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Michigan has received a verbal commitment from Toronto Marlboros' 99 defenseman Quinton Hughes.
Hughes commitment signifies a shift in recruiting for the Michigan coaching staff. To this point, they have only received verbals from bigger, defensive minded players with less offensive upside from the blueline.
Hughes is strong defensively in his own end but has a much different skill set as a shorter (5'8), quicker puck moving defensemen with great skating ability and a hockey IQ that's off the charts.
Hughes has a late 99 birthday so that probably will make him a member of the 2018 class with current recruit Blade Jenkins. In the upcoming years Hughes could follow the same path as 2016 Michigan recruit Griffin Luce and join the NTDP program. Both players have fathers who work in NHL front offices and both players have dual citizenship in Canada and the US.
The Hughes family has a history with college hockey. His father Jim wore the C for Providence in the late 80's and works as Director of Player Development for the Maple Leafs, his uncle Marty was a four year player at Boston College and is a Hockey East referee. His cousin Teddy Doherty is a junior defenseman at BC.