Can Michigan Handle Denver? | Maize and Blue Breakaway EP 2

[Michigan hockey fans, it’s time for the Maize and Blue Breakaway podcast with your host, Billy Jaffe. All right. Well, we’ve uh we made it through the first week. We are back together for the second week on the Maize and Blue Breakaway, a Michigan hockey pod brought to you by the Hail Media Group. Welcome in everybody. Billy Jaffe. Uh back again with Max Shuart and Nolan De Jong. Guys, great to have you back. We had a lot of fun last week and as we grow this show, we’re going to keep having even more fun. All right. And the Michigan Wolverines, speaking of having fun, the hockey team winning.

Now, we’re going to pump breaks a little bit just, you know, with and be respectful of the opponent, but this was a different type of opponent for the team as they took it to Alaska. Used to be Alaska Anchorage. Now it’s just Alaska, right? Or am I am I off on that one? I could be off. I think it’s fair, isn’t it? I think Fairbanks is just Alaska and then it’s Alaska Anchorage still. Okay, so Anchorage paid for the they paid for the extra vow, so to speak, right? They they got they got the Alaska Anchorage in there. Uh Anchorage has had a tough start to the season, but I give them credit, guys. They go to Denver.

They they play they take on Denver or they they they take on Denver the first week and then they go to Michigan. Not bad. Not bad at all. I mean, you got to have respect for that. Um, and Michigan took it to him 10-1 and 7-2. And we will talk about the series, but we’ll talk more about just overall big picture stuff. We’re not going to go through goals or anything. Although, there were a couple of absolute beauties that happened in it. But, uh, we’ll just talk about the meaning of it and and where this team is at heading into the mega series, the big one, right, as they go to Denver to take on DU. Please folks, remember to like and subscribe to the show um as soon as you can.

We had a real nice turnout for the first show. We appreciate the downloads and and the views and stuff. So, please continue to do that as we grow this how. Maize and Blue Breakaway. Uh so we can bring you a Michigan Hockey Pod weekly and bring you the best show possible. All right, guys. Um Nolan, I’ll start with you just from a I guess an overall big picture hockey perspective. Give me a couple of things. You know, one or two things you really liked about what you saw from the Wolverines last weekend. Well, I think you saw we talked about last pod was the leaders leading the way. Like Jaden Perron and Michael Hage. Like they were unbelievable. Pon’s got seven goals in four games.

Not a not that’s more goals than I had in my entire career, by the way, and he’s done it in four games. Um, but I like to see some of the depth scoring. Like Cole McKenna had himself a nice weekend. Drew Shocks coming out of kind of coming out of the woodwork. he’s already got six points this year, which is great to see. So, just kind of seeing some of the depth I think was nice. Obviously, you have your high-end guys, but when you outscore um when you outscore Alaska like they did, it’s the big guys are going to get them goals and and but I like to see it kind of distributed throughout the lineup a little bit more. , 1 secondUm still have some questions around the power play because I think like I said, they scored a lot of goals.

The power play is still clicking at about 25% which is good. Um, but Shuy, if you remember our junior year, I think that one with the CCM line with uh Compher Kyle and uh Mo and Morenky, I think they were clicking at like a 40 to 50% click for a while. Like it was insane. Not I just got to watch from the bench and basically I wouldn’t even stand up and watch cuz I’m like they’re going to score. So I that’s kind of the expectations I have for this this group and for the units they could put together. So, I’m curious to see how they um how they do against some a greater competition in Denver. Yeah.

To your point about the power play, you know, Nolan, I think for the point of the power play, watching it at times maybe, you know, less is more. I know it’s cliche, right, in hockey, you know, sometimes the simple plays better when they when they do set up the oddman situations. They get a little triangle formation, they go low to high, they bump it back to the middle. It works great. They’ve also scored a few goals, guys, from the flank, right? They’re not afraid, like Hage is not afraid. Perron’s not afraid to shoot from the deep in the flank on that side. But I think at times watching it maybe a little too much movement, a little too much a little too fine at times.

Would you would you guys agree, Shy? Would you agree with that? Yeah, certainly, Billy. I think you’re definitely on to something there. And I mean, you look at a weekend like this, which we’ll we’ll of course dive into a little bit more, but you know, 10 to2, 7 to2, I think some of these things uh just come naturally in a game like that. I mean, thinking back to to our own career, Nol. And I I used to love when we’d go up big on a team so we could needle red to get PP3 on the [laughter] ice to uh to get a chance with the man down. So, you know, maybe maybe it wasn’t always the usual suspects this weekend, but I think that’s bang on.

And then maybe to add to that, right, I mean, this is a uh there’s only one puck type situation, too. I mean, everybody wants to get on the score sheet, especially on a weekend like this. You know, they’re, to your point, not afraid to let it fly, but sometimes you do just got to settle it down, get back to that system, and I’m sure that’s one of a handful of things that the coaching staff took away from that game to apply to practice this week, right? I mean, again, coming off a weekend like that, not a ton uh ton of negatives you can take away. I mean, I wonder what the film session looked like for the team, but um among other things, they can kind of regroup on that power play.

And, you know, it’s funny. Hey, I mean, we’re talking about a power play that’s scored three goals on the weekend. You know, that’s normally everybody’s uh patting themsel on the back. So, just tells you the expectations that that unit has and be excited to see some adjustments that they make heading into this huge series coming up. And one of the things that has to be taken out of it, you know, the power play doesn’t always have to score, but at least it has to scare the the crap out of you if you’re the opponent. Like, we can’t take more penalties against these guys, right? it. There’s a mindset to it. So, at the very least, get your chances, right? That’s it.

Like, hem them in their own zone, tire them out, create opportunities, you for both units out there, and then I think that the power play, of course, you want to see it score, but I think more almost as much importance because you guys like look a really good power play, I mean, I’m talking a really good one at this level or the NHL level is 30%. Now, a very good one is in the mid20s, right? And so you’re like, hey, if you get four power plays a game and you score one of them, you’re doing your job then. But the other three, what you just don’t want to do, right, fellas, is to see it take away any momentum.

