By Mark Snyder
Daily Sports Editor
When Michigan hockey coach Red Berenson looks in the mirror each morning, he must wonder if someone is out to get him. In four of the last five seasons, his team has reached the ultimate college hockey showcase: the national semifinals.
But only once - in 1996 - has his team returned with the national championship.
Last season, Michigan again came up a game short of the championship, falling to Boston University in the semifinals, 3-2.
If resiliency is Berenson's forte, then this season should be a great opportunity to demonstrate his skills.
Michigan graduated nine seniors who rewrote the program's record book, and now comes the time to replace the departures.
Headed by the recruiting efforts of assistant coaches Mel Pearson and Billy Powers, the freshman class taking the ice in Ann Arbor this winter will be one of the largest in the nation.
The class consists of the seven players who signed in the winter recruiting season, along with the three who were added in the spring.
Each of the freshmen adds a separate dimension to the program, but all also have a common bond with respect to college hockey - inexperience.
The new 10-member outfit will be hard-pressed to duplicate the feats of the class of 1997.
Among the departing seniors was Hobey Baker Award-winner Brendan Morrison.
While Morrison graduated as Michigan's all-time point-scoring leader, it will be his leadership as captain that will be hard to replace in the upcoming year.
That unenviable task falls to Matt Herr, selected by his teammates as Morrison's successor to the captainship.
Herr, Michigan's top returning goal scorer, tallied 52 points last season, while leading Michigan in goals for much of the season.
But it was his play on the penalty kill that earned him rave reviews.
Herr, who plays on the Michigan baseball team in the hockey offseason, tallied five shorthanded goals, second only to NCAA career leader John Madden, who had eight.
While Herr's 6-foot-2, 195-pound frame is well-designed for shouldering the load, he will have talented teammates helping ease the burden.
Bill Muckalt resisted the lure of the NHL and will serve as the assistant captain for Michigan.
Muckalt is no stranger to the spotlight.
For the last two seasons, he has skated on Michigan's top line with departed stars Morrison and Jason Botterill, gaining valuable experience.
But it is one of Muckalt's fellow seniors who has been essential in Michigan's reign atop the CCHA for the last four seasons.
Throughout Michigan's national championship and two national semifinal appearances, Marty Turco was in net, keeping the games close until the All-America forwards in front of him could score a timely goal.
Herr believes the talent remaining on the team can take this team to previous heights.
"Next year, we'll look at the leadership (the former seniors) gave," Herr said. "We're going to look for that next year. Guys like Ritchlin, Crozier and that whole sophomore class, we're going to need them, because (the new seniors) are a small class."
WARREN ZINN/Daily
While extraordinary talents were typical of Mike Legg and his senior mates, their departure leaves
a significant void. The Wolverines will need to replace nearly 60 percent of the offense.
Large skates to fill ...
Recruits
| Name | Position | Height | Weight | Previous Team(League) |
| Scott Crawford | Defense | 6-0 | 185 | Bramalea (Provinical Junior A) |
| David Huntzicker | Defense | 6-4 | 190 | Compuware |
| Troy Kahler | Right wing | 6-0 | 185 | Thornhill (Metro Junior A) |
| Geoff Koch | Left wing | 6-2 | 190 | Exeter, NH |
| Mark Kosick | Center | 5-11 | 175 | Victoria (British Columbia Junior) |
| Josh Langfeld | Forward | 6-3 | 200 | Lincoln (U.S. Hockey League) |
| Scott Matzka | Center/Wing | 5-11 | 175 | Omaha (U.S. Hockey League) |
| Bill Trainor | Forward | 6-0 | 180 | Des Moines (U.S. Hockey League) |
| Ryan VanBuskirk | Defense | 6-1 | 190 | Petrolia (Western Junior B) |
| Mike VanRyn | Defense | 6-1 | 185 | London (Western Junior B) |
Returning scholarship players:
Defensemen
| Chris Fox (senior) |
| Bubba Berenzweig (junior) |
| Sean Peach (sophomore) |
| Kevin Magnuson (sophomore) |
| Matt Herr (senior) |
| Bill Muckalt (senior) |
| Greg Crozier (junior) |
| Sean Ritchlin (junior) |
| Bobby Hayes (junior) |
| Dale Rominski (junior) |
| Justin Clark (junior) |
| Andrew Merrick (sophomore) |
| Marty Turco (senior) |
| Gregg Malicke (senior) |
Summer Orientation 1997
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