Michigan hockey coach Red Berenson considered retirement before late season win streak
Red Berenson has spent 29 years as Michigan's hockey coach.
AnnArbor.com file photo
The Michigan hockey team’s late nine-game win streak restored some respectability to an otherwise dismal season.
It also may have convinced coach Red Berenson to return for his 30th year on the bench.
Berenson said that if not for Michigan’s late surge, he would have considered retiring after the season.
“If this team wouldn’t have got any better, I would have really thought about not coming back next year, because I don’t want to get in the way of this program doing well,” Berenson said.
After starting the year 4-3-1, Michigan went 4-13-1 from early November until January. Its final record of 18-19-3 marks the team's first season under .500 since 1986-87, Berenson’s third year as head coach.
Berenson signed a three-year contract extension during the last offseason that keeps him under contract through the 2015-16 season. But despite the length of his contract, Berenson said he continues to evaluate his position year-by-year.
“I’ve told Dave Brandon from day one, and I wasn’t excited for making a commitment for those three years plus this year, because I want to do what’s best for the program,” Berenson said.
“I’m not afraid to walk away from a situation, be it really good or really bad, that it’s just not the best thing for the program.”
Kyle Austin covers sports for AnnArbor.com. He can be reached at kyleaustin@annarbor.com or 734-623-2535. Follow him on Twitter @KAustin_AA.
Comments
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Fri, Mar 29, 2013 : 5:58 p.m.
2 National Championship, a ton of CCHA championships, and how many Frozen Four appearances, this man will go down as a UofM legend. I am glad he is continuing to coach, but am concerned about the next coach and his ability to live up to this legend.
heartbreakM
Fri, Mar 29, 2013 : 4:22 p.m.
So glad that Red is not retiring. This streak that he had, of 22 straight NCAA appearances is unbelievable. Just for comparison, that is more years in a row than Bo was head coach. Even though we don't have as many championships as we all hoped, Red is a true winner, a true Michigan man, a man we can all admire. He will hopefully be on the bench for a long time more. We are lucky to have him.