The Michigan hockey team’s 2023-24 non-conference schedule isn’t quite finished, but four matchups have been finalized.

According to records accessed by The Michigan Daily through the Freedom of Information Act, Michigan has signed contracts to face four teams — home against Providence and Lindenwood and away at Massachusetts and St. Cloud State — during its non-conference season. Similar to last season, all of those non-conference games come in the first half of the season. 

Play starts off against Providence at Yost Ice Arena on Oct. 7 and 8. The deal signed in February 2023 also indicates that the Wolverines will travel to Rhode Island for a series at Schneider Arena in the 2025-26 season. The Friars ranked 24th in the Pairwise last season and won a national championship in 2015.

A week later, Michigan will fly out to Amherst to take on Massachusetts at the Mullins Center on Oct. 13 and 14. The games are part of the same contract that brought the Minutemen to Yost in January 2022. That decisive series saw the Wolverines sweep the 2021 national champions on home ice. Hockey East officials will oversee the upcoming games.

Lindenwood will also make a return trip to Ann Arbor after visiting during the 2022-23 campaign in the Lions’ inaugural season. The Wolverines are paying a $17,500 guarantee for games against Lindenwood on Oct. 27 and 28. Last year, the Lions went 7-22-1 in their first Division I campaign. They remain without a conference, which makes the series all the more meaningful for their NCAA Tournament dreams.

Finally, Michigan will kick off a home and away series agreement with St. Cloud State in 2023-24. Traveling to the Herb Brooks National Hockey Center in St. Cloud, Minnesota, the Wolverines will play two games on the road Nov. 24 and 25 to fill a weekend without conference play after Thanksgiving. 

Michigan will host the Huskies — who won the 2022 NCHC Championship and finished sixth in the Pairwise — in October 2024. As is the norm, the contract stipulates that officials and rules will follow those of the home team’s conference.

Traditionally, Michigan plays between 10 and 12 non-conference games. The Wolverines likely need to schedule at least one more series. As of this article’s publication, additional series have not been scheduled.

Likely, Michigan wants to represent more conferences in its non-conference schedule. It does not have any opponents scheduled from Atlantic Hockey, ECAC or CCHA as of this article’s publication. 

No in-state opponents have agreed to play the Wolverines yet either, as Western Michigan, Michigan Tech, Northern Michigan announced a non-conference schedule without Michigan or Michigan State earlier this year. Lake Superior State, who Michigan has faced the past two seasons, has yet to announce its full schedule. Nor has Ferris State, who the Wolverines haven’t faced since 2019 in the Great Lakes Invitational.

Which seems fitting, because the schedule for the 2023 GLI has yet to be announced. Even Michigan Tech, one of three traditional teams in the event, did not include it on its schedule release. It did, however, list it as “TBA” on a Twitter schedule calendar.

Last season, Michigan chose not to take part in the event, parting with nearly 50 years of history and its reputation as one of the traditional three teams to schedule the annual holiday tournament. That’s not to hint that the Wolverines will take part, but rather that the opportunity presents itself should the event take place.

Considering the strength of their opponents, the Wolverines have their work cut out from them before they even reach the gauntlet of Big Ten play. But that also gives Michigan an opportunity to skyrocket up the all-important Pairwise rankings. An 8-1-1 record against non-Big Ten foes helped the Wolverines secure their second consecutive 1-seed in the NCAA Tournament last season. That success also helped the larger Big Ten succeed, as it boasted the best inter-conference record of all six conferences.

As Michigan sets out to make three straight Frozen Fours for the first time since 2001-2003, it will go through some of the nation’s premier programs to do so. And with at least one more opening on the calendar, it could get stronger in the future.

This article was updated May 11 at 11:32 a.m. to add that the GLI was mentioned in a Michigan Tech tweet.

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This story was updated May 3 at 1:39 p.m. to confirm the original reports that Muckalt was leaving the Michigan hockey program. The update also included a statement from the Michigan program.

