There are not very many college hockey programs that can match the legacy owned by the University of Michigan. The Wolverines, aside from being the winningest program ever and having the second-most national titles, have excelled in individual player development. That tradition began under legendary coach Red Berenson and has continued in the few years since his retirement.
The best indication of how good Michigan players have been is their achievements during the NHL draft season. Recently, the Wolverines have had a steady supply of top-tier draft picks, with the best of them outlined in the list below.
C Adam Fantilli, 2022-23, 3rd Overall Pick
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Fantilli might not have had a long career with the Wolverines, but he certainly made his impact felt in his lone season in Ann Arbor. At the age of 17, Fantilli led Michigan in goals and points, playing a crucial part in the Wolverines’ earning a 26-12-3 record. He also recorded the highest plus/minus rating on the team, showing that he was clearly the team’s most valuable player.
That season was all professional teams needed to see to consider Fantilli an elite prospect. The Columbus Blue Jackets selected Fantilli, who was still 17, with the third overall pick in the 2023 NHL Draft. Despite his high draft status, the center did not start off with a bang in the NHL, as he notched a negative plus/minus while missing a handful of games thanks to injury. Things turned around in a big way in Fantilli’s sophomore season when he played all 82 games for the Blue Jackets, pouring in 31 goals and a total of 54 points, impressive marks for a 20-year-old.
It is important to remember that those numbers represent a possible early baseline of Fantilli’s career numbers. He is still only 20, and he has two seasons of professional hockey under his belt. The former Wolverine should continue to improve with each passing year as he matures and gets used to the NHL game.
C Matty Beniers, 2020-22, 2nd Overall Pick
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Much like Fantilli, Beniers was all over the professional radar by the time he was 17 years old. He had just finished his first season with Michigan, a year that did not see him produce particularly impressive stats. Regardless, Beniers’ raw talent and intangibles were obvious to everyone who watched him play, even if the statistical production had not caught up to him yet. The Seattle Kraken agreed with that view, selecting Beniers with the second overall pick in the 2021 NHL Draft.
Turning pro so young comes with a number of risks, including questions about how a player’s physical and mental development can match up with grown men in the NHL. Beniers addressed those concerns by playing another season with the Wolverines, where he produced 43 points in 37 games. Despite missing a few contests, Beniers led Michigan in total points, proving that he had taken a huge step forward since his freshman year on campus.
As one might expect from a high draft pick, Beniers immediately produced in his first full season in Seattle. Through 80 games, the center scored 57 points, playing a huge part in sending the fledgling Kraken to the postseason. At 22, Beniers continues to be one of the most valuable young, up-and-coming players in the NHL, and a massive piece of a burgeoning Kraken franchise.
D Owen Power, 2020-22, 1st Overall Pick
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In a once-in-a-lifetime occurrence, both the first and second overall picks of the 2021 NHL Draft were Michigan Wolverines. Power was selected by the Buffalo Sabres just before Beniers in a show of how talented Michigan hockey was, with both men on the team. Like Beniers, Power elected to return to Ann Arbor for one more season before turning pro to allow himself additional time to develop.
That season spent with the Wolverines worked wonders, as Power stepped into a role as an immediate contributor for the Sabres. He scored 35 points (more than he had ever scored at Michigan) while providing elite defense for Buffalo, establishing himself as one of the best young two-way defensemen in hockey. At 22, Power is another former Wolverine who seems destined for an accomplished career in the NHL.
The Michigan Pipeline
It is clear that the University of Michigan is one of the best roads for hockey players to take into the NHL. The program’s player development has been the best in the nation in the last decade, illustrated by the fact that there are more former Michigan players in the NHL than any other college.
The fact that those players are largely considered some of the best in the league also speaks volumes about the quality of Michigan hockey. All three of the men above are considered hugely important players for their teams, and others, like Quinn Hughes, are already among the best at their respective positions. With time, this generation of Wolverines will enter both their school and professional record books.
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