TOREY KRUG
Michigan State
So. | D | Livonia, Mich.

As a freshman, Krug scored three goals and 21 points, helping Michigan State to an eight-place jump in the CCHA standings from 2008-09.

Key Statistics: Unlike many of the CCHA blueliners featured in INCH’s A-Z over the past few years, Krug wasn’t blessed with size, but he makes up for it in every other area of his game. The sophomore-to-be burst onto the scene with a 3-18—21 line that included two game-winning goals. Krug finished the season with a four-game point streak, setting him on the right track to have an even bigger offensive impact this coming season.

What He Does: Krug does it all, and does it all surprisingly well. The Spartans’ coaching staff knew they could count on him to develop into a power-play quarterback and offensive catalyst, but were pleasantly surprised at how well he adjusted to his defensive responsibilities in the college game. In addition to becoming one of the team’s top-line defensemen, Krug has quickly become the “heartbeat” of the locker room because his teammates respect his hockey sense and his ability to make the big play — be it a hit, a goal or anything else — right when his team needs it the most.

The Bigger Picture: With former partner Jeff Petry headed off to Edmonton’s system, Krug will become the de facto leader of Michigan State’s defensive corps going forward. What was an extremely young group two years ago has now had time to mature in Michigan State’s rise from a tie for 10th place two seasons ago to second place last year, and a lot will be expected of them as defense takes on added importance with the departure of two key forwards — Corey Tropp and Andrew Rowe. Krug shouldn’t have any problem being the leader of this group both on and off the ice, as he has done the same on winning teams at every level of hockey that he’s played.

Michigan State Associate Head Coach Brian Renfrew: “I think the whole staff thought that he’d have an impact offensively and on the power play. But he surprised us with how good he was in 5-on-5 play. He never needed to be protected, and he was playing with Jeff Petry 24 or 25 minutes a game.”

ALDEN HIRSCHFELD
Miami
Jr. | F | Sylvania, Ohio

Alden Hirschfeld had a lot to celebrate when his goal sent Miami to the Frozen Four.

Key Statistics: It’s not necessarily the raw offensive numbers that jump off the page from Hirschfeld, as he notched a 5-1-6 line in 16 games his freshman year and a 7-7-14 line in 43 games last year – it’s what those goals have done for his team. Hirschfeld scored the famous double-overtime dagger against Michigan during the Midwest Regional final in March and notched an assist on Miami’s only goal in this year’s Frozen Four after a game-winner in the national semifinal game against Bemidji State one year prior.

What He Does: Hirschfeld doesn’t have the flash that some of his current and former teammates do, but he’s content to do the dirty work that creates space for offensive catalysts. Standing at 6-feet-1 and just under 200 pounds and the son of a former Miami football star, Hirschfeld has trained his whole life to be a disruptive force for other teams, playing a Darren McCarty-type of game – right down to the game-winning goals.

The Bigger Picture: With the graduation of Gary Steffes and Jarod Palmer, as well as the defection of team leader Tommy Wingels to the pro game,  Miami will need some former role players to step up and help Carter Camper and Andy Miele lead the offense. Hirschfeld was rewarded for his ability to set a fire under his team when he was named an assistant captain for the upcoming campaign. Look for Hirschfeld to again add to his offensive numbers and help fill Wingels’ shoes as a leader in a tight-knit locker room that has proven its ability to overcome adversity.

Hirschfeld to The Oxford Press on his ideal style of play: “Last year one of the guys on the team called me a pinball, said I was everywhere, trying to stir things up… I do like being the physical player and causing struggles for the other team’s defense. I let the skill guys do their job and I’ll do my job and everything equals out.”

LUKE GLENDENING
Michigan
Jr. | F | Grand Rapids, Mich.

Key Statistics: Glendening put together a solid sophomore campaign, more than doubling his freshman-year offensive output with 21 points on 7 goals and 14 assists. The junior-to-be also finished with a strong plus-13 rating after going plus-11 during his rookie season.

What He Does: Glendening is what coach Red Berenson calls a “glue” player, helping to solidify Michigan’s lineup beyond big names like Hagelin, Caporusso and Rust. The junior is content with a behind-the-scenes role, but has emerged as a team leader – an alternate captain last year, Glendening will share Michigan’s captaincy with Carl Hagelin during the upcoming season.

The Bigger Picture: While the Wolverines got their act together and made last season a memorable one after a conference-championship run through the CCHA playoffs, the example Glendening sets for the incoming freshmen will be a key in determining whether Michigan can have a more successful regular season and clinch a trip to the Frozen Four this year. The junior has continually raised his game since walking on, and should become an even more influential offensive contributor whether he ends up on a scoring line or in more of a grinding role – he’s certainly proven he’s capable in both roles.

