With the loss of both graduated players and ones that decided to leave early, the University of Michigan hockey team will likely be in a rebuilding mode this upcoming season. The team lost senior star forward T.J. Hensick and standout senior defenseman Matt Hunwick; they were among the deep graduating class that won’t be with the team next fall. Michigan also lost phenom defenseman Jack Johnson, who signed with the L.A. Kings right after the team’s loss in the NCAA Regional game and forward Andrew Cogliano, who signed this summer with the Edmonton Oilers.

Johnson leaving is no surprise as many doubted he would even return for his sophomore season at U of M after his terrific freshmen season. Cogliano is somewhat of a surprise, given that there were really no whispers of him leaving and the fact that any futures/prospect magazine that came out, gave no indication that Cogliano would stay less than four years in Ann Arbor.

With so many players leaving, the team will be left with few key players, forcing some players to take on bigger roles. The first one of those players must be junior goaltender Billy Sauer, who played two years in the Maize and Blue now under a team that offers plenty of depth and firepower. This upcoming season, it will Sauer’s job to make sure Michigan gets back to the NCAA tournament and also challenge for the CCHA regular season and playoff championship. He has steadily improved since coming to the Wolverines as a 17-year-old freshman and must take even bigger strides this season if the team has any chance of accomplishing those goals. Kevin Porter had a near Hobey Baker season playing alongside senior and fellow Hobey hopeful, Hensick, last season. This year Porter will be looked to supply Michigan’s offense and also be the leader in the locker room as he will be the team’s captain this upcoming season.

The schedule this year will not help them out any. All the while playing in the annual College Hockey Showcase against Wisconsin and Minnesota on Thanksgiving weekend and the Great Lakes Invitational during the winter break, the team will play in the Icebreaker Tournament against Boston College and either Minnesota or another powerhouse team to start the season. While the team usually plays a lighter schedule stacked with home games to start the season, it will be interesting to see how the team responds to a tough tournament on the road to start the season.