Especially for your high-end players, those guys, they kind of need their cookies. They kind of need that mindset of all right, we can score or at least we can hem the guys in there. And if they start, you know, flubbing it a bit, I think it bleeds into the five on five play. I’m assuming you guys have seen that in your days playing too. Yeah. And I’ve like watching the power plays. One thing that stood out to me was um kind of the I think a bit of a different role that Landon DuPont’s playing compared to what he was used to maybe playing in the WHL. Um because so much of it runs through Perron and Hage. Like Dupont’s kind of a secondary option in a way.

He’s he’s playing as the quarterback, but they don’t from what I saw it wasn’t always a traditional DuPont distributing to his flanks on his left and on his right. A lot of times he’s dragging it over to the right side, dishing it back to whoever may be, whether it’s Verhoeff or Hage or Perron. I mean, you go down the list and they’re kind of facilitating things with that high curl and then attacking down on the on the dot and he’s kind of acting as almost like a relief valve if that option isn’t there to then come to the other side.

Whereas I think Dupont, and I didn’t watch a lot of his games when he was playing in the WHL, but I’d have to imagine he was the facilitator and the catalyst for all the offense when he was playing in junior. So he was the boss. He was the boss. Exactly. He was He was the guy. He was the guy and deservedly so. He’s incredibly talented. I mean, he’s still We talk about the expectations. The kids got five assists in four games. Like he’s doing he’s doing great things out there playing. But I just You talk about miles to feed and I think that’s something to keep in mind is okay. Okay, so maybe you have Hage and Perron and and Verhoeff as kind of the guys on that one.

Maybe you stick like Drew Shock. He’s had a really hot start on that unit. Let Dupont kind of be more of a facilitator and a traditional quarterback, power play quarterback on that second unit, distribute it out. But I think last pod we talked about how I mean a lot of these a lot of these guys now, they’re staying out there for a minute and a half on a power play. You have your kind of your 1A unit who’s going to log most of that ice time and then you’re kind of giving the scraps to the other guys. So that’s going to be I think a tale that we’re going to hear a lot about all year is how do we make sure that everyone’s getting fed and everyone’s kind of pulling the rope the same direction.

And talk about a good problem to have right for this Michigan coaching staff. Uh coach Brandon Naurato kind of licking his chops in the office I’m sure thinking of the the different combinations he can put together for this power play. But I think that’s bang on Nolan in terms of the the one puck situation. You know a lot of guys want to want to get that opportunity on the power play, right? I mean the other team literally has one less guy. So much better opportunity to score. But I mean, Billy, I think you’re pulling the right thread as well in terms of the momentum. I mean, momentum is everything in these games.

Again, you know, Michigan out to a big lead, scoring I’m 26 seconds into the the first game on Friday, but I mean, coming up, uh, you know, not to look ahead too far on our show, but, uh, in a game against a team like Denver, I mean, these momentum swings are everything. So, when you do get that power play opportunity, absolutely. You know, test the goalie, get some action down in their end. And then I’ve always thought about But I mean, the shifts around a power play, right? I mean, coming out of a power play is a huge point in the game. I mean, that totally kind of resets things. Who’s going to take over control?

And I mean, thinking of myself as a non-p power play guy, it was always nice to know, you know, those guys are going out, so you’re up next, right? I mean, you’re getting that shift after the power play. So, it’s a time to go and uh seize onto the momentum that in these big games is is absolutely critical in college hockey. But yeah, Billy to without beating the power play point to like a dead horse. It’s uh I think on the whole I think you have to be happy with the way that Michigan played last weekend. You saw a bit of a let down the first weekend on that Saturday game against Bowling Green.

So I’m glad that for lack of a better term they kind of put kind of stepped on their throat and they were like enough’s enough. We’re going to kind of just show you what Michigan’s all about. Um there was didn’t seem to be much of a let down emotionally or on the ice. So, I think that bodess well going into a week of practice and that’s what I’m kind of curious about. Um, Billy, it’s me and Shuy know what it was like to go into a week of practice after maybe a bit of a softer weekend, but knowing that you have a big game up ahead, like what was that like for you? Like what were your experiences like?

Were you getting was red all over you guys or did the guys kind of handle it themselves? Like what was that what was that week leading up like? Well, I I I’ll tell you this, Nolan. It was first of all, we didn’t roll over teams like this. We we didn’t have that that luxury, but I tell you for big games cuz you knew a lot of the games were big, but there was obvious I mean Michigan State huge. Um Ohio State wasn’t as much of a rival, but it was still it still big. You know, Big 10, even though it was CCHA, then you had those games going and had a little extra meaning, but the big games, Nolan, Tuesdays were tough.

Yeah, I don’t know about you guys, but Tuesdays were long practices for us. They were make ice. Oh, the double bounce. Yeah. Yes, the doubles, right? Make make ice in between. Come back down there. Feel like, okay, you know, you’re getting some skating in at some point. Obviously, uh Tuesdays were long, but it helped set it. But, you know, we had such, you know, great guys around that were helping build the program that uh whether it was a guy like Todd Bro or or Miles Okconor. And I I I I want to say deepest condolences to the Okconor family. I Miles unfortunately passed away this past week. So to Miles and to Logan and and the entire Okconor family.

Um I personally and all of Michigan hockey. Um significantly thinking of all you folks. So just wanted to get that out there. So thanks guys. Um but great leaders at that time, Nolan, right? And so they were building programs. We had seniors that were seeing the program rise up. And so before big games they were leading by example whether it was a Brad McCauy or Joe Lockwood etc. I can go down the list of a lot of guys. So so the practices were tough but you know it was a a program in transition at that time. So I think Nolan that it was really about every weekend and I know it’s kind of cliche bud but every week there was kind of something to prove but of course you got up even more internally right for the big big ones.

Um that was just how it was at at our time. And you know the practices like every else Wednesday uh Thursday was a lot of special teams but you know Wednesday sometimes were a little bit more too than like not as long as Tuesdays but they were they were longer. But um there was just a little more jump and I think that’s the way it is for all guys. I mean this is just phenomenal this series that’s coming up against Denver. Just phenomenal like this has got everybody salivating to see what happens. These are two teams that are are really I mean you got number one in the country and number two, right? DU and and then U of M.

