Last year, Michigan coach Red Berenson sensed that the lack of
depth at defense held back the squad.

Nevermind Mike Komisarek’s departure before the season and
Eric Werner’s suspension, the Wolverines made it to the
Frozen Four. Michigan has a proud hockey tradition and proceeded
full-throttle to address the weakness.

So in came a trio of freshmen — Tim Cook, Jason Dest and
Matt Hunwick — giving Michigan eight defensemen that were
expected to compete for ice-time (when Danny Richmond left for the
London Knights of the Ontario Hockey League, that number became
seven).

With just six starting spots, one defenseman has been forced to
sit and watch each game. Lately, the odd man out has been junior
Nick Martens. After playing all 43 games last year and having a
team-high plus-22 rating, Martens has sat out four of the last five
games.

The fact that Martens played every game last year and has
already sat out four games this year is an example of the depth
Michigan has amassed.

Berenson feels the competition for playing time is good for the
team, and he doesn’t sense any building animosity.

“I wouldn’t call it too much talent — I would
call it depth,” Berenson said. “We have more depth now
than we had last year. Last year, if a player went into a slump and
he was playing poorly, we couldn’t afford to take him out of
the lineup because we were so thin on defense.

“(This year) if we do have an injury, or if a player looks
like he’s going through a tough time and not playing well, we
can rotate players in, and that’s the way it should
be.”

Martens is a player Berenson wanted to give a break last year,
but couldn’t.

“I think Nicky understands that last year there were times
where he wasn’t playing well — and he wasn’t
alone — and that’s one of the reason we recruited three
defensemen,” Berenson said.

Martens struggled in Michigan’s first three games, and now
Berenson can do what he couldn’t last year. It also
hasn’t helped Martens that Berenson wants to use the
beginning part of the season to assess the freshmen.

“I’m typically going to play young players when they
come in,” Berenson said. “We don’t recruit a kid
to come here and sit unless he shows he’s not ready to
play.”

Martens has also found out that the coaches expect more from the
team’s upperclassman.

“As a coach, sometimes you judge a junior by a higher
standard than you judge a freshman,” Berenson said. “If
he’s making the same mistakes a freshman is making,
you’re going to go with the freshman.”

“But (Martens is) looking good in practice, and his next
game is important.”

Martens understands that he needs to develop consistency —
particularly on in his own zone — before he’ll get back
on the ice.

“Anytime you’re struggling as a defenseman, your
main goals are going to be to settle down and work on defensive
things, making sure you’re shutting down whoever you’re
playing against defensively and being safer instead of high
risk,” Martens said. “The offensive game will come with
it.

“I definitely was struggling earlier in the year, but I
feel like I’m playing better. I’m improving myself and
proving that I belong out there.”