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Michigan’s NHL pipeline had another banner year in 2025-26. A former Wolverine won the Norris Trophy, while another topped 90 points. Several young stars took major steps forward, and a handful of former Wolverines made their NHL debuts.
In all, 26 former Wolverines appeared in at least one NHL game this season. Here’s how they stack up.

2025-26 Stats: 75 GP, 22 G, 59 A, 81 PTS
What. A. Season. Werenski put together the best season of his career, capturing the Norris Trophy as the NHL’s top defenseman. He became the engine of Columbus’ blue line, finishing with 81 points and finally receiving the league-wide recognition that has been building for years.
2025-26 Stats: 82 GP, 39 G, 53 A, 92 PTS
Connor quietly led all former Wolverines in scoring. The former Hobey Baker winner continues to be one of hockey’s most underrated stars, posting a career-best 92 points while remaining one of the NHL’s most dangerous finishers.

2025-26 Stats: 74 GP, 7 G, 69 A, 76 PTS
Hughes somehow makes 76 points from the blue line look routine. The former Michigan captain remained one of the NHL’s elite defensemen and once again drove everything offensively for Vancouver and Minnesota both.
2025-26 Stats: 74 GP, 34 G, 33 A, 67 PTS
The Red Wings captain topped 30 goals for the fourth time in his career. He has now turned into a villain in his hometown after asking to be traded.
2025-26 Stats: 75 GP, 24 G, 35 A, 59 PTS
This felt like Fantilli’s arrival as a star. The former Wolverine phenom flirted with 60 points and looked every bit like the franchise centerpiece Columbus hoped it was drafting. At just 21 years old, he’s only getting started.

2025-26 Stats: 58 GP, 31 G, 21 A, 52 PTS
Injuries cost Hyman some games, but not his scoring touch. The former Michigan captain still found the back of the net 31 times and remained one of the NHL’s best net-front forwards. Not bad for a fifth-round pick.
2025-26 Stats: 82 GP, 20 G, 30 A, 50 PTS
Beniers may not generate as many headlines as some of the players above him, but another 50-point season reinforced why Seattle built around him. He remains one of the NHL’s better young two-way centers.
2025-26 Stats: 79 GP, 9 G, 34 A, 43 PTS

The stats rarely tell the full story with Copp. The former Michigan captain continued to do a little bit of everything for Detroit, providing leadership, penalty killing and reliable two-way play while finishing with 43 points.
2025-26 Stats: 66 GP, 15 G, 26 A, 41 PTS
Nazar’s first full NHL season was a success. The speed, creativity and playmaking ability that made him a fan favorite in Ann Arbor translated quickly to Chicago. Of all Michigan’s young NHL players, few improved their stock more this year than Nazar.
2025-26 Stats: 68 GP, 6 G, 29 A, 35 PTS

The youngest Hughes brother continues to carve out his own path. His 35-point season was another encouraging step forward and showed why New Jersey views him as a long-term cornerstone.
2025-26 Stats: 81 GP, 10 G, 25 A, 35 PTS
Trouba’s game has evolved as he’s gotten older. The former Wolverine star no longer fills highlight reels the way he once did, but he remains a respected veteran presence who logged 81 games and chipped in 35 points.
2025-26 Stats: 44 GP, 13 G, 21 A, 34 PTS
Health remains the biggest question for Norris, but when he was available, he produced. His scoring rate was among the best of any Wolverine on this list, even if injuries limited his overall totals.

2025-26 Stats: 77 GP, 12 G, 20 A, 32 PTS
Samoskevich quietly had a strong season in Florida. The former first-round pick looked increasingly comfortable at the NHL level and appears poised for a larger offensive role moving forward. He was recently traded to the Seattle Kraken.
2025-26 Stats: 81 GP, 8 G, 21 A, 29 PTS
Power’s value goes beyond the scoresheet. The former No. 1 overall pick logged heavy minutes for Buffalo and continued developing into the type of all-situations defenseman teams covet.
2025-26 Stats: 82 GP, 11 G, 17 A, 28 PTS

Compher played all 82 games for Detroit this season, providing versatility up and down the lineup while continuing to be a trusted veteran presence. His offensive numbers won’t grab headlines, but players who can consistently contribute and stay in the lineup for a full season have tremendous value.
2025-26 Stats: 74 GP, 4 G, 22 A, 26 PTS
York continued to solidify himself as an everyday NHL defenseman. His offensive numbers dipped slightly, but he remained a key piece of Philadelphia’s blue line.
2025-26 Stats: 61 GP, 8 G, 16 A, 24 PTS

Blankenburg’s path to the NHL was never supposed to look like this. The former Michigan captain wasn’t drafted, yet he keeps proving he belongs and posted a career-best offensive season.
2025-26 Stats: 76 GP, 7 G, 15 A, 22 PTS
Johnson’s numbers weren’t quite what many expected, but the skill remains obvious. The former top-five pick still flashes elite creativity and appears to remain a major part of Columbus’ future.
2025-26 Stats: 56 GP, 6 G, 7 A, 13 PTS
Brindley’s rookie season was more about establishing himself than filling the scoresheet. Appearing in 56 NHL games is a strong first step for the former Big Ten Player of the Year.

2025-26 Stats: 70 GP, 2 G, 7 A, 9 PTS
Glendening began the year in New Jersey before being claimed by Philadelphia late in the season. The numbers don’t jump out, but the veteran center carved out a role through faceoffs, penalty killing and leadership.
2025-26 Stats: 35 GP, 3 G, 4 A, 7 PTS
Beecher continued to establish himself as a useful bottom-six forward. His size and defensive ability should keep him in NHL lineups for years.
2025-26 Stats: 24 GP, 3 G, 3 A, 6 PTS
McGroarty’s NHL sample size was limited, but getting into 24 games as a young player is a positive sign. Expect him to climb this list quickly in the coming years.

2025-26 Stats: 8 GP, 0 G, 3 A, 3 PTS
Warren reached the NHL and recorded three assists in his first eight games.
2025-26 Stats: 3 GP, 0 G, 1 A, 1 PT
Brisson’s NHL opportunities were limited, but he made the most of them by picking up his first point of the season.
2025-26 Stats: 2 GP, 0 G, 0 A, 0 PTS
Casey’s NHL stint was brief, but simply reaching the league less than a year after leaving Michigan speaks to his upside.
2025-26 Stats: 1 GP, 0 G, 0 A, 0 PTS
Duke’s NHL debut was the latest milestone in a career built on exceeding expectations. One game doesn’t tell the story — getting there does.
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