After spending six seasons behind the bench with the Michigan hockey team as an associate head coach, Bill Muckalt is leaving Ann Arbor this offseason.

College Hockey News reported Tuesday that Muckalt is leaving the Wolverines program. Michigan confirmed the departure Wednesday afternoon.

“Michigan hockey and coach Bill Muckalt have mutually agreed to part ways,” a Michigan spokesperson wrote in a statement Wednesday. “We thank him for his service to the program and he’ll always be a valued member of the Michigan hockey program.”

Muckalt’s departure represents the first front office shakeup since Michigan coach Brandon Naurato earned the long-term coaching job.

The writing has been on the wall for this move for some time. Muckalt was one of two people interviewed to take over as interim head coach of the Wolverines when former coach Mel Pearson was fired for misconduct last August. Muckalt did not earn the job despite his time as associate head coach with the program, and Michigan athletic director Warde Manuel opted to give Naurato — with one season of assistant coaching experience under his belt — the interim gig.

Naurato ran with the opportunity, and earned the full-time job after taking the Wolverines to a Big Ten tournament championship and the Frozen Four in his first year at the helm.

Muckalt leaves Ann Arbor with a 125-77-19 record as associate head coach. His experience suggests he could earn a head coach position for a different program — collegiate, junior or even minor league. He’s coached in high junior hockey and the NCAA since 2010, including four years as a Michigan Tech assistant coach and two years as coach and general manager of the USHL’s Tri-City Storm.

But with so much experience at the college level, Muckalt could also explore his professional options. NHL and AHL teams continuously hire college assistant and associate head coaches to be assistant coaches, and Muckalt’s five-year NHL playing career means he has plenty of connections to fall back on, not to mention the connections he can lean on from his time at Michigan.

Muckalt’s exit comes a year before his contract is set to expire. According to a document obtained by The Michigan Daily through an open records request, Muckalt’s three-year extension signed in August 2021 included a $230,000 salary for this upcoming season — the highest of all three years.

By opting to leave early, Muckalt forgoes that paycheck. It is unclear which party initiated the alleged exit — Michigan or Muckalt — but the move makes sense considering the upheaval of the Wolverines’ front office since last August.

How Michigan fills this opening could reveal the identity that Naurato wants his program to follow in the future. Muckalt was a crucial recruiter for Ontario-born players, as well as those in the Alberta and British Columbia junior hockey leagues. He also coached the defense, including stars like Owen Power, Quinn Hughes and Luke Hughes that built an image of Michigan as a factory for NHL-level scoring defensemen. Whoever fills Muckalt’s position could bring different recruiting tendencies.

Naurato seemingly has a blank canvas to create the Michigan program he wants. The rest of his coaching staff served the 2022-23 season on one-year agreements, essentially “prove-it” deals due to the nature of Naurato’s interim tag. Now that he’s secured the full job, and with Muckalt leaving, Naurato has the creative license to paint a proverbial picture of what he wants his program to look like.

However, that painting doesn’t include Muckalt. Instead, a different associate head coach will have to fill those open shoes.

Bill Muckalt could not be reached for comment.

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Freshman defenseman Tyler Duke may be leaving his native state of Ohio, but it’s a homecoming nonetheless.

On Saturday, Duke transferred to the No. 3 Michigan hockey team, leaving Ohio State in favor of Michigan coach Brandon Naurato’s burgeoning hockey program — and one other small facet:

His brother, sophomore forward Dylan Duke.

In addition to a little brotherly love, Tyler brings a much-needed assurance to Michigan’s blue line. A feisty defenseman, Tyler plays a two-way style that resonates on both ends of the ice. Logging 52 shots and 12 total points through 40 games of his freshman season for the Buckeyes, Tyler always made his presence known.

A presence the Wolverines hope will spark a defensive core losing key contributors during this offseason. 

The 200-foot game isn’t his only claim to fame, though. Tyler brings valued playoff experience, having been eliminated by Quinnipiac during Ohio State’s run in the Bridgeport Regional. Moreover, Tyler was a plus-four player during the Buckeyes’ playoff run, despite a 4-1 loss to the Bobcats. 

