Michigan hockey signs five players, loses forward Robbie Czarnik
On a day when Michigan's hockey program added to five players to its future roster, the Wolverines lost one of its up-and-coming point producers.
Sophomore forward Robbie Czarnik quit the team on Monday, coach Red Berenson announced. Czarnik, who has scored three goals and registered three assists in 12 games, signed with the Plymouth Whalers of the Ontario Hockey League.
The Whalers acquired the rights to Czarnik from the Oshawa Generals.
"We are excited to add Robbie to our lineup," Whalers president and head coach Mike Vellucci in a release. "His greatest asset is his speed, and we look forward to developing him for the next level."
Berenson said Monday that Czarnik plans to remain enrolled at Michigan, but no longer wanted to be part of the Wolverines' program.
"He hasn't been happy since he's been here - he's a sophomore," Berenson said Monday. "Things haven't gone maybe the way he expected them to go for him, so he's quitting the team.
"It's disappointing that a kid after all the anticipation of recruiting him to Michigan and then being here - he likes it here, he likes the team and he likes the school and he's serious about school. It's disappointing that he's giving up on the hockey part. Things don't always go your way when you get to this level. I had hoped he would have persevered. I think last year was a real challenge for him emotionally, and he just never got over it."
Czarnik was a third-round pick of the Los Angeles Kings in the 2008 NHL Entry Draft.
Also on Monday, Berenson received letters of national letters of from two forwards and three defenseman for the 2010-11 season.
The Wolverines picked up forwards Jacob Fallon and Luke Moffatt, who play for the Ann-Arbor based U.S. National Developmental program.
The 5-foot-10, 184-pound Fallon has not played this year but scored 17 goals and had 27 assists for the U.S. Under-17 team. Moffatt, a 6-foot, 179-pound forward, has scored three goals and added seven assists for 10 points in 22 games with the U.S. Under-18 team this fall.
Joining Fallon and Moffatt are defensemen Kevin Clare, Jon Merrill and Mac Bennett.
Merrill has four power-play and has 10 assists with eight penalty minutes in 22 games with the U.S. Under-18 team while Clare, who is in his second season with the U.S. Developmental team, has scored two goals with an assist and 37 penalty minutes in 22 games this season.
Bennett is the lone non-U.S. Developmental team player, signing with Michigan from the Cedar Rapids (Iowa) Roughriders of the United States Hockey League.
Bennett has a goal and three assists in 10 games for the Roughriders. The rearguard missed a handful of Cedar Rapids games in early November while skating for Team USA at the 2009 World Junior 'A' Challenge.
Bennett helped the Americans win the gold medal and was named to the tournament all-star team. Bennett was a third-round draft pick of Montreal Canadiens in the 2009 NHL Entry Draft.
Jeff Arnold covers Michigan hockey for AnnArbor.com. He can be reached at jeffarnold@annarbor.com or 734-623-2554. Follow him at Twitter @jeffreyparnold.
Comments
Dave H
Tue, Nov 24, 2009 : 12:49 a.m.
No mention of the glaring unsigned LOI from Jack Campbell?
Sparky79
Mon, Nov 23, 2009 : 10:52 p.m.
Um, how is Red "bashing" Robbie? Robbie said he wasn't happy. Red echoed that saying Robbie hasn't been happy (with the hockey part, but was happy with the rest). Yeah, Red really buried him there! Robbie was a big scorer in junior hockey and expected to be at Michigan, but his two years with Team USA he struggled some and now he can barely score in college hockey, so I'm sure he's frustrated. So off to major junior, where he'll play against what, 16-20 year olds? And I think Robbie turns 20 in January, so he'll basically be a big boy in the league, score some goals, and if that's what makes him happy, so be it. I don't necessarily agree with abandoning your team two months into the season, but whatever.
hockeyfan0246810
Mon, Nov 23, 2009 : 9:06 p.m.
Red Berenson's comments don't sound true to his nature.It sounds as if he is taking the leave personel. His no class performancs is far below his standard. It makes me think there might be more to it than what he is saying, sounds like he is trying to cover up something to me. Wish i knew what the real reason is for an athlete to turn down a scholarship from the top hockey college in the nation to go play in the OHL.Good luck Red you don't fool anybody by bashing them.