ANN ARBOR, Mich. -- The University of Michigan ice hockey program has received National Letters of Intent from forwards Robbie Czarnik(Washington, Mich.) and David Wohlberg(South Lyon, Mich.) and defenseman Greg Pateryn(Sterling Heights, Mich.) for the 2008-09 season, head coach Red Berenson announced Wednesday afternoon (Nov. 21).
Czarnik and Wohlberg are each in their second seasons with the U.S. National Team Development Program in Ann Arbor. Pateryn is currently playing for the Ohio Junior Blue Jackets of the United States Hockey League.
Czarnik is listed at 6-1, 179 pounds. Through 18 games with the U.S. Under-18 Team this season he has tallied three goals and five assists. Czarnik was rated an 'A' prospect in the NHL Central Scouting Service's fall rankings on Oct. 24. An 'A' prospect is stated as a player who is predicted tobe drafted in the first or second round of the upcoming 2008 NHL Entry Draft. In 2006-07, he recorded a 17-12-29 line in 65 games for the U.S. Under-17 Team.
Wohlberg measures in at 6-0, 177 pounds. He has a pair ofgoals and five assists in 15 games for the U.S. Under-18 Team this year. Wohlberg had a 15-14-29 line in 63 games for the U.S. Under-17 Team in 2006-07.
Pateryn is a 6-2, 195-pound rearguard. He has a goal and five assists in 13 games for the Ohio Junior Blue Jackets this season. Additionally, he has accumulated 30 penalty minutes. Pateryn was rated a 'B' prospect in the NHL Central Scouting Service's fall rankings on Oct. 24. A 'B' prospect is stated as a player who is predicted to be drafted in the third through fifth rounds of the upcoming 2008 NHL Entry Draft. Pateryn previously skated for Birmingham (Mich.) Brother Rice High School, where he was an All-State selection for the 2006-07 selection.
The Wolverines will graduate two players from their 2007-08 roster: forwards Kevin Porter(Northville, Mich.) and Chad Kolarik(Abington, Pa.).
QUOTES
Michigan Head Coach Red Berenson
On the two forwards "Robbie Czarnik and David Wohlberg are with the U.S. National Team. I've seen them improve since they went there. I think they'll be solid players when they get here. Czarnik might be a little more of an opportunist type. If you had to compare them in a general way, I could compare Czarnik a little bit to Chad Kolarik. And I could compare Wohlberg a little bit to Porter. That's a little bit. We'll have to wait and see how they come along. They're both good players."
On Greg Pateryn "We're not necessarily bringing him in (for 2008-09) -- he's available. He's signed and he's playing in the U.S. Hockey League. I can't tell you he'll be coming infor sure. We have to have options and he's an option for us. He's a kid who is probably going to need two years in the U.S. Hockey League. But he is coming to Michigan, it's just a matter of when."
Associate Head Coach Mel Pearson
On Robbie Czarnik "Robbie Czarnik is a real high-end, talented player. I think he's going to add some offensive skill to our team. He's very good with the puck. He's always been a top scorer wherever he has played. We've had a chance to observe him for the last few years. We're really excited to get him into the program. He reminds me of Chad Kolarik in some regards, but at the same time I don't know if he is as pure a scorer as Chad. He skates well, handles the puck well, shoots it pretty well. He probably plays a little more physically than Chad. He's along those lines."
On David Wohlberg "I don't know if we've anybody like David Wohlberg for the last little bit. He's an intriguing player with good size and he plays with a real edge to him. He has good skill -- good hands. He's the type of guy you could probably project to play against a lot of other teams' top centers because he is very defensive conscious in the zone. He's good on faceoffs. He plays with that little bit of nastiness that you like to see in a kid. At the same time, he has very good hands and good offensive instincts. We probably haven't had anybody in the center position like him in a while. I think it's going to be a mix and a benefit for us to have in the program. David is a good two-way player, where Czarnik is obviously more of an offensive-type player."
On Greg Pateryn " Greg Pateryn is a big, strong, physical defenseman with really good offensive instincts. He's played a lot of the power play down in Ohio. He's putting up decent numbers for a first-year player right out of high school. He's going to come in and add some size to our defense. He's a smart defenseman with the puck, able to make that first outlet pass. He'll add some offensive instincts to our team. He's come a long way in one year from the high school ranks to juniors. Greg has always wanted to come to Michigan. He's a Brother Rice (High School) kid and he grew up here. He really has a love for Michigan and Michigan hockey. He's playing in Ohio and we have an agreement with him that we'll reevaluate him at the end of the year. It's a pretty big jump from Michigan high school hockey into college and I think that's one of the reason's he left his senior year and went down into the USHL -- he's played very well there. He might need another year, so we're going to reevaluate that at the end of the season and sit down with Greg and just see if another year would make sense for him and us."
Contact: Matt Trevor (734) 763-4423
