Michigan hockey bolsters goaltending with Jake Barczewski committing to transfer portal

After reaching the Frozen Four in back-to-back seasons, Michigan hockey has a few question marks heading into the 2023-24 season, but one of those uncertainties is crucial: goaltending.

Brandon Naurato and the Wolverines moved into tight netminder room by securing Jake Barczewski’s transfer portal. After four seasons at Canisius, including a senior campaign in which he helped lead the Griffins to their first NCAA Tournament appearance in a decade, Barczewski will finish his college career in Ann Arbor.

“Obviously it’s a great university,” Barczewski told The Michigan Insider. “It wasn’t hard for them to sell it to me, but knowing what I was getting myself into and knowing they believed in me was the biggest part.

Michigan and Barczewski seem ideal. The Wolverines are replacing two-year starter Erik Portillo, who signed with the Los Angeles Kings this week. Although Noah West took his name off the transfer portal, he would have been the Wolverines’ only goaltender with collegiate experience had Barczewski not pledged.

“I saw some opportunity there right away,” Barczewski said. “I knew I could come in and fight for a spot there. The interest first came from the playing time and knowing they were going to give me a chance. There’s no guarantees and all that, but just the chance and the chance to compete every day is the biggest thing.

Barczewski brings a long resume to Yost. He played in 100 games for Canisius, including a senior season in which he posted a 2.64 goals-against average and .918 save percentage while earning Atlantic Hockey Championship Player of the Year honors.

After the 2022-23 season, he weighed his professional prospects against another college season. He kept both options open as he entered the transfer portal, and then Michigan — Naurato and assistant Rob Rassey — came calling.

“Michigan contacted me right away. They contacted me the first day I went there, Barczewski said. “We’ve been talking ever since, and when I talked to head coach Brandon Naurato, the relationship was pretty good from the beginning.

“I liked what he built there this year. The culture was a big thing for me. I was looking for a culture that matches the culture at Canisius. It’s a very welcoming, open-arms culture, and I wanted to make sure — as a fifth-year guy — that I was going to a program that welcomed me and understand the situation and know that I will help the team immediately and do everything I can.

Given his professional aspirations, Barczewski is looking forward to a year at Michigan to prepare him for the next level. Facing Big Ten competition is a significant step up from Atlantic Hockey, and Barczewski also received assurances that the program will hire a goaltending coach this offseason after playing without one for much of last year.

“The goaltending coach was a big thing for me,” Barczewski said. “I want us to have someone on the ice with us every day to help the goalie get better because you have to have someone with that knowledge. That is crucial for any college hockey team.

“… From what I heard [Naurato]that’s his main goal in the offseason to get somebody with a big name tag.”

And to back up what Naurato has done during his year at the helm of the program, Barczewski cited the program’s culture — and Naurato’s stances around the hockey world — as another convincing factor.

“I’ve talked to some guys in the hockey world who have played for him and it’s been positive,” he said. “Having those outside sources really helped — even though I felt like he was a class act, an A-class guy.”

Although the 2023-24 season is months away, early projections point to Barczewski battling West for starting minutes on a team that, like Michigan most years, has Frozen Four aspirations.

Barczewski is still several weeks away from making it to Ann Arbor as he finishes his undergraduate degree at Canisius, but he gave Michigan fans an early taste of what he will bring to the ice at Yost Arena.

“I am a very agile goalkeeper; I’m quick on my feet. … My skating is my strength,” he said. “Good skating is what has helped me all these years and I just keep getting better at it. Getting faster and faster every year helps me. Very explosive and quick and flexibility – that’s a big thing. It’s really helped me so far.”