Friday, November 17, 2006

Michigan signs four more

Michigan announced yesterday that four more student-athletes have signed National Letters of Intent, and will attend U-M beginning in the fall of 2007. The group consists of forwards Carl Hagelin, Max Pacioretty, Matt Rust (Bloomfield Hills) and goaltender Bryan Hogan (Highland).

Altogether, there are nine members for the 2007 recruiting class.

Hagelin (5-11, 176) plays for his hometown team, Sodertalje SK, in the J20 SuperElit Sodra. The league is for players 20 years-old and younger. So far in 2006-07, Hagelin has seven goals and 10 assists in 17 games, and is third on the squad in scoring. Hagelin also played for Sodertalje SK in 2005-06, skating in 45 games and leading his team in points (43) and assists (22). His 21 goals were second-best. Hagelin was tied for 10th overall in league scoring.

"Carl Hagelin is a player we've been fortunate enough to have over to our hockey school and have gotten to know the family," Michigan assistant coach Billy Powers said. "His older brother came to our hockey schools. Carl came in last summer and skated at a camp in Big Rapids. So it was good to see him in a North American environment over the summer, and he did very well. He's a scorer. He's an offensive player. A very good skater. He is excited about playing the North American brand of hockey because he likes the physical game. He likes to forecheck. He's a skill player."

Pacioretty (6-2, 205) is in his first season in the USHL, skating for the Sioux City Musketeers. Through 11 games, he has racked up a 6-8-14 line. His 14 points are the second best on Sioux City and tied for 12th-best in the league. All of Pacioretty's points came during an 8-game point spree during the first month of the Musketeers’ season, which includes three game-winning tallies.

"Max is a skating, offensive, physical player," said Powers. "He's really just a high-end guy in a lot of different ways, so we're really excited with what he's done in that league already and obviously look forward to him coming next season."

Rust (5-10, 180) is in his second season with the U.S. National Team Development Program in Ann Arbor. With the Under-18 team this year, he has nine goals and five assists in 20 games. He has a 2-3-5 line in eight games versus collegiate opponents. With the U.S. NTDP Under-17 team in 2005-06, Rust played in 68 games and accumulated 16-13-29 totals.

"Matt Rust I compare a lot to Dwight Helminen," Powers noted. "He's an exceptional skater, a real honest centerman. He's a tough guy to play against, but a guy, like Helminen, that can produce. He's doing it over there now. He's getting opportunities with the U.S. program and he's showing that he's capable offensively. Matt Rust is going to be a shutdown centerman, an Andrew Ebbett-type player."

Hogan (6-0, 190) plays for the Lincoln Stars in the USHL. In 2006-07, he has a 7-3-0 record through 10 games, and has posted a 3.42 goals against average and .866 save percentage. Hogan also guarded the net for Lincoln in 2005-06. In 39 regular season games, he earned a 22-12-4 record with one shutout with a 2.50 GAA and .916 save percentage. In the 2006 playoffs, he was 4-5-0 with one shutout, posting a 2.60 GAA and a .912 save percentage in the postseason.

"Bryan Hogan is having a good year again in Lincoln," Powers said. "He had a strong rookie season. He's going to come in here and make the goaltending situation even more competitive than it already is, which will be good. He will compete with the idea that he has a chance to play."

Earlier this week, the Wolverines inked forwards Louie Caporusso, Aaron Palushaj, Ben Winnett and defensemen Tristin Llewellyn and Kevin Quick to National Letters of Intent for the 2007-08 season.

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