Arguably the most talented college hockey team ever assembled will not be crowned champions Saturday night at TD Garden.
The Michigan Wolverines -- loaded with seven NHL first-round picks, including four of the first five picks in last summer’s draft -- saw their dream season come to an end at the hands of the Denver Pioneers in Thursday’s Frozen Four semifinals.
In a game that featured two of the top three offenses in the country, it was Denver’s defense that proved to be the difference, as the Pioneers held the star-studded Wolverines to just 21 shots on goal through three periods plus 14:53 of overtime. That was when Oilers prospect Carter Savoie buried his own rebound to give Denver the 3-2 win.
One of those seven first-round picks on Michigan was Bruins prospect Johnny Beecher, taken 30th overall in 2019. After the game, Beecher reflected on the Wolverines’ season and what it was like to be part of such a unique team.
“It was unbelievable,” Beecher told WEEI.com. “My whole life I dreamt of going and playing college hockey. To be able to do it at the highest level at the University of Michigan with this group was something you could only dream of. I love each and every one of those guys in that locker room.
“At the end of the day, one game won’t define us. In my mind, we’ll still be one of the greatest teams to play college hockey. I think at the end of the day, when we get together in 20 years at a reunion, we’ll look back and realize how special of a group we had.”
Michigan entered the NCAA Tournament as the No. 1 overall seed after winning the Big Ten Tournament title. After a mildly disappointing stretch in November and December, the Wolverines looked like the team everyone expected them to be in the second half. Even with missing some players for a few games because of the Olympics, they entered the Frozen Four on a 17-3-0 run.
Beecher elevated his play in the second half as well. The beginning of his season was derailed by a broken thumb, which itself came right after he had just returned to the ice following shoulder surgery that ended his 2020-21 season. Beecher missed the first eight games and didn’t really get fully back up to speed until the second half, which helps explain why he had just four points in his first 13 games.
From Jan. 8 on, Beecher had 11 points in 21 games. While that’s still well off the pace of some of those other first-round picks on Michigan, his coach, Mel Pearson, credited Beecher’s ability to center and lead his line -- a third line that featured talented freshmen Dylan Duke and Mackie Samoskevich on his wings -- as a key factor in the team’s second-half surge.
“He’s been a real key for us here as of late,” Pearson said prior to the Frozen Four. “…I wouldn’t be overly concerned with the stats. It’s what he brings to our team, and what he brings is speed, physicality, he’s got good size, great on faceoffs. He’s taken more of a defensive role on the penalty kill and done a great job there. But he’s really given us another line that’s dangerous, and added to our depth. His development’s been good.”
While Beecher didn’t do anything that really jumped off the page Thursday night, he did make some good plays, including a nice setup to Samoskevich for a grade-A chance, a big block on a penalty kill, a couple good hits, and a key defensive-zone faceoff win in the final minute of regulation (Beecher won 10 of 14 faceoffs on the night).
Beecher didn’t sound disappointed with his season either, saying that he knows he got better even if his offensive numbers ultimately didn’t look much different than his first two seasons at Michigan.
“I think I grew a lot,” he said Thursday night. “Obviously it was tough coming off the two back-to-back surgeries and kind of just hopping right in mid-season, but at the end of the day, I think my game has grown so much -- physically, mentally, emotionally. As far as the next step, whatever it may be, I’m excited for it.”
What that next step is expected to be is a contract with the Bruins. While Beecher didn’t tip his hand regarding his next move, saying only that he’ll have to “see what the next couple days bring,” it would make a lot of sense for Boston to sign him now.
Beecher is now three years out from being drafted. If he were to go back to Michigan for his senior year, he would have the option of not signing after next season and becoming a free agent in August 2023. That’s a risk the Bruins probably don’t want to take.
Even if Beecher’s offensive game isn’t NHL-ready -- and may never be top-six-ready -- he has the size (6-foot-3, 209 pounds), skating and defensive commitment to at least find a role in the AHL and maybe the Bruins’ bottom six.
General manager Don Sweeney and president Cam Neely were among the Bruins brass in attendance at the Garden on Thursday. It’s safe to say that at least Sweeney has already talked to Beecher. If that conversation results in a contract, we should know soon.
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