Michigan coach Red Berenson to AnnArbor.com on Glendening becoming a captain: “He’s a kid that has earned everything he’s gotten at Michigan. He didn’t come here on a scholarship; he didn’t come here with a lot of talk about his draft status or any of that. He was not a high-profile recruit. But when he got here, every day in practice, he’s showed everybody he can help this team. And he’s worked himself up to be chosen as a captain as a sophomore – that’s pretty significant.”

KYLE FOLLMER
Northern Michigan
So. | D | St. Paul, Minn.

Key Statistics: Follmer began making a name for himself during a strong freshman year in Marquette, notching a modest but respectable 14 points on 2 goals and 12 assists. While it’s no surprise that the former forward acquitted himself well on the offensive end of the ice, his plus-16 rating in 41 games was quite impressive for a rookie.

What He Does: The sophomore-to-be has decent size, standing at 6-1 and 190 pounds, and has the ability to be a catalyst for success at both ends of the ice. Follmer earned a reputation as a tough guy during his days in the USHL, and that type of physicality translates well to Northern Michigan’s game, where his style of play can help wear opponents down.

The Bigger Picture: After playing well in the shadows of Erik Gustafsson and T.J. Miller last season, Follmer will be counted on to be the rock on the Wildcats’ blue line. The sophomore is looking to take on more of a leadership role in a unit that will include some lesser-experienced classmates, as well as some newcomers to Northern Michigan.

Follmer looking forward to this year: “I want to be more of a playmaker, I guess you could say – (I want to) be more of an impact player. I know we lost two senior defensemen, so the blue line is kind of mine, that’s what Walt said. So I just want to get better day by day and go in this fall knowing that I’m in great shape and lay it all out there, just play my game and lead by example.”

JEFF BLASHILL
Western Michigan
Head Coach | Ferris State ’98 | Sault Ste. Marie, Mich.

Background: Although he spent the last two years as bench boss of the USHL’s Indiana Ice, Blashill is CCHA through and through. After graduating from Ferris State at the end of the 1997-98 season, Blashill rejoined the Bulldogs in 1999 as an assistant coach where he spent the next three seasons helping to mold the squad that eventually went on to win the 2002-03 CCHA championship. But by the time that victory came around, Blashill was already onto the next task – an assistant coach on Enrico Blasi’s staff at Miami, where he played an integral role in building the RedHawks into the national power we now know them as. Knowing that he wanted to move into a head coaching position, Blashill spent the past two seasons as head coach and general manager of Indiana, going 72-43-5 in those two seasons and winning the Clark Cup in his first year in charge.

State of the Program: Given his pedigree in building elite CCHA programs and his time assisting at elite junior tournaments, including the 2009 World Junior Championships, Blashill knows talent, there’s not doubt about it. Naturally then, when he arrived at Western Michigan for an interview, he was asked a simple question: could he win with the guys currently on the squad? After going 18-18-1 in 2006-07, the Broncos have won just 8, 14, and 8 games respectively over the past three seasons, making the question a valid one. While optimistic he can get the most out of his players as he has in the past, Blashill made it clear that the program’s success will depend on the character of the players in that locker room and how they collectively respond to adversity. If they can do that well, there’s no telling how quickly this team could turn around, but if not, it will take Blashill more time to build a roster that can compete for strong playoff seedings, NCAA Tournament berths and conference titles.

Coaching Philosophy: The main tenets of Blashill’s coaching philosophy are that players must have strong character and ability to respond to adversity, and that they are accountable for mistakes that they make. Blashill expects that if he and his staff point out a mistake, the player does everything to correct the mishap or prevent it from happening again, and that they’ll be held accountable if they don’t follow through. This attention to detail, as well as a belief that you have to be great at both ends of the ice stems from Blashill’s experience at Miami, where a culture of accountability and character have helped build a perennial powerhouse.  Blashill recognizes that the culture won’t change overnight, saying, “It’s a gradual process, it’s not something you teach in a few days – it’s about action.”

CHRIS BERGERON
Bowling Green
Head Coach | Miami ’93 | Wallaceburg, Ontario

Background: After playing four years of college hockey at Miami, serving as a two-year captain and spending seven seasons in various minor leagues, Bergeron returned to Oxford to help former teammate Enrico Blasi bring the RedHawks to prominence in 1999. Over the course of 10 seasons, Bergeron and Blasi experienced some ups and downs early on but have turned Miami into a perennial contender by building a tight-knit and talented team based on accountability between coaches and players.

State of the Program: It’s no secret that Bowling Green’s program has been on some rocky ground in recent years. The Falcons have struggled on the ice and the athletic department has experienced serious financial difficulties, but the program and university’s alumni base have rallied around the team, making for an optimistic future. As for on-ice improvement, time will tell.

Bergeron points to a series from last February as a sign that the Falcons do have some talent, but that there is some way to go with respect to nightly efforts and accountability that drive success. In a weekend set at home against Miami, Bowling Green played admirably the first game, lost 3-2 but held its own against one of the nation’s top teams. BG fell apart the next night and lost 10-2. Bergeron knows that creating a culture of success will take some time, is hesitant to put a timeline on a turnaround, but will go to work from the day his team shows up.

