Erik Portillo signs with Ontario Reign (AHL)
An unsurprising move in my opinion - I'd heard for a while that Erik's plan was to do 3 years of college and turn pro
Statistically he was great and one of the best we've ever had (I think I saw 3rd in SV% all time on twitter), but it's hard for me to shake the memories of some of his gaffes especially since his finally game had a few in them. Hopefully we find a solid goalie in the portal or elsewhere or I'm sure I'll be quickly reminded of what it's like to have a bad goalie in net. Best of luck to him.
We've signed @umichhockey goaltender Erik Portillo to an ATO! Welcome aboard the #ReignTrain, @ErikPortillo20!
— X - Ontario Reign (@ontarioreign) April 10, 2023
That to me as 2 of 4 guys who I thought were fairly certain departures (along with Hughes). Now we wait for Mackie and Adam Fantilli plus the possibility we lose one of the younger guys early too
Portillo's .918 career save % is 3rd-best in program history behind Shawn Hunwick (.928) and Strauss Mann (.926). He beat out Zach Nagelvoort (.917) by one thousandth of a percentage point.
— Drew VanDrese (@DrewVanDrese) April 10, 2023
His 60 wins are 7th-most behind Turco, Shields, Blackburn, Montoya, Sauer, and Sharples.
Portillo seems like a guy with all the right physical tools to be an NHL star, but needs dedicated coaching to improve his mental game and consistency. Hopefully going pro gets him what’s he needs, would love to see him have a long and successful career.
And hopefully Michigan finds a great goalie coach to hire!
Good.
College hockey won't allow a coaching pool big enough to include a goalie coach, At this point, the best way for Portillo to improve is to go find that development resource. I wish him all the success in the world in his future pursuits.
FWIW, the NCAA approved an additional coaching position in January. Effective on July 1st, teams will be able to hire full-time goalie coaches
I looked this team up. Their logo appears to be primarily purple, making them the Purple Reign. That is all…
But they're nowhere near Lake Minnetonka.
Probably need to grab a goalie out of the portal so we can bring Brannman along without throwing him right into the fire.
If either Samoskevich or Adam Fantilli return (please, dear God), then we are a solid goalkeeper away from probably being a national title favorite. Also assuming some of the younger guys like Duke, McGroarty and Brindley return.
Luckily Brannman is already 20 so he’ll be an older freshman and is therefore further along on his developmental path. So if he has to play significant minutes, he won’t be as much of a deer in the headlights as a younger goalie.
Unfortunately, he’s hovering around a .900 save percentage in the USHL so he hardly projects as a stud goalie. For reference, Strauss Mann posted a .932 in the USHL before arriving at UM as a 20 year old. Portillo posted a .915 before arriving at UM as a 20 year old.
We haven’t seen much of Noah West in a Michigan uniform, but he was a part time starter for Robert Morris as a freshman and posted a .915 Save percentage. At Michigan he posted a .917 in two games as a sophomore and a .920 in three games this season. Pretty limited sample size but not bad from what we did see. West is in the portal as well, so he may need to be convinced to come back.
I don’t know that there’s going to be anyone in the portal that tops that. Seems like Michigan may end up going with Brannman and West splitting time until one of them separates from the other unless a no-brainer pops up in the portal.
https://www.grandforksherald.com/sports/und-hockey/the-2023-mens-college-hockey-transfer-board
If you scroll ~80% down this article, it gives you a list of all the goalies still in the portal. It’s a pretty uninspiring list currently. A big name could enter at some point, but right now there doesn’t seem to be much reason to nab a portal goalie over a West/Brannman tandem, as uninspiring as that may be.
Update: West reportedly removed his name from the portal. Sounds like UM asked him to return with Portillo leaving.
I’m not optimistic about either Mackie or Adam. I’m not saying it can’t happen, but Adam is a sure-thing top five pick and getting those guys to stay for an extra year isn’t actually normal, Michigan’s astounding draft class from a couple years ago aside. And Mackie *has* stayed the extra year.
I’ll be delighted if either stay. Both would be dominant next year. But Michigan will be well set up if the next tier of guys sticks around. Guys like Brindley and Casey look set to be stars next year, and guys like Rutger and Duke could push 50 points.
Adam Fantilli return
There's zero reason for him to return.
He's one of the most NHL ready players that hasn't signed yet.