Tyler brings a level of fire that Naurato and Michigan will certainly enjoy. A physical player, the younger Duke’s 5-foot-9 frame has never once limited his ability to engage in the extracurricular activities of the sport. Described as a vocal advocate for his teammates, past and now presently for the Wolverines, Tyler will undoubtedly have an outsized role at Michigan.

However, at times teams can also feel the negative weight of that aggression. The Wolverines are certainly familiar with the 17 penalty minutes Tyler logged against them across five contests this prior season. One of which, a five minute major for kneeing, may have left a sour taste.

Nevertheless, all will have to be forgotten for Michigan as Tyler reunites with big brother Dylan for at least one more upcoming season. A homecoming, which already has both excited for what is to come.

Formerly fateful rivals on the ice, the addition of Tyler Duke to the Wolverines not only bolsters a blue line in need, but adds a little brotherly love in the process.

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It may be the offseason, but it’s been a busy day for the No. 3 Michigan hockey team. After adding senior goaltender Jacob Barczewski from Canisius less than 12 hours ago, the Wolverines added senior forward Chase Pletzke from the University of Miami (OH).

A defensive specialist, Pletzke played all four years for the RedHawks, appearing in 20 games during the 2022-2023 season. Pletzke looks to play a stable role for Michigan in the future. The forward played over 100 games across his career as a defensive stalwart.

“I can’t thank Miami Hockey for all they have done for the past four years,” Pletzke said in a Twitter announcement. “With that being said, I’m excited for my next chapter with [Michigan hockey].”

Pletzke’s offensive contributions may not be where he excels, not logging a single point this past season, but his role often works best on the other end. The Wolverines hope Pletzke’s defensive presence as a projected bottom-six forward will lend itself to a penalty-kill unit that had its blemishes last season.

With a variety of departing senior leadership, Michigan adds another veteran presence that fits Wolverines coach Brandon Naurato’s systems.

And after a busy offseason day for Michigan, it hopes to go to bed stronger than it woke up.

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The No. 3 Michigan hockey team’s goaltending room just got deeper.

On Thursday, the Wolverines added senior goaltender Jacob Barczewski from Canisius out of the transfer portal. A four year starter for the Golden Griffins, this season he led Canisius to an NCAA tournament bid where it was eliminated by then No. 1 Minnesota in the first round.

The two-time Golden Griffin hockey team MVP (2021, 2022) provides a breath of fresh air into a Michigan program searching for a steady-handed replacement for departing junior goaltender Erik Portillo. Moreover, with current freshman goaltender Tyler Shea in the transfer portal himself, more depth never hurts.

With one year of eligibility left, Barczewski looks to serve as a bridge goaltender towards the Wolverines’ future.

And in that one year, Barczewski looks to make an immediate impact. Boasting a .918 save percentage, coupled with a 2.65 goals against average for the 2022-2023 season, Barczewski was the bedrock of a competitive Canisius team that caught fire down the stretch of last season.

Though the starting job is never assured, Michigan returns junior goaltender Noah West and are awaiting incoming freshman Marcus Brännman. But Barczewski’s leadership history has proven successful at the collegiate level, making him an attractive candidate for the Wolverines’ day one starter.

For now though, Michigan can breathe a sigh of relief in adding an experienced goaltender to a still-developing room.

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After losing two top pairing defensemen this offseason, the Michigan hockey team has found an addition to its blue line.

Marshall Warren, a defenseman and captain of Boston College, announced his commitment to play his fifth year of eligibility at Michigan. The announcement came within hours of senior defenseman Keaton Pehrson transferring to North Dakota, as reported by The Grand Forks Herald.

A left-handed defenseman who played four seasons with the Eagles, Warren brings versatility and top-four depth to the Wolverines’ blue line. Across 130 games with Boston College, he scored 20 goals and assisted on 37 more while collecting two Hockey East championships. In 2019, the Minnesota Wild selected him with a sixth-round pick in the NHL Draft. 

