Highlighting The Best Michigan Wolverines To Make The NHL

It's not often that one or two teams maintain dominance over a single sport, especially in college athletics. However, the University of Michigan has managed to maintain a stranglehold over college hockey throughout its long history, compiling the second-most national championships in history while also being the winningest program ever. That success was built on the backs of an endless stream of high-quality, coachable players, many of whom went on to play in the professional ranks. 

There are countless former Wolverines who warrant consideration as the best of their school's bunch to make it to the NHL. The men listed below are the truly elite players who managed to convert excellent college production into long, meaningful professional careers. 

He might not be the most famous person with the name John Madden, but he is certainly the best hockey player to bear the moniker. Madden enjoyed a fantastic career during a particularly good era of Michigan hockey, being named to two All-American teams in his four years in Ann Arbor. Those awards, along with the Wolverines' 1996 victory in the national championship, highlighted one of the best Michigan hockey careers of all time.

Upon transitioning to the professional ranks, Madden was asked to move into a chiefly defensive role, a stark contrast from the scoring responsibilities he undertook as a Wolverine. Nonetheless, he excelled at whatever was asked of him, even winning the Selke Trophy in his third professional season, an award for the league's best defensive forward. In addition to individual recognition, Madden saw incredible team success, capturing three Stanley Cup victories in his career, two with the New Jersey Devils and one with the Chicago Blackhawks at the back end of his career. 

Shockingly, Turco saw even more career success with the Wolverines than Madden did. He was the starting goalie for all four of his years on campus, including two of Michigan's national championship teams in 1996 and 1998, achieving a save percentage that hovered just around 90% throughout his career. He was widely considered one of the best goalies in the nation, a status that was amplified when the Dallas Stars selected him in the 1994 NHL Draft, well before he did his best work as a goalie.

That selection proved to be a good one for the Stars. Turco played nine seasons with Dallas, three of which resulted in All-Star selections. He maintained a save percentage above 90% in seven of his 11 seasons in the NHL, demonstrating an impressive longevity with his consistent success at the highest level. He led the NHL in both goals against average and save percentage in two of his first three seasons with the Stars, playing behind an elite defensive unit. Aside from pure goaltending, Turco was one of the best puck-handling goalies in the NHL, a rare skill set from between the pipes that set him apart from most of the competition.

There is no name more associated with Michigan hockey than Red Berenson. As a player, Berenson only played for the Wolverines for three seasons, but he made his mark in that limited window. In his final campaign in Ann Arbor, Berenson poured in a total of 70 points, including 43 goals. It was his best season in maize and blue, and one that helped him be considered an elite prospect as he headed to the professional ranks.

Despite his fantastic college career, Berenson did not catch on to professional play until his seventh season with the Montreal Canadiens. After years of being buried on what was an extremely deep depth chart, he exploded to add 54 points to Montreal's ledger, by far the best number of his career until that point. 

Things really got started when Berenson was traded to the St. Louis Blues, an expansion team that desperately needed a leader. The veteran answered the call, scoring 51 points with the Blues while carrying them to three Stanley Cup appearances. In that span, Berenson also made three All-Star games. He would go on to make two more with the Detroit Red Wings before rounding out a 17-year NHL career with the Blues once again.

Berenson's legacy in hockey did not end there. Five years after playing his final minute of professional hockey, he returned to his alma mater in a head coaching capacity. Berenson coached the Wolverines for 33 years, amassing 848 wins and two national championships in 1996 and 1998 before calling it a career. 

While the men listed above are certain to retain their status as all-time Wolverine legends, there is a pack of up-and-coming Michigan alumni that will aim to replace them on lists like these. Guys like Quinn Hughes and Dylan Larkin make up the crop of current Wolverines in the NHL who have the makings of future greats. With the quality of Michigan's program, there are sure to be more joining them with each passing year.