Um but what’s so interesting is how deep the freshman class uh is for both and in particular the freshman D for both teams. You already mentioned Dupont. You know, you got Muse with Michigan and I know Muse is a sophomore, but let’s face facts. He only played what nine 10 games last year. So, it’s kind of like his first year times two. And then you got four guys for Denver, high picks, whether it’s Ryan Lynn or Ben MacBeath or you’ve got uh the Fiddler kid, Blake Fiddler, who’s 6’5 and growing still, right? I mean, these kids all played in the Western League. So, this is this has got an amazing this has got such a great script, Shuy, for this weekend series coming up. Oh, boy.

Does it ever? Right. I mean, uh, you know, you think about when the schedule gets released every year, to your point, Billy, about some of those big games. I mean, this is one that I’m sure the boys took a Sharpie to right away and said, “We want to go here.” Because, I mean, this is a huge modern rivalry, right? I mean, Michigan versus Denver, these are two teams. Michigan that’s been absolutely knocking on the door the last handful of years. Denver, uh, going ahead and getting it done. I mean, what David Carle’s been able to do in his time as the head coach of Denver is, I mean, nothing short of unbelievable, right? the national championships, the Frozen Four appearances, and I mean, talk about a rivalry again.

I mean, this team, uh, our fans will recall, took down Michigan in overtime in the most recent Frozen 4, two years before that in 2024, also beat Michigan in overtime, right? So, I mean, these are two teams with some recent history. And, uh, you know, it’s going to be an exciting one. I mean, how often do you see the one verse two matchup in the third week of the season? So, this has it all, right? I mean the high-flying defenseman we’re talking about some of these huge names NHL ready type players on both sides and then of course you go up to the forward lines in net.

I mean both of these teams are the complete picture and two teams that expect to be in Washington DC come the end of this season. So this matchup has everything and we’ll see what Michigan’s got for their first uh true road series of the season. I do love that from from NAR like yeah it’s so rare that you get a one versus two out of conference. um especially in the third weekend of the year. Like this is going to be unreal. Like you see so much of the discourse around football. It’s like teams kind of playing cupcake schedules until they get into conference play because that’s just kind of the structure of the college football playoff.

But I love that hockey still has this where yeah, of course you’re going to play some out of conference, maybe play some Atlantic hockey teams or maybe some teams that aren’t quite on the same level as the Big 10. But I love that they’re just kind of going head on and going, “All right, let’s just let’s duke this out right now and figure out who’s who.” And um I think another good story line is , 1 secondyeah, David Carle, a lot of talk around him this spring like is he going to go to the NHL? Is he going to go coach the Leafs? He’s like it’s he was one of the biggest names in the market.

So, I think you’re going to see a lot more of that, too, which is maybe a topic for another podcast with um with Coach Nar and uh Nightengale at Michigan State. Like, these guys are building such incredible programs. Like, I wonder at what point does the draw to go coach professionally, maybe get a little too strong, but I like that Carl came back and he kind of sees what he’s building at at Denver the same way that that Coach Naurato is doing the same thing at at Michigan. But, um I want to talk about Ryan Lynn real quick.

My So my brother played in Portland in the WHL and he’s um right now working for the WHL head office in Calgary and he’s talked about this Ryan Lind kid cuz we talked about how good San Jose’s draft was this past year. Yes. Um and he every single time I bring it up cuz Verhoeff he played for the Victoria Royals which is where I’m from. So I have a little bit of a connection to that and guys that I know from back home seeing him play when he was 16 17. Uh, but my brother was raving about this Ryan Lynn kid and going if I think he got I think he might have got hurt a little bit maybe in the second half of the year which maybe his stock fell a little bit but my brother just is adamant that this kid’s a top 10 talent and they got San Jose got him at like the 21st pick in the first round.

So he’s a guy to keep an eye on and that’s not to mention Dax Rudolph like he lit up the dub last year like they’re Yeah, you go down the list it’s like this team’s loaded in kind of the same way that Michigan is. So, it’s just going to be two Giants just just stepping into the ring and and duking it out. And I can’t wait to watch it. It’s going to be interesting. And they they both have goalenders last year. They had excellent years. Obviously, the Johnny Hicks kid. Sorry to bring up his name, how good he was, you know, in that semi-final game. 180 and1 during the regular season of 1.19 goals against nine almost a 96 save percent. So, amazing numbers.

But Ivankovic for the Wolverines, you know, Jack was tremendous too guys. But the D Cruz, Michigan does have a tad more experience given the four freshman that are playing for DU. We’ll see if that makes a difference in a series like this. We always talk or you hear that Shuy and Nolan about, you know, come NCA tournament time because it’s a oneandone how usually the older teams have an advantage, especially as the tournament moves on just from their physical size and just kind of their emotional state. But this this is a battle of the young Titans, right? So many young players. But you’re talking Nolan about your point about a guy like Lynn. He’s playing 20 plus.

McBth’s playing 20 plus. Uh Rudolph is right there too. And he already has five points on the season just like Landon Dupant does. So they’re going to be very instrumental, I think. Not I think in the success of this series week, this weekend series coming up. The D crew, whichever D crew, I guess Shu we can elevate a bit more. , 1 secondWell, this will be an interesting series in that regard, right? And uh do appreciate the trigger warning there, Billy, before bringing up Hicks stats from last season, right? I mean, going into that that Frozen four game and seeing that was uh was something, but I mean, the experience, right? I mean, it matters so much in games like this.

You’re you’re going in Nolan, you know, you’re pointing out the the two heavyweight Titans going at it here. And you wonder for this Michigan team, I mean, obviously coming off a weekend with a ton of scoring, that’s been the strength of these Brandon Naurato teams is is generally the offense, but we’re heading into to what’s going to feel a lot like a playoff atmosphere and a couple of playoff games. So, you sort of wonder how these guys are going to respond to more than likely being in uh you know, obviously a much tighter game and potentially a much lower scoring game.

I mean, when you look at these uh these defenseman and the two goalenders that are on the ice, don’t be surprised to see you know, a 3-2 or potentially 2-1 game coming up. So, I’ll be really curious to see how Michigan handles something like that. We talked uh kind of ad nauseium on our first show last week about these Brandon Naurato teams taking things shift by shift keeping those clips short. So be interested to see how they respond and how things are going to change when you’re going up against another juggernaut like the the Denver Pioneers. Well, what about I’m I’m looking like how much do does it factor in? Like Denver didn’t they didn’t play last weekend. No, they did not.

