The No. 1 Michigan Wolverines are back in action tomorrow night against the United States National Team Development Program (USNTDP). Besides having the worst acronym since Point-of-Sale systems started
going by P.O.S., this game represents the official start of the second half of the season for one of the best Michigan hockey teams this century.
With the first contest of the new year being an exhibition and several key players absent due to World Juniors participation, instead of a preview, let’s examine how head coach Brandon Naurato’s teams have performed in the second half of each of his first four seasons leading the Wolverines to help set some expectations.
2022-23
- First half record: 12-7-1
- Second half record: 8-4-2
- Big Ten Tournament: 4-0; Big Ten Tournament champs
- NCAA Tournament: 2-1; Lost in the Frozen Four to eventual national champion, Quinnipiac, 5-2. Finished the season 26-12-3.
Despite coaching under the interim tag of doom all the way into April, Naurato never flinched during his year-long audition. Leading a team consisting of 11 freshmen, the Wolverines steadily improved throughout the season and drastically over-performed in the postseason in large part due to superstar Adam Fantilli.
Fantilli’s 65 points earned him the prestigious Hobey Baker Award, making him only the third Wolverine ever to win college hockey’s top individual prize. The eventual No. 3 overall pick, alongside former fourth overall pick Luke Hughes, helped this young team peak in the second half of the season, steamrolling their way to a second consecutive conference tournament title and a return to the Frozen Four. Although the team ran out of gas in the national semifinal, the campaign was enough to name Naurato as Michigan’s permanent head coach.
2023-2024
- First half record: 8-7-3
- Second half record: 10-6
- Big Ten Tournament: 3-1; Lost to Michigan State in overtime in the championship
- NCAA Tournament: 2-1; Lost in the Frozen Four to eventual national runner-up, Boston College, 4-0. Finished the season 23-15-3.
In what appeared to be Naurato’s calling card, the Wolverines once again played their best hockey when it mattered the most. Although this team only marginally improved in the second half of the season and fell in the conference tournament championship, this team’s peak play was arguably better than the Fantilli-led Wolverines a year prior.
Fantilli’s season was undeniably great, but he was the only Wolverine north of 50 points and only one of three above 40. This team finished with two players above 50 points (Gavin Brindley, Rutger McGroarty), and six above 40 (Dylan Duke, T.J. Hughes, Seamus Casey, and Frank Nazar). Bonded together by overcoming near-death experiences and player dismissals, the Wolverines advanced from the hardest region in the NCAA Tournament by beating North Dakota and Michigan State. The latter victory was capped with one of the greatest goals in program history — the Michigan 2.0.
Despite once again falling short in the Frozen Four, this team felt poised to win it all the following season. At least until five of the top scorers (four unexpectedly) left the program early for the NHL.
2024-2025
- First half record: 11-6-1
- Second half record: 7-7-2
- Big Ten Tournament: 0-2; Swept by eventual national runner-up Penn State in the quarterfinals and were the first team out of the NCAA Tournament. Finished the season 18-15-3.
Scrambling to assemble a roster late in the transfer portal cycle, Naurato could not worry about piecing together the right team — he just had to focus on fielding a team. Early on, the returns were favorable. The Wolverines went 7-1 during a first-half stretch that featured six games against future Frozen Four teams (Boston University, Penn State, Western Michigan). But when adversity struck, the team’s poor chemistry exposed a faulty foundation.
Held back by selfish play and unacceptable goaltending by Big Ten standards, Michigan endured a three-game scoreless streak and saw only two players score more than 25 points the entire season, all while being backstopped by a rotation that posted an abysmal .893 save percentage. Not wasting any time, Naurato began dramatically overhauling the roster the moment the final buzzer sounded against Penn State. Move I admittedly viewed as borderline irresponsible over the summer have proven as prudent as investing in A.I. in 2019.
2025-26 first half record: 16-4
In his first season not dealing with an interim tag, health scares, player dismissals or hyper-accelerated roster building, Naurato has built a juggernaut. Off to its best start in more than 15 years, this team is only two wins away from matching last season’s win total and already has more players with at least 25 points. This is all the more impressive considering this might be the best the Big Ten as a conference has ever been, top to bottom. Moreover, this team feels like an amalgamation of everything Naurato has learned his first three seasons leading the team.
The Wolverines have a Fantilli-esque goal-scorer in Will Horcoff, who currently leads the country with 19 tucks; possess top-end balance with both T.J. Hughes and Michael Hage, both scoring 28 points — the same amount as Horcoff, which ties them all for third nationally. And this team is no longer a liability on its own end, as the Wolverines are currently fifth in scoring defense and are back-stopped by one of the best goalies in college hockey in Jack Ivankovic.
Despite the heightened variance in college hockey and the unpredictability of its postseason format, Naurato has shown a proficiency in having his teams peak at the right time and play their best hockey on the biggest stages. At least when his roster isn’t still being finalized days before the regular season. This is Naurato’s best squad to date, and the run for Michigan’s first national title since ‘98 starts tonight!
