March 9, 2011 - 10:41am
Freshman defenseman Merrill named to CCHA All-Rookie Team
BY MARK BURNS
Michigan hockey freshman Jon Merrill was named to the 2011 CCHA All-Rookie Team on Monday. The Brighton, Mich. native led all conference freshmen defensemen with a 7-14-21 line in his first year in Ann Arbor.
Selected by the New Jersey Devils in the second round of the 2010 NHL Entry Draft, Merrill was the first Wolverine freshmen defensemen to eclipse the 20-point mark since 2005-06 when current Los Angeles Kings defenseman, Jack Johnson, reached the same feat.
Merrill's been on the top-defensive pairing all season with senior Chad Langlais.
“He’s one of those exceptional players … He knows what to do at this level,” Michigan coach Red Berenson said of Merrill in mid-January. “He came in as a high, blue-chip recruit, and he’s lived up to it. That’s the hardest thing to do.”
As he skated off of the ice after Monday's afternoon practice, Merrill was notified of the honor. Always a soft-spoken individual, Merrill gave a quick smile.
“I’m not big on personal success — I’m more of a team kind of guy — but when something like that happens it’s something to be proud of,” Merrill said.
How about if you couple the All-Rookie Team honor with his team's first-place CCHA finish?
“Yeah, that’s not bad,” he said with a laugh.