So then so they have two games under their belt. A bit of a now it’s kind of a a dip in intensity. I’m sure that they’ll be ready to play, but Michigan’s kind of I mean, we talked about the schedule being a little bit softer on the front end, but you’re still in there being battle tested. Talked about maybe that second night of Bowling Green being a little bit of a let down spot, but they still recovered, did a good job, and then they really did a nice job last week and just taking care of business. But is there any credence at all to Denver maybe being off and only playing having two games under their belt? Like, you talk about a lot of young defensemen. Well, they can. Okay.

Flip side is right, you know, DJ, they get a lot of practice time, a lot of preparation. They can watch a lot of film of of, you know, video of Michigan, which they already know pretty darn well. Um, and they don’t have maybe maybe I’m just playing to trying to play devil’s advocate here. Maybe they don’t have couple of bad habits. And by the way, Michigan gave up numerous numerous breakaways against Alaska Anchorage last weekend, which if there was one negative would have to be that, guys, is that they got gapped out a bit at times. You know, puck watching, etc., and giving up play, giving up the puck in some dangerous areas like around the the offensive blue line.

You are not going to get away with that against DU, right? You’re just not going to. So, you can’t have that crap. You cannot have that stuff in your game. You just can’t this weekend to be successful. But I mean, it’s so early in the season. You know, you guys know having played so much more recently. I mean, the game is going to be frenetic pace to begin. And with Denver not having played last week, Nolan, they’re going to be even more crazy. They’re going to be crazier out there. And I guess the other question is, and I never played a game in Colorado, is the altitude. You know, for me, that’s such a good point, Billy.

I didn’t even think about that until you started talking about it. But I went to training camp. Well, I played in in Colorado my first year. Well, both years I played professionally um in Loveland first year in the coast and then in the American League, but I was at camp with the abs as a warm body just getting just completely rinsed by McKinnon. You got swag. That’s what you did. You get Oh, yeah. I got my I got my abs gym bag that I that I still use. But no, it’s it it plays a factor. Absolutely. It’s I don’t know when they’re getting out there. I’m sure that’s just like a typical road trip. They’ll have get in on maybe practice Thursday maybe.

But I guess yeah, that’s unless you have like a a high intensity. It’s that first night, it’s going to take them a sec. So, I think for fans, be patient because I think there’s going to be maybe some some ups and downs, especially in the Friday game, but that’s such a good point that there’s so well accustomed to that altitude. So, I think you’ll see them come out hot. But don’t be shocked if there’s some periods in that second period and it’s bleeding into the third period kind of before that adrenaline of the final 10 minutes kicks in where Denver might take the game to Michigan a little bit because it absolutely plays a factor. It’s uh it’s hard.

They’re going to feel like they’re coughing up blood. Well, and you wonder what the the new technology might have to say about that, Nolan, right? I mean, when we used to go to Minnesota to play on the Olympic ice sheet, we’d go up to the cube to practice on the Olympic sheet. So, I wonder if they’re uh sucking some of the oxygen out of Yost or or something along those lines this weekend, right? With the the resources of college hockey, but I mean, I think that’s totally correct, Billy. I mean, this game is going to look like these guys were shot out of a cannon.

It’s funny when you watch college hockey, I mean, to a large extent, it’s uh it’s a significantly faster game than the NHL level, right? I mean, there’s only those two games a weekend and uh not that kind of 82 game slog. So, I mean, to to the viewers this weekend, I mean, buckle up cuz this thing’s going to be back and forth action. It’s going to be like watching a ping pong ball out there to some extent. That’s what that playoff game looked like most recently. So, really looking forward to that and uh you know, seeing seeing what the boys bring. I’m really looking forward to it as well after a weekend where Michigan put up 17 goals.

It will probably be quite the antithesis this weekend coming up. A couple of little notes that I loved from last weekend. As we wrap up this portion of the show before, uh uh we’re going to have a one-on-one interview with Andrew Brewer, the new GM of the University of Michigan. We’re going to get to know him a bit more and talk about the team and his position and stuff. Um, Michigan only gave up nine shots combined in the first periods Friday and Saturday. Uh, they ended up recording 30 shots on goal themselves. So, you guys said ear they came out flying as it is at home. They didn’t let Alaska Anchorage stay in the game.

I love the shifty goal by the way, Garrett go in in uh the short-handed one on Friday night. puck went wide in there. I mean, he almost stumbled and kind of bumbled over the blue line. He kept his footing. He got it. That’s just the kind of work ethic you love to see and you know that your captain brings. And I I mean, there were some gorgeous goals like the Landon DuPont assisted one when Moldenhauer scored. It was your breakout player, right? Nolan Nick was I think you mentioned him. He had a I mean, you said it too. So many guys had great weekends, but Landon DuPont had a beautiful assist. Kind of went around the world and and and made things happen. So, tons of fun.

The top line and H and seeing Verhoeff score, I think very important. You you got to, you know, you need to have the big man producing from that front like that. You know, the other guys, Hage and Perron scoring a lot. Get the big guy going. Get the big body to the front of the net. And he put in some points. So, it was a good weekend all around, but that weekend is done. Practice this week, I’m sure, has been already incredibly focused. I’ll ask Brewer about just that. and now they get set to jet out to Denver uh to take on DU. So, it will be fun and we can talk about it next week. You’re talking two of the top five youngest teams in the NCAA as of right now.

Michigan averages age of 20.5 years old. They are the youngest team in the NCAA. Denver is just below BC. By the way, you mentioned uh great series guys, you know, like you give credit to the coaches for scheduling this. Denver has BC next weekend, too. So, they’re not shying away from anybody. You know, they’re bringing in big guys to make big competition and and it’s a lot of fun. All right, great stuff, guys. Uh we could go on and on about this, but we’re going to get set to hear from Andrew Brewer in just a moment. Awesome to see you guys again and uh I look forward to connecting coming up. Thanks a lot. Thanks, Billy. Go Blue. Thanks, John. All right.