That all suggests he could prove an upgrade to the current top-four depth of Michigan’s defense corps. With Pehrson leaving — a top pairing defenseman who played above his skill set this season — a job on the top pairing seemingly opened up. Warren projects to fill that. Alongside rising senior defenseman Jacob Truscott, rising junior defenseman Ethan Edwards and rising sophomore defenseman Seamus Casey, the Wolverines’ blue line projects to be chock full of quality options.

It should also be full of leaders, including Warren. Just seven upperclassmen — three juniors and four seniors — are projected to be on the roster next season barring further changes. Warren adds key fifth-year experience to help lead a young team, not to mention his leadership as a captain for Boston College this past season.

Warren marks Michigan’s first pickup from the transfer portal, while three of its players remain in it. Freshman goaltender Tyler Shea and senior forwards Nick Granowicz and Eric Ciccolini entered the transfer portal since Michigan lost in the Frozen Four. All are still eligible to return to the Wolverines’ program.

While Michigan’s final roster for the 2023-24 season is far from complete, Warren marks a major addition to its strength.

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After two seasons with the Michigan hockey team, Mackie Samoskevich is off to the National Hockey League.

The sophomore forward and 2021 first-round pick of the Florida Panthers signed a professional tryout agreement with the Charlotte Checkers, the Panthers’ AHL farm team on Tuesday, forgoing his remaining two years of NCAA eligibility in the process. He finished his Wolverines career with 30 goals and 42 assists across 79 games played.

Known for his blistering shot, Samoskevich played a key role in Michigan’s back-to-back Big Ten championships and Frozen Four appearances. Primarily playing on the wing opposite sophomore forward Dylan Duke, the dynamic duo became a mainstay of the Wolverines’ offense. Samoskevich’s tendency to shoot perfectly complemented Duke’s rebounding prowess at the netfront.

But now, Michigan will have to replace that production as a vital piece of the duo has reached the professional ranks. 

Samoskevich was the Wolverines’ last remaining first-round pick of the historic 2021 NHL Draft that saw four Wolverines picked in the top-five slots, with Samoskevich’s  24th overall selection later in the first round accounting for five picks in the same draft. He is the second player from his family to reach the professional ranks; his sister, Melissa, plays for Premier Hockey Federation’s Connecticut Whale.

While Samoskevich played largely third-line minutes in his freshman year and put up a respectable 29 points, his sophomore season saw a massive leap in production as he put up 43 points including 20 goals. One of those was an overtime winner in the Allentown Regional to punch Michigan’s ticket to the Frozen Four.

All that suggests that replacing Samoskevich’s talent will be a difficult task for the Wolverines. He becomes the third Wolverine to sign a professional deal, following sophomore defenseman Luke Hughes leaving for the NHL’s New Jersey Devils and junior goaltender Erik Portillo signing an ATO with the LA Kings’ farm team, the Ontario Reign.

After playing his last game in Tampa — a hard-to-stomach loss to Quinnipiac in the Frozen Four — Samoskevich will now explore his professional options in that same state.

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After three years at Michigan, junior goaltender Erik Portillo has officially joined the Los Angeles Kings organization, signing an amateur tryout agreement with the AHL’s Ontario reign and forgoing his remaining NCAA eligibility.

Originally drafted by the Buffalo Sabres in the third round of the 2019 NHL Draft, Portillo’s draft rights were traded to the Kings in March 2023 for another third round pick. By signing a tryout with Ontario, Portillo seems poised for an NHL contract this offseason in a similar manner to past Wolverines Thomas Bordeleau and Brendan Brisson.

Portillo, originally hailing from Gothenburg, Sweden, joined the Wolverines in the 2020-21 season and started as the backup to former goaltender Strauss Mann. In his sophomore season, Portillo broke out, posting a .926 save percentage and a 2.14 goals against average all while leading the nation in saves. Those numbers made him a Mike Richter Award semifinalist, Big Ten Goaltender of the Year semifinalist and the most outstanding player at the Big Ten Tournament.