Theres quite a bit of a reason for him to return actually.
Say the Blackhawks pick him at #2. They’re in the beginning of a rebuild and they’re looking at another year at the bottom of the standings. Why would they waste a year of Fantilli’s ELC to have him play on one of the worst rosters in the league? There is certainly benefit in it for them to push the start of his contract back a year and let Fantilli spend another year in college. The fact that he’s NHL ready right now isn’t the only factor here.
Doesn’t mean it’s likely, but it’s certainly a possibility.
He hasn’t signed yet because he hasn’t even been drafted yet. So it’ll probably depend on the team drafting him and whether they want to blow a year of his ELC right now or postpone it a year by letting him play another year at Michigan. It’s not out of the realm of possibilities that a crap team who drafts him would be okay with that option.
Before last year I would have thought it a 100% sure thing that Fantilli would sign. When Power was drafted #1 overall, I said he was gone. And why not? 1 player in 20 or so years had been drafted #1 overall and *not* gone straight to the NHL.
But Power stayed, and so did Beniers and Johnson and Hughes (for two years!).
Now, every case is different, and in last season's case specifically the unusual circumstances surrounding the COVID year could well have played a role in making another year of college appealing. No Michigan fan should be upset at any highly-drafted player signing his pro contract and moving up.
But there has been at least a vague whisper that Fantilli wouldn't mind another year of school, and NIL *does* exist, and there is some motive for NHL teams to keep a highly-touted guy under their control for another year at the back end of their first contract, and Naurato has a reputation for skill development.
Which is to say, the chances aren't *good* that Fantilli will stay, but the chance is greater than zero.
I still wish the Kentucky Thoroughblades were here. It was so much fun having the AHL here. I got to watch Zdeno Chara come up through the Thoroughblades. It was a great time.
If only the program had the money and ability to acquire a top-level goalie coach........no wait...
Well until the NCAA recently passed a rule allowing an additional coaching position, the ability was never there. It’s not about money. But starting July 1st, the additional coaching position rule kicks in and you’ll see Michigan, and everyone else, hire a full-time goalie coach.
Michigan has a goalie coach but it is under the designation of "voluntary coach". That's all because of the NCAA. Up through this year, NCAA hockey teams could only have 3 coaches. Starting July 1st, the "voluntary coach" designation will disappear, and ice hockey will be allowed 4 coaches. I anticipate Michigan will have a full-time paid goalie coach, whether its their current one who splits time between that and being a scout for the Oilers, or if it's a new hire.
Sort of replying to both comments above, I understand they had one and he left mid-season, it just seems weird to me that they didn't go get another one, especially if they knew they could potentially hire that person for this season. I would think think there would be a fair number of great candidates that would take that shot.
I really don’t think there are many people willing to take a mid-year voluntary coaching job. You’re essentially limited to someone who is already local and not in the coaching business yet. Which doesn’t sound like someone who would be a long-term candidate to begin with.
Anyone already working a voluntary coaching job in college is unlikely to leave their team mid year, quit their payed job, pack up their family, move to Ann Arbor, and find another paying job to work at UM for free with a chance to get a permanent job.
You’re unlikely to find anyone else that’s already being paid to be a goalie coach to come and take an unpaid position. Not to mention, you would have had to convince this hypothetical volunteer goalie coach to take the position under an interim coach.
Ive honestly never understood the voluntary goalie coach. How does it even work? Is it like an unpaid internship for them? Are the making a salary on the side by doing private coaching? I just don’t even get how a volunteer coach is at all tenable
It’s a weird dynamic for sure. I’d assume each situation is different, but the higher profile guys typically do private instruction, consultations or run a series of developmental camps to earn money.
I know after Shields retired from playing, he started an online coaching website and that got him into being a goalie coach with Michigan Tech (under Pearson). I couldn’t tell you what career he had WHILE being a volunteer goalie coach though.
Thanks, Mr. Portillo.
Granowicz, Pehrson and Ciccolini all entered the transfer portal today as well. Finished 13th, 14th and 15th on the team in points. I suspect it’s much like Moyle entering the portal last year, where they’re simply keeping their options open while waiting to hear from grad programs and seeing how the roster shakes out.
Sounds like it makes sense to turn pro. I wish Erik the best at the next level. 2 Frozen Fours is an accomplishment to be proud of.