U-M Ice Hockey Press Conference -- Coach Berenson Comments
7/27/2004 12:00:00 AM | Ice Hockey
Head Coach Red Berenson Comments from
U-M Ice Hockey Press Conference
Addressing Al Montoya's choice to return to Michigan
On Montoya's decision ... "Well, in general, we've seen and talked about this, whether or not it's a trend in college hockey, and I've been the one to say that it's not a trend, and that I don't agree with it, and I don't think it's worked for the players that have left early. But that didn't stop the players from leaving, and it seems like for every player, it's a personal situation, it's a little different than the last and they have their own reasons. In Al's case, he probably did the best job of investigating into the whole gamut. I was pleased with his decision, I wasn't surprised, it should have been an easy decision, but I'm sure it was tough for him. But with my experience and just talking to people in the business, it was an easy decision, it was a good decision."
On why it was a good decision for Montoya ... "He's a goalie. Goalies take longer, ask any general manager in pro hockey, and there's no 19- or 20-year goalie and Al knows that. He knows that his chance to play pro this year, had he signed with the Rangers, would be playing in the American League, whether the NHL is operating or not, he knew that for a fact and he knew that there's a good chance that any goalie coming out of college will have to play in the minors for awhile like (Marty) Turco did, and like (Steve) Shields did. But I think his conversations with Shields and Turco really helped him kind of put things in perspective. They're not here now, enamored by the fact that the NHL or the money or the opportunity in pro hockey is the most important thing in the world, because they're already there. They can look back and put a different spin on school than maybe you get when you're in school and you can say, 'Hey, this is pretty special' and take advantage of it.
"I know one of the keys to Al's decision was his development. He's still developing at Michigan, he wants to play down the road and I think he can see, they've told him, the hockey in the American League is good hockey. You could go to the American League and run into a coach like Shields did, John Van Boxmeer, who wouldn't play him, and he got sent to the East Coast League and he was a pretty good prospect coming out of college hockey. Marty Turco paid his dues in the minors, but had Marty left after the second year, he may not have made it to the NHL.
"I think Al has taken everything with a grain of salt, and I'll say he has a special confidence about him that he's not just driven by the money, but he knows the money will be there, he's got that confidence that he's going to make it. He'll keep developing and be more ready to play. He's got more of the attitude that I like to see in young players than we've seen in some of the other players that have left. So he's got the confidence, it's not just about money, and I think he knows he's got some unfinished business here and he knows he's got some challenges here that are important to him.
"Lastly, he has a mother who has a great perspective on her son and his career. It's not just about money, education is important, fulfillment of the challenges here at Michigan are important, and the balance in his life is important. I think she's done a perfect job in raising her son, and now when she's confronted with all this, this is a big thing, it's the first time she's been through a situation like this, her son is a first-round pick, and they're talking millions and the NHL and on and on, she handled it well, it didn't blow her away."
On the post-draft hoopla ... "Well, there's no question, it's not fair to these kids. If you've been to the draft, and if you've seen what happens to these first-rounders and how they get blown into near legends, and they haven't even played a game in the NHL, and then the team takes them within a week of the draft, and pulls them into New York and they wine them and dine them and orient them, and test them, and these kids get into thinking they're already there. And then within a couple of weeks, they start to talk to them about their futures and signing with the team. They don't give them any time to come down. My point is that you're not an any better hockey player the day after you get drafted than you were the day before the draft. Thinking you're already there, you're not already there. You're still the same guy you were yesterday, but the draft can do that to you."
On playing professionally ... "Could Al go pro Yes, he could go pro and he could compete, and he'd be fine there. But he's got a pretty good option right here. He knows he's going to be the starting goalie, he knows he's going to be on a team that has a chance to win every night. If you ask Jed Ortmeyer about his first year in pro, what was the toughest thing, he said losing. He wasn't used to losing and it just killed him."
On this season's outlook ... "There are going to be high expectations. You knew there would be when this senior class became seniors. It puts all the experience at the top end of our team and then you look at the classes behind them, and I can make some cases being a real good team. I can also tell you there will be some real concerns about this team. I think with Al coming back, that is a big piece and there are no holes in this team. This will be a team that has to come together, work together, and play good hockey, because we will be a favorite team."
On if Montoya leaving would have lowered expectations ... "That would give everyone an excuse. I think we would have been a good team without Al. We've never been a one-player team, but when you lose your starting goalie, it obviously puts a big question mark on your backup goalies and can they do the job, but we'll never know. We were prepared, there was nothing we could do about it, we could have brought in a goalie that we weren't sure about, or brought in a goalie at Christmas that we would have felt better about had we not done well, but that's not how college hockey should work. I really respect Al and his family for making what I call an 'early, firm, final decision.' This isn't about money, he's not waiting for a better offer, this is a decision, and now he can get on with his summer. He's got a big challenge ahead of him, he's got something to prove, why he was a first-round pick."
On avoiding the "draft letdown" ... "That's always a challenge, and that will be one of his challenges, hopefully he can get over that before we start. That will bring his stock up a little bit higher, now can you live up to that And every first-rounder has gone through it, so that will be something we'll be talking about. It's all mental, but you've seen it happen."
On if Montoya's decision makes him feel his input is not wasted ... "I think Al has made me feel like my preaching, or my philosophy, is not totally unheard. I know in the past, I've been disappointed with some of the communication I've had with players, or the lack of communication with them at crunch time, and in this case, Al was very receptive and his mother was receptive to talking about it. I think talking to Shields and Turco was, from my perspective, another two really important voices. I put the onus on Al to call them and just talk to them about their experience and looking back, and they understand the situation with him. You can't fast forward your career, and what's the rush It's not a one-time opportunity. It's rewarding for me to have a family and a player and have our former players still appreciate Michigan.
"It's good that Al is listening to the Michigan hockey family and that he's not just rushing out to get his money and run and forget about everything else. He's coming back into a huge opportunity here and a big challenge here. You look at what Turco has done at Michigan and what Shields did at Michigan, what's Montoya going to do at Michigan You don't think it's important, but you listen to the pro hockey broadcast, and how many times do they bring up that Marty Turco played at Michigan or won two national championships, or tonight, he'll be facing his former Wolverine teammate Brendan Morrison That stuff is part of your legacy whether you like it or not, but it's good stuff."
Contact: Matt Trevor (734) 763-4423