And with that, after we talked to Nolan and Shuy, we do bring in Andrew Brewer, the general manager of the University of Michigan hockey. I got to tell you something, Brew. I never know never thought that I would introduce somebody as the general manager of a college hockey team. I know that the world has changed and we’ll get into that, but it uh it just sounds different. With that said, welcome. It’s great to see you and it is awesome to have you on the Maize and Blue Breakaway. Thanks, Billy. Uh excited to join and it was a great first podcast. Look forward to uh tuning in as you keep on going on. Thanks very much.

We look forward to doing many more and uh including as many Michigan hockey people, personnel as possible. So, let’s go back to the summer when this opportunity presented itself for you or to you to be the general manager of of a college hockey program. And Michigan, by the way, isn’t the only one. I don’t have a number. Maybe you do, Brew, on how many programs have a GM like you, but it’s not many that that that do. Regardless of that, take me back to that first call or email, whatever it was, the presentation of, hey, this is something we might be interested in or with you. What was that like and what were your thoughts? Yeah.

Uh, I mean, it’s a great question because it really kind of came out of nowhere. Um, it all went back to, you know, you never know where things are going in life, but it all went back to one tweet that I made, um, about the chief of staff position. So, the Toronto Maple Leafs this summer hired a chief of staff for their program. That’s a position that’s been really popular in the football world for many years. It’s popular in the political world, the business world, and that’s someone who just makes sure that the program is run efficiently and does everything that needs to be done, which ultimately is very similar to the the role that I had as a coach in the NHL.

I was an assistant coach in the NHL for 9 years working with Joel Quenneville and Mike Babcock predominantly, but ultimately my job as their assistant coach was to make sure that the program runs as smooth as possible, everything gets done. Um, and they have everything they need, all the right information to make the right decision at the right time. Uh, I just made a tweet about, hey, I I think this is going to be a trend that’s coming in hockey and it’s already a trend that’s popular in football, including our own football team at the University of Michigan.

And Brandon Naurato, who I had a relationship with, um, you know, not a huge relationship with, but we kind of reached out right away and and said, “Hey, this is something that, you know, intrigues me. Um, it’s something that I think could also be coming to to the university uh, world as well.” Um and so we just started having a conversation and then they kind of morphed into well you know the general manager role is something as well that is just needed now in the in the changing landscape. 5 years ago we didn’t have NIL that we had to deal with. 5 years ago we didn’t have CHL players that we had to deal with.

We didn’t have 16 players who were drafted in the NHL and all the agents that come with that and you know first overall draft pick in the NHL or likely first overall draft pick in the NHL next year um playing for your program. So the the world is just changing and we needed to change with it and uh Brandon was on top of it and I’m lucky to be the uh the the happy recipient of that change. So I won’t I don’t want to ask you an impossible question. Uh so I’ll try and bring it down because if I said you tell , 1 secondme what an uh your responsibilities are, I think we’d go forever so to speak because it sounds like you’re touching so many different parts of Michigan hockey.

But for the most part, give me your top like three to five things, Andrew, that you do on a regular basis so people understand, you know, the real nuts and bolts of the general manager position. Ultimately, it comes down to um this is still Coach Naurato’s program. The head coach is the the leader, the the president um so to speak, of our operations. Um my job is to to deal with the things off the ice so he can worry about all the things on the ice. as we get ready to play Denver this weekend. He needs to make sure that um you know our power plays ready, our players are ready, our players are developing, they’re getting ready to play that game.

My job is to make sure that the the program’s running smoothly. Um if we have a problem with our video software contract that, you know, we’re we’re having issue getting through legal, then we’ll I’ll deal with that. If we have to speak to an agent, I’ll go speak to the agent. I was scouting a game uh in the , 1 secondOntario Hockey League yesterday afternoon at 2 p.m. My job is to make sure that everything is happening that needs to happen off the ice so he can make sure that everything is happening properly on the ice and try to take away as many of those responsibilities um to allow him to do what he does best, which is coach our players, develop our players, and build relationships with our players.

So, I need to try to make sure that that I’m clearing the path that that he can do what he needs to do and wants to do to hopefully help us achieve a national championship again someday. How actually similar is this to what you were doing in the NHL or is it very different per se given the status of the I should say the level of one league compared to the other? It’s very different in the sense that in the NHL you’ve got say 60 staff members for an NHL hockey operations. It’s probably actually closer to about 40 staff members within an NHL hockey operations department.

Um we would have probably six or seven staff members total um within our our hockey operations , 1 seconddepartment. So it’s just I’m wearing a lot of different hats that um I didn’t I I’m completely out of the you know game preparation um and and coaching world. Uh that is one thing. There’s about three or four uh college teams that have a GM, but the majority of them are also a GM/assistant coach. Um, I don’t do any coaching. I’ve kind of hung up my coaching hat, at least for now, and I’m focusing on the off side of it to make sure that, you know, we do everything we have. So, it it’s to be honest, it’s very different, but the skill set that is needed to do it is very similar.

You need to be organized. You need to have foresight. You need to be prepared. You need to be able to build relationships with people. You need to be able to um handle situations that pop up and be ready to change things on a dime, but it’s not the same by any means. Do you miss the coaching element at all? Because coaching is as pretty much as close as you can get, you know, to to to being a player, right? I mean, because you have you have an impact on the game, but you’re still not on the ice, but you have an impact.

And there’s this great thing about putting together game plans and scouting, etc., and then seeing it put into motion on the ice and hopefully working for your team, right? So, do you miss that element at all right now? No, I I I do for sure. Like, you know, that was my big thing in the NHL is game preparation, game plan, getting ready to play an opponent. Hey, we I’m in Anaheim last year. We’re getting ready to play Edmonton in the first round. How are we going to have success against this team? What do we need to do to have success? Come up with a plan, present it to the players, present it to the coaches.

Um, yeah, there there’s definitely that side of it and you’re, like you said, you’re much closer to the result. Um, you know, a faceoff play you design can lead to a goal which can lead to a win. When you’re, you know, a general manager, chief of staff like I am, it’s a little bit more big picture. You’re looking at things on a 12, 24, 36, 48 month view, than you are on a, you know, 60-minute view, gametoame. But I I think ultimately that’s why this position is needed. It’s why our football team has a GM, two assistant GMs and a chief of staff.

