by Matthew Auchincloss January 17, 2026 Michigan Daily
MINNEAPOLIS — Freshman defenseman Drew Schock hasn’t had many opportunities to shine this year. Struggling to find his role in the No. 1 Michigan hockey team’s lineup, he was even a healthy scratch for a game. But under the bright lights of Mariucci Arena, he was among the Wolverines’ most impactful players and a key reason for their victory.
Friday’s game against Minnesota was perhaps Schock’s most complete game of the entire year as he registered three shots, three blocks and an assist. While not the most eye-popping stat line, it is an illustration of just how much Schock’s game has grown over the course of the Wolverines’ season.
When Schock joined Michigan, he was mostly known as an offensive defenseman. At the USNTDP, he posted 37 points in 66 games and was often paired with current teammate, freshman defenseman Asher Barnett, who played the stabilizing defensive role on the pair. That allowed Schock to roam freely and utilize his offensive talents.
Schock hasn’t replicated that offensive production during his time with the Wolverines. Through 21 games, he has just six points. Three of those came in the first two weekends of the season against Mercyhurst and Providence. He then went pointless for 12 games, recorded two points against Harvard and then went pointless in another four games. With just five assists on the season, Schock’s offensive talents have not been very evident this season.
But his defensive game has grown, allowing Schock to become a more well-rounded player. That was evident Friday against Minnesota, when he put his body on the line for two key shot blocks in the first period and assisted on sophomore forward Michael Hage’s goal.
“He was good,” Hage said. “He’s been good all year.”
It was the shot blocks where Schock demonstrated his growth. With senior forward Tyler Duke in the box for cross-checking in the first period, and with the Wolverines making a conscious effort to prevent as many pucks from getting to the net as possible to help freshman goaltender Stephen Peck, they slid to the ice to block shot after shot. Michigan recorded seven shot blocks in the first period — six of them were on this penalty kill. Two of them were Schock, kneeling to block hard wristers from Minnesota forward Brodie Ziemer at a crucial midpoint of the penalty kill.
In the second period, Schock broke his pointless drought as well. Intercepting a turnover from the Golden Gophers, he tracked back into the defensive zone before sending a pass tape-to-tape to Hage, who ripped the puck to put Michigan up 2-1. It was the kind of play Schock was known for at the NTDP — the smooth skating, the strong pass, the assist, all of it. He also put up three shots from the blue line, a traditional specialty of his.
“Drew’s a really good skater,” Michigan head coach Brandon Naurato said. “He’s good at the offensive blue line, so good for him.”
Schock’s game is clearly burgeoning, and will only continue to grow as Naurato trusts him more and uses him in more high-leverage situations. He’s proven his defensive responsibility; now, he needs to see if he can regain the offense he once displayed.
