Rookie of the Year? CCHA to give out annual awards tonight

In past years, the CCHA awards week often brought numerous accolades to the Michigan hockey team.

But when several awards - Player of the Year, Coach of the Year, Rookie of the Year, Best Offensive Defenseman, Best Defensive Forward, Best Defensive Defenseman - are given out at the CCHA banquet tonight in Detroit, most Michigan players won't be ready to stand up and walk to the podium.

Because none of the Wolverines received CCHA first or second team honors on Monday, the prospect of any winning a bigger award seems bleak.

"Only a player on the first or second team gets best offensive defenseman and that kind of stuff," captain Bubba Berenzweig said. "It's kind of ridiculous, the second place team doesn't have a player on the first or second team."

MARGARET MYERS/Daily Freshman Mike Comrie is Michigan's best crack for an award at tonight's CCHA banquet. The center is a candidate for Rookie of the Year.

The choices, voted by the conference's coaches, catered to players who had bigger numbers than most Wolverines.

Michigan had few players near the top of almost any of the statistical categories, which likely led to its absence in Monday's announcement and will most likely prevent the Wolverines from coming home with anything more than a good meal.

But Michigan does have one of the top chances in one category not determined by the first or second team - CCHA Rookie of the Year. The conference named three Wolverines - Josh Blackburn, Mike Comrie and Jeff Jillson to its All-Rookie team, and might also give one of them an extra bonus as the best freshman of the season.

"We definitely have a chance of getting that," Berenzweig said. "We have three guys so it's a pretty good chance."

Comrie looks to be the best prospect. The freshman center finished the season sixth in league scoring. His explosive quickness on the ice gives him the edge over other candidates.

Jillson and Blackburn have history against them. Almost all Rookie of the Year candidates in past years - except for Marty Turco in 1996 - have been primarily forwards.

While Berenzweig seems modest about the idea of him winning an award, he also has a crack at the Best Offensive Defenseman award.

The senior is third on the team in points and the highest point getter overall in scoring with 29 points.

"I don't think I'm going to win," Berenzweig said. "I would have already got a tuxedo by now."

Even with probable the lack of awards, Berenzweig will choose to look at the outcome a different way.

"Maybe we're not a team of superstars," Berenzweig said. "I don't have a problem with that."

03-18-99