Wolverines Add Seven Freshmen for 2026-27 Season

ANN ARBOR, Mich. -- The University of Michigan ice hockey staff, led by the Graham Family head coach Brandon Naurato, announced Thursday (July 23) the seven incoming players who will make up the freshman class for the 2026-27 season.

• Alternate captain for Kamloops Blazers in 2025-26
• Played in 68 games and had 97 points on 42 goals and 55 assists
• Named the WHL Rookie of the Year as the league's leading rookie scorer
• Finished fourth in the WHL in scoring overall in 2025-26
• Finalist for the WHL Player of the Year
• WHL First All-Star Team selection
• Selected for the 2025 CHL-USA Prospects Challenge
• Member of leadership group for Team West at the 2026 WHL Prospects Game
• Spent the 2024-25 season with the USNTDP
• Tallied 37 points in 56 games with the USNTDP and added 31 points in USHL games
• Previously played for the Dallas Stars Elite
• Drafted 20th overall in the 2023 WHL U.S. Priority Draft by Kamloops
• Drafted in first round (23rd overall) in the 2026 NHL Draft by the Detroit Red Wings

International
• 2024 U17 World Hockey Challenge (5 GP, 0-3-3)

• Played for North Bay Battalion (OHL) in 2025-26
• Totaled 22 points on six goals and 16 assists in 57 games
• Spent two seasons in the USHL with Tri-City and Des Moines
• Finished his USHL career with five goals and 17 assists for 22 points in 109 games
• Spent the 2022-23 season with Shattuck St. Mary's as the team's top defenseman with 46 points in 57 games
• Played two years for Bishop Kearney Selects, winning the New York state championship twice
• Drafted 82nd overall in the 2023 USHL Draft by Tri-City

• Granted exceptional status in 2024, the ninth player in CHL history and second in WHL
• Played two seasons for Everett Silvertips in 2024-25 and 2025-26
• Alternate captain in 2025-26 as the team reached the Memorial Cup final as WHL champions
• Totaled 73 points on 18 goals and 55 assists in 63 games and added 23 more points in 18 playoff games in 2025-26
• 2025 WHL Rookie of the Year (Jim Piggott Memorial Trophy) and CHL Rookie of the Year
• Finalist for the 2026 WHL Defenseman of the Year (Bill Hunter Memorial Trophy)
• 2025 CHL All-Rookie and a two-time Third All-Star Team selection
• Played in 64 games as a rookie with 60 points on 17 goals and 43 assists while adding 15 more points in the playoffs
• Canadian Sport School Hockey League (CSSHL) U18 Top Defenseman in 2023-24 and First All-Star Team selection
• Won the 2024 CSHL U18 Prep Western Championship with Edge School
• Played youth hockey for Eisabaren Juniors Berlin in Germany
• Drafted first overall in the 2024 WHL Prospects Draft

International
• 2025 Hlinka Gretzky Cup (bronze medal, alternate captain, 5 GP, 0-4-4)
• 2024 U17 World Hockey Challenge (silver medal, 4 GP, 0-4-4)

Jack Nesbitt | F | 6-5/185 | Left | Sarnia, Ont. | Windsor (OHL) | PHL

• Played three seasons with Windsor Spitfires
• Averaged 1.05 points per game last year with 25 goals and 33 assists in 55 games
• Finished his OHL career with 140 points (59 goals, 81 assists) in 178 games
• Added 20 postseason points (eight goals, 12 assists) in 25 appearances
• Selected to the inaugural Connor McDavid OHL Top Prospects Game in 2025
• Previously played for the Lambton Jr. Sting
• Drafted 20th overall in the 2023 OHL Draft by Windsor
• Drafted 12th overall in the 2025 NHL Draft by Philadelphia

International
• 2025 U18 World Championships (gold medal, 6 GP, 2-3-5)
• 2023 World U17 Hockey Challenge (gold medal, 8 GP, 1-1-2)

• Played three seasons with the Kitchener Rangers
• Team captain in 2025-26, when the Rangers won the Memorial Cup and Robertson Cup
• Totaled 56 points on 15 goals and 41 assists in 57 games in his last year, while adding 14 points in the playoffs
• Alternate captain in 2024-25, while leading the team in assists
• Played in 173 OHL games, scoring 31 goals and adding 102 points with a +82
• Selected to the 2026 Connor McDavid OHL Top Prospects Game
• Participated in the 2025 CHL-USA Prospects Challenge
• Previously played for Bishop Kearney Selects
• Drafted 10th overall in the 2023 OHL Draft by Kitchener
• Drafted 21st overall in the 2025 NHL Draft by the Nashville Predators

International
• 2026 World Juniors Championships (bronze medal, 7 GP, 0-1-1)
• 2024 Hlinka Gretzky Cup (gold medal, 5 GP, 0-2-2)
• 2023 World U17 Hockey Challenge (gold medal, 8 GP, 1-1-2)

• Spent last season with Kingston Frontenacs after joining the team midway through 2024-25
• Tallied 42 points on 17 goals and 25 assists in 53 games for Kingston in 2025-26
• Played two years at St. Andrew's College in 2023-24 and 2024-25
• Averaged 1.09 points per game while at St. Andrew's with 25 points in 23 games
• Won the Prep Hockey Conference with the Saints in 2024-25
• Previously played with the Pittsburgh Penguins Elite, Nepean Raiders and three years with Upper Canada Cyclones
• Hockey Eastern Ontario (HEO) U15 Champion Cyclones and league in assists in 2021-22
• Drafted 86th overall in the 2023 OHL Draft by Frontenacs
• Drafted 76th overall in the 2024 USHL Draft by Sioux City
• Drafted 65th overall in the 2025 NHL Draft by Vancouver

• Spent five seasons in the OHL playing with North Bay, Saginaw and most recently Ottawa
• Won the 2024 Memorial Cup with Saginaw
• Served as alternate captain of the Spirit during the 2024-25 season when he had 35 points
• Split the 2025-26 season between Saginaw and Ottawa, collecting 44 points in 66 games between the two squads
• Played in 308 OHL games and had 55 goals and 69 assists for 124 points, while adding 15 points in playoff games
• Previously played for the Toronto Jr. Canadiens in the Greater Toronto Hockey League
• Drafted 27th overall in the 2021 OHL Draft by North Bay

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