You need people in the organization that are thinking about things from a longer term perspective and not only from a short-term perspective, but for sure. I mean, I was lucky enough to work with great coaches, great people in Anaheim. I’ve got great coaches and great um people as some of my closest friends in the game, and I I definitely do miss that, but I still give the coaches a hard time. And I I still love the camaraderie of being in the room with the guys, which is very similar here. Yes, it’s it’s always nice to be able to BS with them. And and it’s also probably nice for you to be able to walk out of the room when you don’t want to have to be there. Right. 100%.

I’ve had my fair share of video. I’m uh I’m more than happy to to not watch a game back in full all the time and and focus on what I need to do. Some of the coach the names the Babcocks as you said. All right. So Quenville Babcock, but now the current head coach of Toronto Hillier, he’s there. Tony Granato, DJ Smith, former head coach uh as well. So, you worked with a lot of guys that ascended to the highest level of coaching in the National Hockey. Like, is there something, and I know they’re all different and I know they’re different personalities, but can you kind of give a quick synopsis of one or two things you learned bit learned, I guess, most from those guys, or was there one or two guys that impacted you the most that you learned from that you’re taking and and utilizing in your in your career?

Now, I’ve been lucky to work with so many different people. I think it’s like six of the top 10 in NHL wins I’ve either worked a full season with or at least done a world championship whether it’s a Ken Hitchcock, a Barry Trotz, Claude Julien, Pete DeBoer um because of the hockey candidates I I was lucky to get to be around so many people. You know, funny enough, I was looking on the weekend um at a picture from my first NHL training camp I went to. who was Mike Babcock, Jim Hiller, Jeff Blashill in Chicago, Derek Lalonde, that was London was in our East Coast team. Um, Blashill was our American League. Um, Tony Granato was an assistant coach. Jim Hiller was an assistant coach.

Like, it’s like a, you know, it’s a pinch. It’s a dream of the people I’ve been lucky enough to be in the room with. I’d say the biggest thing I’ve learned though is just everybody has their strengths and you need to lean into whatever your strengths are. Uh, Joel Quenneville is the best onbench coach that I’ve been around. You can see how I was lucky enough to be there for his thousandth win last year. No one knows who to put on the ice, when to put them on the ice, when to practice, when to not practice. It’s amazing. It’s amazing.

Um, but no one is more prepared for a game and a situation than Mike Babcock and the level of detail going into the Olympics and knowing exactly what’s going to happen, what needs to happen, and what we need to do in this exact situation. Um, no one has a better feel for people than Barry Trotz and understanding people and connecting with individuals and um, dealing with individuals and and treating people just the right way all the time. Everybody is just different. So, um, I like the saying I I I steal from Ryan Hamilton. He’s a sports psych for Hockey Canada and for uh, the Tampa Bay Lightning, but um, don’t be more than who you are.

Be more of who you are and be the best version of yourself. Don’t I’m not going to go and try to be Kyle Dubas or Lamoriello, two people I worked with that I really respect. I’m going to try to be Andrew Brewer, try to be myself and try to be the best version of myself because I think that’s going to be what enables me to have success. How much have you had to do a crash course in what the NCAA is all about now for men’s hockey or was this something that you had a working knowledge of before you took the job? I mean, I had a working knowledge, but I you don’t know what you don’t know, and you don’t know until you’re there. And and understanding exactly how everything operates.

Um, the ever changing NCAA landscape, as soon as you figure out what one rule and what the rule is, the rule changes the next day anyway, so you may as well forget that. Um, so it’s a it’s an evolving time, which again is why the position is so important. Um there’s legislation moving through um right now in the protect college sports act that could drastically change the landscape of college sports and college hockey again. So it’s you’ve got to stay on top of things. You’ve got to network. You’ve got to understand everything that’s going on. So I knew but I had no idea. So I’m thankful that we have a lot of great people in our athletic department.

We have a lot of great donors that support and are willing to help me out and educate. and the power of the Michigan network is just so strong that they’ve uh they’ve really helped me out and helped get me up to speed. Uh so I I don’t feel like a complete fool going through my first few months on the job. I think one of the hardest aspects of any sport at the high levels meaning u we’ll call it college and up u is scouting. I just do I don’t you know scouts are completely are looking at the game completely differently different than most normal people perhaps broadcasters included right I mean you know I’m looking for why did that happen how did it happen type of thing and to entertain uh coaches are looking for answers this and that but scouts have to see the future which I find fascinating I I do so now that you’re getting involved with that too Andrew what have you learned about scouting early on here.

I I know you were part of Hockey Canada. I’m sure you had to look and scout guys and all that, but but in actually I shouldn’t say that. How much scouting did you have in your background coming into this position? It’s different and every level is different. It’s ultimately scouting is projecting your like you said you’re trying to predict the future which is why analytics has played such a big part of the last 10 years and understanding um the best way to predict the future is understanding what is happening in the present and trying to figure that out and that’s where scouts have such a a tough job.

I’m watching a junior game yesterday and trying to figure out what translates from an OHL game at 2 p.m. on a Sunday afternoon in Windsor to winning on Friday night in Denver in an NCAA game. and every level is a step and everything is going from youth hockey to junior hockey is a step. We start offering um scholarships to to athletes or to players when they’re in youth hockey or they’re basically coming out of youth hockey. Um it was a 2010 age group this year. Um then you have to try to analyze okay well how are they making the transition to junior hockey and how is that happening and where are their strengths?

Will that translate and if it translates to junior hockey will it translate to college hockey? Will it translate to pro hockey? Just because you’re a strong first round draft pick in the NHL doesn’t mean you’re going to have success in college hockey. It’s it’s all about projection. Um I’ I’d be lying to say if I I knew what I’m talking about. I’m I’m learning as I go and I again I’ve been lucky enough to be around so many great people in the sport. I hope a little bit has rubbed off of me from them, but I’m just trying to learn as I go and and try to figure out uh obviously we’ve done a great job in recruiting here in the past to have the team.

I’d be lying to say if I had anything to do with the roster that we have this year that is um currently ranked second in the country. Kevin Reiter has done an unbelievable job. Coach Nado, Matt Deschamps’s unbelievable job in recruiting great players and great people for our program. So, I’m just trying to learn as quickly as I can and and try to help our program be sustainable and and have success moving forward. So, the process there then, will you just support them or will you be a lead dog, so to speak, meaning go and then bring them in? take us through kind of how you see Andrew the or how you know the recruiting process will go now at U of M.

