As JJ McCarthy stood in the raining purple and black confetti on the last day of the 2022 calendar, he knew (as did a lot more of us) that if the right people wanted to give it one more go, it could be magical. Yes, they blew a really big opportunity, but there was still a lot of eligibility to be had across the program. Sure enough, almost everyone with said eligibility wanted one more shot. They got it. And, oh boy, did they make it count. 2023-24 was supposed to be about football...and it was (I still have certain items on backorder). Michigan came together, pulled out some historic victories, and finally checked ALL of the boxes in what will be (probably, at least...in SO many different ways) the most memorable season of our lifetimes, winning the National Championship. "I thought this was supposed to be a hockey piece?" you ask? Well, it is... The last time Michigan did that (1997-98, pre-Alex Drain existence), I was twelve years old. Charles Woodson won the Heisman Trophy and was only dreaming about winning a Super Bowl, making the Hall of Fame, and waving the M flag on the Fox set after beating Ohio State multiple times in a row. What else happened that next Spring? Michigan Hockey won their last National Championship. Bill Muckalt, Mark Kosick, Josh Langfeld, Mike Van Ryn...oh, and some goalie named Marty Turco knocked off the #1 team, North Dakota, at Yost in one of the most famous Michigan Hockey games ever. They followed that up by defeating New Hampshire and the hometown Boston College Eagles to win the ultimate prize. Boston College, you say? Interesting. Well, that seems coincidental. Okay... The time previous time...back in the Fall of 1947 (PRE-CRAIG ROSS!!!), Michigan Football led by Fritz Crisler's Mad Magicians of Bob Chappuis, Bump Elliott, and Al Wistert, et al, rampaged their way through the season, playing only two close games and pummeling Ohio State and USC in the Rose Bowl by a combined 70-0. Despite finishing 10-0, that team was denied a National Championship officially. So, they followed up that season by winning another nine straight games, including a stomping of Ohio State in Columbus, finishing the season #1 and winning Back to Back the National Championship(s). In between those glorious falls (the Spring of 1948), Michigan Hockey built on the success of the football program by going 20-2-1, winning their first ever Hockey National Championship. Gordon McMillan, Wally Gacek, and Al Renfrew led that team...with Connie Hill tallying a hat trick in the national semifinal against none other than...Boston College. Re-he-he-heally?? From Frozen Fours past [Patrick Barron] Some Background The last couple of years in this particular space I wrote about the history of Frozen Fours I fondly remember from the days of yore. Tales of Kevin Porter, Chad Kolarik, Carl Hegelin, Shawn Hunwick, etc. Even adding yarns about Cooper Marody and Quinn and Josh. If you start with my freshman year at Michigan as my first REAL year as a Michigan Hockey fan (I mean, kinda true...it was the first year I went to a game -a 2-0 win over MSU by the way), Michigan went to the Frozen Four in years #5, #8, and #15. That's 3 times in 15 years. Not ideal for a blue blood and the program with the most National Championships in college hockey. Now, they've gone in years: #18, #19, and #20. That's three times in three years. Very different. It's raising the bar, setting a higher standard, and maybe bringing back the days of old? Between 1992-2003, Michigan went to NINE Frozen Fours in twelve years. Okay, we're not there yet, but if you don't count the year that didn't have a tournament, we're up to four out of six. That's very close to half way... So, if we're not going to reminisce, what are we going to do? Well, who are these guys? What even is this year? First of all, Michigan returns many key pieces from last year's very good team (not THE piece, but whatever). Their top six scorers all were significant players on last year's team (Brindley, Rutger, Dylan Duke, TJ Hughes, Casey, and Nazar). They also brought in a few transfers, grad and otherwise: Marshall Warren, Jacob Barzcewski, Tyler Duke (brother of Dylan), Josh Eernisse, and Chase Pletzke. That's a new thing for Michigan. Finally, they added three contributing freshmen: Nick Moldenhauer, Garrett Schifsky, and Tanner Rowe. Okay, that seems...plausible? [AFTER THE JUMP: Game breakdowns]