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34 // NOV/DEC 2021 USAHOCKEYMAGAZINE.COM 34 // NOV/DEC 2021 USAHOCKEYMAGAZINE.COM College Hockey College Hockey 2021-22 The 2021 NHL Draft was a haze of Maize and Blue as six members of the University of Michigan men's ice hockey team heard their names called in the first round, including the first two picks in Owen Power (Buffalo) and Matty Beniers (Seattle). " You are pushing each other to get better on the ice and in the weight room. We have that type of atmosphere. That's what it is going to be like all year." The 19-year-old Beniers, a Massachusetts native, thought about playing for the Kraken this season, but as the school year drew closer, he decided to return. He wanted to compete for a national title and savor the college experience another year. Fortunately, Seattle agreed with the decision. "They were on the same page as me and thought it was a good idea," Beniers said. "I had the NHL in the back of my head and had conversations with Seattle, but I didn't get too heavily into it. I just wanted to come back to Michigan." Hughes felt the same way. He is looking forward to playing with his brother, Jack, with the Devils, but that will have to wait a season or two. The 6-foot-2, 186-pound Luke knows what to expect at Michigan since his brother spent two years there. "I watched him for two years and saw how he developed as a player and person, and that has prepared me for college," the youngest Hughes said. Samoskevich has played with the older Hughes brothers and he thinks Luke may be the most tal- ented of the three siblings who were all chosen in the first round. "His skating is the best of the three of them," he said. "He is a smart-puck moving defenseman and he will be very good offensively." Luke's defensive game can't be overlooked. He's solid in his own end and should improve as he matures. "I walked into a rink about a month ago and I hadn't seen Luke play in a year and a half because of the pandemic," Pearson said. "His skating just blew me away. The overall package that he presents is outstanding. He's had really good training being around his brothers." Pearson said Hughes could be paired with Power, who surprised a lot of people by returning to Ann Arbor after being named the first overall pick by the Buffalo Sabres. The Ontario native turned a lot of heads with his performance at the 2021 IIHF World Championship where he averaged 20:07 minutes of ice time. "He has great reach and size," Pearson said. "He understands the game and has really good hockey sense. When you put the whole package together, he is very attractive." S a m o s k e v i c h , t h e C o n n e c t i c u t n a t i v e , was the last one drafted of the "Fab Five" by Florida at No. 24. The speedy winger who has a tremendous shot should play a big role on the Wolverines after leading the Chicago Steel to the Clark Cup title last season. The New York native Beecher (Boston) and Brisson (Las Vegas) round out the group of first-round picks and both players were taken late in the first round. Brisson, who is from Manhattan Beach, Calif., finished fourth on Michigan with 10 goals and 11 assists last year. And don't forget they 're supported in the lineup by bevy of other NHL draft picks. The players are conscious of the burden of the lofty expectations. I t 's p r e t t y m u c h n a t i o n a l t i t l e o r b u s t . A d d e d m ot i v a t i o n f o r a r u n a t a c h a m p i - onship is fueled by how last season ended abruptly in the NCAA Tournament because of Covid-19 protocols. " We h a v e a l ot o f e y e s o n u s t h i s y e a r," Samoskevich said. "We like the pressure. We want to prove we are the team everyone says we are. We are going to use all the outside noise as motivation. We are the most talented team on paper. We just have to show it on the ice. We are going to do some damage." P To m Wo rg o i s a f re e l a n c e w r i t e r b a s e d i n Annapolis, Md. "This is the only year this team is going to be together and that's the way we are trying to present it to our players. These guys have a chance to have a memorable year." Mel Pearson PHOTOS BY Getty Images; Images On Ice; University Of Michigan