Yeah, we’re moving to what we call uh NHL front office model where ultimately I’m the general manager of the program. Um so it falls under me to really work on um uh uh building the roster. Ultimately, Coach Naurato is the president of hockey operations. He’s my boss. He’s the one I report to and I need to build the roster for him ultimately. So, he would I’d say have final say. It’s my job to get him the roster, bring the uh put the ball on the tea and allow him to be able to then, you know, hit the ball. Kevin Reiter, we call our assistant general manager, our director of scouting, director of pro scouting, amateur scouting, um whatever you want to call it, he’s our bird dog.

He’s the one that’s finding the players, building the initial list, and I’m working with Kevin to to whittle the list down, find out um which of the players we want to prepare to offer to and prepared to invite to join our program and take those players to Brandon, kind of present our case, and then make sure that these are the players that we want to build our roster on moving forward. So it it’s really a three to four person and as well Matt Deschampss is very involved specifically on the defense side and and trying to identify which defense we want for our program uh moving forward. It’s really a team effort. Um there’s no egos in our room.

We just need to work together to to try to figure out what’s best and what we need to build a roster. Again, my job is more I’m looking at next season. I’m trying to project into the future. Coach Naurato is trying to figure out um how we’re going to beat Denver this weekend and how we can have success this season. I’m working on next season and then Kevin Reiter is kind of working even further down the road to make sure , 1 secondthat um we we’re finding the next uh generation of Wolverines. As you mentioned, nine years in the NHL uh also uh runs with Hockey Canada at Olympics and World Championships uh tournaments etc.

So ru what have you taken the from being around the elite of the elite and even you know look when you were in you know to you were with Auston Matthews was there William Nylander etc. You’ve been around amazing players at at all your stuff Sasha Bararkov etc. Um, is there a common thread uh to these elite of the elite players that you’ve learned about them that now you can help take to your scouting or to your job to say, “Yeah, this is what I’m going to look for in a player.” I think there’s always just something that identifies that player. There’s some identity to that individual.

Whether it’s, like you said, Auston Matthews and um Toronto, it’s a shot. , 1 secondIt’s his goal scoring ability and his top five in the NHL goal scoring ability. William Nylander, it’s the way that he can carry the puck, the way that he enters through the zone. It was Zach Hyman and his work ethic. Um his ability to do things right every single ship. But it doesn’t need to be a topline player. It can be Luke Glendening who we had in Detroit, another great great Wolverine. Wins faceoffs, penalty kill, first on the ice, five on six every game. Like he played last year in Philadelphia. Um, a lot of people thought his career was done. No, he he’s valuable.

He’s the guy the coaches want on the ice every single time. He’s the most one of the most valuable guys on a roster to a coach. The right-hand faceoff guy that they trust that they they will put on the ice when you are up by a goal and you need to win that game. Believe Glendening’s going on the ice. He’s been trusted for what is it 15 years in the NHL. Started as a walk-on. Just an unbelievable story. I think there’s always something that makes that player great. Cutter Gauthier last year, unbelievable goal scorer. His release just knew when to get the puck off and always got the puck off. Doesn’t have the best shot in the world, but uh would his release was always spot on.

There’s something that makes you who you are. Again, don’t be more than who you are, be more of who you are. And I think the best players are they just have something that that sets them apart. And it could be as simple as blocking a shot in the last minute of the game to help their team win the game. or it’s and they do that every single time or it’s Auston Matthews putting the puck in the net on a every night basis four times in his first game. So, maybe an unfair question, but I’ve been known to ask him before, so I’ll do it anyways here. But you’ve been around some great great players. Really? Again, the best of the best with your Hockey Canada.

Is there somebody It’s kind of like asking you to pick your favorite child. I understand this, but is there somebody that you can just say internally like has blown you away a little bit more when you watch when you think about what that player does? Is it possible? Maybe maybe not because different positions in hockey, etc., But is there a player that has absolutely wowed you, Brew, over your, you know, during your career? Yeah, I think every team there’s been someone that’s just absolutely wowed me. Whether it’s Pavle Datsu, my first year in Detroit, um, his ability to strip pucks, his ability to play, Auston Matthews again, the ability to score goals, Zach Hyman is honestly the best human being I’ve ever met.

You know, I and the best the most coachable individual I think that I’ve ever met as well. Um Leo Carlson. He’s a top five player in the NHL. Like he’s an unbelievable What a summer for that kid, huh? Yeah. Huge horse of an individual. Like he’s he’s just an unbelievable person, player, athlete. Like he’s got it. Like, you know, Mike Babcock, I’ll I’ll I’ll uh take a shot at. He stole my line. Like Conor McDavid, he finds a way to just skate 10% faster than everybody else with the puck. I don’t know how it’s possible. It’s like human, you know, you can only go zero to 100 and somehow uh he goes 105 when he has the puck. It’s it’s it’s like humanly impossible.

So, I just hockey is an amazing sport. We have amazing people all throughout it. Whether it’s Zach Hyman, whether it’s um Luke Glenn Denninger, the these great players that we have at um the University of Michigan now, Jack Ivan Kovic, uh whether it’s a freshman, a Jack Nesbet, a Landon DuPont, a senior like Garrett Schiffsky, just great great human beings that drive our program that I’ve been lucky enough to be around on the sport. And that’s that ultimately that’s been the best thing, you know. I Hey, Mike Babcock’s a godfather to my kids. Um Joel Quenneville is a good personal friend of mine. like it’s Jim Hiller is a, you know, a great friend of mine.

These are, it’s the people in the game that what’s make it special, but there’s been a billion great players that have been lucky enough to be around him. I just hope I get to stick around the sport as long as possible to get to be around more of them. That’s what we all love about it. And by the way, you brought up Schiffsky’s name. I was talking to Nolan De Young and and Max Shuart before we brought you , 1 secondon. I loved his goal from the weekend. I thought it kind of it epitomized him, right? Coming through the middle of the ice almost. Not almost, he stumbled. He kept his his footing right and then he got his own rebound. I love short-handed goals like that.