Coaching Philosophy: In an effort to turn the program around, Bergeron knows that having the right people in place will be a key factor. He’s happy with the coaching staff and administration and optimistic that he’ll find out quickly whether the current roster is ready to buy into the new culture. Like Blasi at Miami, Bergeron will hold his team to a high standard day in and day out, and is big on accountability for mistakes and lack of effort. Creating this culture took a few years at Miami, but Bergeron is confident that the transition can be smoother at Bowling Green because of all the hard lessons learned by he, Blasi and other staff members at Miami and because he has a distinct plan in place to turn this around – a plan that didn’t materialize until the third or fourth year at Miami.

Notre Dame forward Kyle Palmieri signed a three-year contract with the Anaheim Ducks Tuesday, eschewing his remaining three seasons of collegiate eligibility. According to the Los Angeles Times, the pact could be worth as much as $2.43 million over the life of the deal and includes an annual bonus of $90,000.

Palmieri, selected by the Ducks with the 26th overall pick in the 2009 NHL Draft, scored nine goals and eight assists in 31 games with the Fighting Irish last season. He tied for sixth among CCHA rookies in goals. The Montvale, N.J., native was also part of the U.S. team that won the gold medal at the 2010 IIHF World Junior Championship.

Palmeiri is the 31st underclassman since mid-March to leave the college ranks in order to sign an NHL contract and the fifth player this offseason to bolt after just one year on campus—the others in that group are Alaska Anchorage’s Lee Baldwin (New York Rangers), Harvard’s Louis Leblanc (Montreal), Minnesota’s Nick Leddy (Chicago), and RIT’s Chris Tanev (Vancouver).

Two more players decided Tuesday to eschew their remaining college eligibility, as WIsconsin defenseman Ryan McDonagh and Michigan State forward Corey Tropp signed with the National Hockey League clubs that own their rights.

McDonagh and the New York Rangers agreed to a reported three-year deal worth $2.4 million. He’s the fourth Wisconsin underclassman to leave for the professional ranks this offseason and the second Badger in a week to leave State Street for Broadway—forward Derek Stepan came to terms on a similar deal with the Blueshirts. McDonagh, who scored 14 goals and added 32 assists in three seasons with the Badgers, was originally drafted by Montreal with the 12th overall pick in the 2007 NHL Draft; his rights were traded to the Rangers last summer as part of the deal that sent Scott Gomez to the Canadiens.

Tropp, meanwhile, signed a three-year contract with the Buffalo Sabres reportedly worth $1.76 million. In three seasons at Michigan State, the Grosse Pointe Woods, Mich., native scored 29 goals and 41 assists in 100 career games. Tropp, who was drafted in the third round of the 2007 draft, is the third Spartan underclassman to sign an NHL contract during the offseason, joining defenseman Jeff Petry (Edmonton) and forward Andrew Rowe (Philadelphia).

Tommy Wingels captained Miami as a junior and finished with 42 points in 44 games

Two 2010 Frozen Four participants – Miami forward Tommy Wingels and RIT defenseman Chris Tanev – have signed with NHL teams, becoming the 23rd and 24th college players to leave this offseason prior to completing their college eligibility. (View the complete list of pro signees.)

A sixth-round draft pick of San Jose in 2008, Wingels signed a three-year entry-level contract with the Sharks. Miami’s captain as a junior, Wingels ranked second on the RedHawks in goals (17) and fourth in points (42) in 44 games. He was named the CCHA’s Best Defensive Forward and was a second-team All-CCHA selection. Wingels finished his college career with 99 points in 127 games and made consecutive trips to the Frozen Four. San Jose also announced the signing of free agent goaltender Carter Hutton of UMass Lowell.

Tanev signed as a free agent with Vancouver after posting 10 goals and 28 points in 41 games as a freshman at RIT. He was Atlantic Hockey’s Rookie of the Year and a third-team all-league selection, finishing fourth on the Tigers in scoring.

The last of the three head coaching opening in the CCHA was filled Saturday when Ohio State named Wisconsin assistant Mark Osiecki to take over as the Buckeyes’ bench boss.

Osiecki has been an aide to Wisconsin head coach Mike Eaves for six seasons, winning a national title with the Badgers in 2006 and helping them to the Frozen Four earlier this month. A member of the Badger team that won the NCAA title in 1990, Osiecki’s previous coaching stops include a seven-year tenure as head coach and general manager of the United States Hockey League’s Green Bay Gamblers and a stint as an assistant at North Dakota under Dean Blais.

“I can’t express how excited I am at the opportunity to take over the hockey program at an institution as great as Ohio State,” Osiecki said. “The locker room is filled with good players and I look forward to building on the tradition of the coaches who have come before me.”

Osiecki replaces John Markell, whose contract was not renewed when it expired following the season. In 15 seasons at Ohio State, Markell amassed a career record of 280-267-56.