be confused with #43, Luke Hughes, #13 TJ Hughes is a forward who shows tremendous amounts of opportunity. Hughes has 2 goals and 2 assists this season for a total of four points. While he has a +/- rating of -1, his contributions outnumber his rating, and he does a very good job of making good passes and setting his teammates up with good plays.
The freshmen this season will be fun to watch, and with a team record of 3-1, they could be the key to a championship for the Wolverines.