By Mark Snyder
Daily Sports Editor
While Brendan Morrison pines away his days waiting to settle a contract dispute with the New Jersey Devils and Jason Botterill sits around hoping to come to terms with the Dallas Stars, the team they used to play for is attempting to fill the gaping holes they left behind.
The Michigan hockey team inked three more players in the spring signing period to increase the size of the class to a whopping 10 freshmen.
"I think we've addressed a lot of our needs," Michigan coach Red Berenson said. "But we'll have to wait and see on the ice how they develop."
The new additions to the recruiting class all hail from the United States, including two from the state of Michigan. Assistant coaches Mel Pearson and Billy Powers spent a significant part of last year scouring North America in search of talent to replace one of the finest classes in Michigan history.
"In some cases, these are kids you watch as the season goes on," Berenson said. "They emerge as good players later, rather than sooner."
One of those players was Josh Langfeld, whose talents expanded as the season progressed.
From the Lincoln Stars of the United States Hockey League, Langfeld brings a physical presence to Michigan. The departure of Botterill and Warren Luhning, Michigan's two largest forwards, left a gap on the top two lines.
Langfeld, who stands 6-foot-3 and weighs 200 pounds, should provide a presence in the crease for rebound goals.
His regular season numbers with Lincoln (35 goals and 23 assists in only 38 games) certified his ability as a top-flight forward.
"Langfeld was an unknown player," Berenson said. "Nobody really realized this kid was going to be a blue-chipper.
"He'll be one of the players who will come in and be a good player from day one."
One of the most significant aspects of Langfeld's addition is Michigan's ability to draw players from hockey hotbeds like Minnesota.
Another player who could provide a scoring touch for Michigan is forward Bill Trainor.
Trainor is a Canton, Mich., native who fled the state this season to play in Des Moines, Iowa, in the USHL.
His balanced scoring (20-24 - 44) should supply some of the firepower Michigan lost following the graduation of the nine seniors.
In contrast to last season, when more than 90 percent of Michigan's offense returned following the national championship season, a mere 40 percent of the points will be returning to Yost this winter.
The discrepancy on offense is significant, but success at the defensive end has been the key to Michigan's dominance in the CCHA in the 1990s.
On average, Michigan goaltender Marty Turco faced only 25 shots per game, but that was with senior defensemen Blake Sloan and Harold Schock as the last line of defense.
With half of the defensive corps also gone to graduation (Peter Bourke and Chris Frescoln left as well), Michigan sought an intimidating blueliner to fill one of the vacancies.
Michigan didn't even need to leave the city limits to corral David Huntzicker.
Huntzicker, a native of Ann Arbor, fits the bill of a burly defenseman with his 6-3, 190-pound frame. In the mold of Frescoln, he will be expected to use his size to his physical advantage while keeping shots away from Turco.
MARGARET MYERS/Daily
WIth the departure of forward Jason Botterill, Michigan was forced to recruit sizable players. Both Josh Langfeld and David Huntzicker fit that bill.
06-04-97
should be sent to: daily.letters@umich.edu | should be sent to: online.daily@umich.edu |