NHL draft 2022 picks The pressure of the frozen four
NHL draft 2022 picks The pressure of the Frozen Four
NHL draft 2022 absorbed the pressure and motivates Michigan
D-Duel Hockey is a matchup between Michigan and Michigan State. On Saturday, February 12, 2022, Michigan head coach Mel Pearson yells at his players from the bench as Michigan and Michigan State compete in the “Duel in the D” at Little Caesars Arena in Detroit.
Mel Pearson, Michigan’s head hockey coach, is well aware of the stakes when his team faces Denver in a national semifinal battle in Boston on Thursday night.
The Wolverines were considered a major national title candidate before the puck fell for the 2021-22 season, as they returned eight of their nine scorers from the previous season and boasted an NCAA-record seven first-round National hockey league draft picks.
So far, they’ve lived up to the hype, winning the Big Ten tournament and securing the top overall seed in the NCAA Tournament. They’re one of four teams still alive, and they need two more victories to win the program’s first national championship since 1998.
Pearson is aware, though, that NHL draft 2022 talent does not usually equal NCAA Tournament success. Only 11 teams in NCAA history have had four or more first-round picks on their roster, and only two have reached the Frozen Four — North Dakota in 2006 and 2007.
Neither team from North Dakota was able to win the entire tournament. (Last year’s Michigan squad had six first-round picks but was forced to forfeit their tournament opener due to COVID-19 procedures.)
Pearson to reporters
Last week, Pearson told reporters, “The challenge was out there right away for us to even make it to the Frozen Four.” “A lot of pressure exists, but what exactly is pressure?” Everyone has high expectations of you, and you have high expectations of yourself. The only thing on our minds was to improve every day and have a fantastic year. That’s why everyone returned. They returned for a specific reason. This was all for a good reason. This is something they’ve felt compelled to do.”
Who is Pearson and what is his belief?
Pearson, 63, was an assistant coach on Michigan’s bench when the Wolverines defeated Boston College 3-2 in overtime in the 1998 national championship game in Boston. He’s gone back to the Frozen Four six times since then, including once as a head coach in 2018, but he still wants to win college hockey’s biggest prize. Pearson, on the other hand, believes that this year’s squad is ready to take it all. Owen Power, Matty Beniers, and Kent Johnson, Michigan’s three-star sophomores, were all top-five draft picks in July but chose to stay in Ann Arbor rather than go pro.
According to Pearson, Michigan welcomed another quality freshmen class, led by fellow first-round picks Luke Hughes (No. 4 overall) and Mackie Samoskevich (No. 24), as well as a solid senior leadership group.
The Wolverines have spent the whole season in the top ten of the national rankings, but they have had their share of setbacks. Several of their best players missed a few games to compete in the World Junior Championships and the Beijing Olympics in 2022.
The team also dropped its final two regular-season games, missing out on the Big Ten championship.
Michael Pastujov, a fifth-year senior, is the only player on the team who has played in the NCAA Tournament previously, but Pearson believes his team has adjusted well to the spotlight.
Scoring of Michigan in NHL draft 2022
Michigan scored two quick goals in a 5-3 victory over American International College to start the tournament. In the second round, it built a 4-0 lead into the third period against Quinnipiac and allowed the Bobcats to cut it to one with just under nine minutes left, but Michigan replied with three goals in the final four minutes to win 7-4.
“These boys have been through a lot in their lives. In terms of the experience, we’ve had a lot of guys play big games in big situations, and making it through the Big Ten playoffs was a significant accomplishment. Because it was a single-game knockout, it provided us with a true sense of the NCAA Tournament, particularly in the semifinals and finals. Then there were the two games, which were obviously crucial for us. I’m confident that we’ll improve. I was more anxious about getting through those two games than about how we’ll do in the Frozen Four because you get experience. I’m quite pleased with this group and the experiences they’ve gained.”
Both of Michigan’s regional games in Allentown, Pennsylvania, drew fewer than 4,000 supporters, but the Frozen Four will be played in front of a significantly larger crowd at TD Garden, which seats 19,580 people.
Pearson about his progress as a coach in NHL draft 2022
Hughes, who leads all NCAA defensemen with 17 goals and 39 points, said the club isn’t under any more pressure now that they’ve advanced to the quarterfinals.
Hughes told MLive: “It’s such an exciting time.” “It’s extremely difficult to reach the Frozen Four, and even more difficult to win.” Everyone seems to be on board and quite enthusiastic. “Everyone on the team has high expectations, and we all want to win, but we are not under any duress.” We’re just trying to do our best in a game we enjoy.”
Pearson says he isn’t the same coach he was in 1998, but he expects the same result. He added of his progress as a coach, “Obviously know a lot more about the game and what it takes to get to that place and how to manage such situations.” “I was a young, emotional assistant coach at the time.” You still feel emotions, but that’s where I’ve progressed the most: I’ve developed a better sense of what’s going on and a better comprehension of what’s going on. It’s much more relaxing.
“I think you learn a lot just from the mechanics of getting ready for the week and attempting to block out all the distractions.” Just trying to put everything else aside so that when (this) week rolls around, we can focus only on the games and putting our guys in the best possible position to succeed. As coaches, that’s exactly what we’re aiming for. For the most part, we know what it will take, and all we have to do now is get that information to the players.”
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