That is such a boost for a team seeing that happen. Um, tell us a little bit about what your experience around the Ann Arbor area has been since the end of summer. I know it was crazy for you. I know you’re getting in there. I know you got young kids, too. Was it three boys? Am I do I remember correctly? Three boy. Yeah, three boys that all play youth hockey. So, um I I am You got sanity in your house. Yeah, my wife Patricia is a saint. She’s uh but we’ve had two weekends already where we’ve had three boys playing hockey in three different states. Um so, [clears throat and snorts] you know, my wife is a saint. Um getting them to the ranks all the time. So, it’s been amazing.

We love this area. Um I grew up in a college town in New Brunswick, Freredton, New Brunswick. It’s a college government town. So, I I always say Ann Arbor is just Freredton on steroids. It’s a bigger, you know, so to speak, better version of uh of Freredton. It’s uh just a bigger university. But we love the town. We love the people. You know, our kids already have great friends on all their teams. They play at different programs around. They’re happy. They’re healthy. Um a lot of driving, a lot of uh you know, miles put on our our vehicles already. I think we’re 4,000 miles in in the last six weeks on both of our vehicles. So um each. So it’s it’s a lot. But yeah, we love the area.

We love the people. And again, it goes back to the people. I think what makes Michigan so special as a university, you can go and I always say you can find information anywhere. You can go online, find out when the Mayflower came to America, but it’s the people at the University of Michigan and the experiences that set it apart. The 100,000 people at the Big House or 110,000 people watching a football game. It’s the the people, the alumni that you meet um just on any day and the willingness that they want to have to help you. I think that’s what just sets the the program apart and that’s what’s so special to be a part of. Well, speaking of specials, we wrap up this chat.

Uh I’d say it’s a large weekend for you guys heading to Denver. I mean, this is awesome. Number one against number two. Uh obviously last year you had the uh uh the national semi-final game. I know you weren’t part of the organization or the university then, but I I’m I’m sure you’re very aware of that game and I don’t know how much, if at all, it’s been referenced. Actually, I’m guess is it fair to safe to say it hasn’t been referenced that much given that that was last year, bro? No. I I mean, hey, at the end of the day, it was it was a moment. It’s you go to the cup final, so to speak, and you lose. It’s it it stings. Um, but it drives you to get better.

It drives you to come back, work harder through the summer and it it tries to help drive you to hopefully take that step. You look at Tampa getting swept in the first round against Columbus. Um, you look at all these setbacks that Tampa had and these organizations have. How many times did Alexkin get knocked out of the playoffs before he was a Stanley Cup champion? And ultimately once you’re a champion, they can’t take that away from you. And that’s what we’re we’re constantly driving towards. Last year was a setback. Hey, it was a great year. We won a Big 10 championship. We had a fantastic season both on and off the ice. This year we just want to take another step.

Every time you every day you just want to take a step in life. You just want to get a little bit better. You want to find a way to continue to improve. I came from the University of New Brunswick. Coach Gardner McDougall always used to talk about be your best better every single time. We just want to try to get a little bit better. And and hey, Denver is obviously a fantastic program. Three national championships in the last little bit. They’ve won more than anybody else. That those are the facts. And we’re proud of our program and our history and our players. And now we get a chance to go against another great program and let’s see what happens this weekend.

Uh you know, it’s an exciting trip to go to Denver. It is. You guys taking off Thursday or are you heading out Wednesday night? Uh we’re going to head out Wednesday. Uh get a couple practices in Denver. Get used to the altitude and get ready to uh play. No, we’re we’re excited. Hey, it’s it’s hockey season. Anytime you get to play against uh top teams, it’s exciting. So can against us, you of course you circle these on your calendar. It’s um you know Montreal against Toronto. It’s uh Manchester City against Manchester United. You you’re excited. You want you get excited to play these games and we’re jacked up.

I don’t know um if you caught at all the Florida Carolina opening night game um where Carolina, you know, raised the banner in their arena. That’s what the champion does, right? Stanley Cup champ that gets to do that. And the last time they get to have the cup is theirs and then they move on. And the reason I’m bringing that up is Denver’s raising their banner. Is that accurate? Have we heard that for on Friday night? And they’re now okay. Which is Look, I think it’s great. I do. You know why Paul Maurice, I don’t know if you saw this, Br. Paul Maurice had and Billy Zto had their team go and sit on the bench to watch that banner being raised.

I they say it was out of respect, but I also think there was a little bit of, hey, that’s what we want going on right there. We’re going to go watch it. You’re going to go feel it and then we’re going to go after it. I don’t know what your guys’ plans are, but I hear that Denver’s putting up the banner on Friday night. I’m just saying it wouldn’t mind. I wouldn’t mind if the Wolverines were out there watching. Yeah, I haven’t talked to coach. Ultimately, that’s uh his decision and what um you know, we’ll do, but that’s Denver. It’s their first home game. It’s not like they they held it back. This is their first regular season home game. So, no problem.

They they raise the banner and they didn’t cheat. They won fair and square. Um, and it’s, you know, hopefully when uh we are lucky enough to win the national championship again and we earn that right, we’ll raise our banner against whoever’s there. And it’s it’s something you aspire to. When I see a guy driving a Lamborghini, I don’t think uh oh well, you know, I should just go take his car. No, you have to earn that car. You have to go earn everything that’s given to you. So, let’s go and earn it and let’s uh have a great season. We’ve had a great start. , 1 secondLet’s find a way to go uh get that Lamborghini. I would love to see that.

I love having you on and getting to know you and getting to hear from you about everything. Uh good luck. I I I can only imagine how busy you’ve been. Uh just given the newness of things and I don’t know if it’ll ever calm down and settle down because the NCAA doesn’t seem to be settling down in any sport right now. It seems to be going a few million miles an hour and things are changing as you said earlier in our chat by the day regularly. So, Andrew Brewer, um, GM, the University of Michigan, the hockey team, thank you very much for joining us here in the Maize and Blue Breakaway.

We look forward to talking to you and more of you guys that you work with throughout the season and some of the players as well. It’ll be very important uh to us to get to be able to talk to you and get to know you more and the program. So, thanks for everything. Have a great time. and the job and a great time in particular this weekend in Denver. Thanks. Really appreciate it, Billy. If you like this kind of content, please like, share, follow, and subscribe. And as always, go blue!]