In his second year as the starter, Portillo’s numbers saw a slight regression, but Michigan saw similar success. Again, it won the Big Ten Championship with Portillo between the pipes, and again it made the Frozen Four behind his stout goaltending. 

With Portillo’s NCAA career over, the Wolverines will be forced to find another goalie to take Portillo’s place. Portillo’s backup, Noah West, is currently in the transfer portal, but he may return, and Michigan already has landed a skilled goalie recruit in Marcus Brannman.

With Portillo’s collegiate career now in the rearview mirror, he leaves behind two straight Big Ten Tournament championships, two Frozen Four appearances and 60 wins. 

That also leaves big shoes to fill — and who exactly fills them is still up in the air.

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After two years with the Michigan Hockey team, sophomore defenseman Luke Hughes has officially inked a three-year entry-level contract with the New Jersey Devils, per a statement released by the Devils Saturday. He will immediately begin the process of transitioning to the NHL, forgoing his final two years of NCAA eligibility. 

Hughes comes from a long line of NHL talent, with his older brothers Jack, the No. 1 pick in the 2019 NHL draft, and Quinn, a former Michigan defenseman who now plays for the Vancouver Canucks. 

Forgoing the remainder of his NCAA eligibility, Hughes will now join both in the NHL, and Jack in New Jersey.

After being drafted by New Jersey with the fourth overall pick in 2021, Hughes came to Ann Arbor as a highly touted member of a Wolverines team that featured four of the top five picks in that same draft. And despite being surrounded by so many other stars, Hughes still managed to shine through with his speed, elusive skating and powerful shot, making him a highly effective offensive defenseman. In his freshman campaign, Hughes totaled 17 goals, 22 assists and was named one of the 10 finalists for the Hobey Baker award.

Hughes opted to return for the 2022-2023 season, and after healing from an offseason injury, he immediately made an impact for the Wolverines. But in the second half of the season, he really began to pick up speed with seven of his 10 goals and 30 of his 48 points coming after the winter break. Notably, Hughes scored four goals to complete a three goal comeback against Penn State on Jan. 28, and won the ‘Duel in the D’ with a dramatic goal in overtime with 0.6 seconds left on the clock.

As Michigan’s season came to a close at the hands of Quinnipiac in the Frozen Four, so too did Hughes’ career. As a premier talent, a high end offensive defenseman and an assistant captain important in shaping the Wolverines’ culture, Hughes’ career at Michigan has been nothing short of impactful.

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TAMPA, Fla. — After leading the nation with 65 points, freshman forward Adam Fantilli is officially receiving his flowers. 

After earning first team All-American status and Tim Taylor Rookie of the Year earlier in the day, the Hobey Baker Committee announced Friday that Fantilli has been awarded the Hobey Baker Award, given to the top player in college hockey. Fantilli is the third Michigan hockey team player to ever take home the award, following Brendan Morrison in 1997 and Kevin Porter in 2008. Fantilli is also just the third freshman to ever win the award in its history. 

All season long, Fantilli dazzled, leading the Wolverines to a Big Ten Championship and a Frozen Four berth. He paced the nation with 30 goals, and ranked fifth in the country with 35 assists.

Always looking like the best player on the ice no matter who he faced, Michigan coach Brandon Naurato and the Wolverines called Fantilli for Hobey a no-brainer.

“He dominates games,” Naurato said March 29. “He’s the best player in college hockey.”

Beyond simple counting stats, Fantilli’s presence for Michigan is hard to fully quantify. The Wolverines went 25-9-3 with Fantilli in the lineup, and just 2-3 without him.

Despite his dominant play on the ice, arguments against Fantilli included knocks on his character, claiming that with a game misconduct penalty and a game disqualification against Michigan State in February, he didn’t live up to the Hobey’s high standards. 

But those arguments weren’t enough for the Commitee. And because of it, he’ll return to Ann Arbor as the third Hobey Baker winner in program history. 

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