Daily Brews: Michigan steals spotlight at NHL Draft, Tarris Reed sets decision date

To say Friday was a historic night for the Michigan hockey program would be an understatement.

Four Wolverines were selected in the top five at the 2021 NHL Draft, headlined by No. 1 overall pick Owen Power. The defenseman was picked by Buffalo, while forward Matt Beniers (No. 2) went to Seattle, Luke Hughes (No. 4) went to New Jersey and Kent Johnson (No. 5) went to Columbus. Michigan became the first program to see four players drafted in the same top 10, let alone top five.

To put all of that in perspective, the Michigan Hockey 2021 NHL Draft Central website notes that no school has ever had three current players drafted in any first round. The Wolverines had three in the top five. Additionally, Power is just the fourth college player ever selected No. 1 overall, joining Michigan State’s Joe Murphy, Boston University’s Rick DiPietro and Minnesota’s Erik Johnson. None of those came within the last 15 years.

And the most intriguing part? All of them are open to returning to Ann Arbor next year. Power, Beniers and Johnson all experienced a turbulent freshman year given the pandemic, while Hughes will be a freshman this fall.

Four-star 2022 C Tarris Reed sets decision date

One of Juwan Howard’s top 2022 big man targets is nearing a decision. On Friday, 6-foot-10 Tarris Reed announced he will be committing on his birthday, August 5. Michigan received a 247Sports Crystal Ball prediction shortly after.

Reed, a four-star center out of Missouri, fits the mold of an ideal Big Ten center. His strong frame and good touch will allow him to contribute offensively, while his athleticism and defensive instincts offer rim protection upside. He is ranked No. 84 in the 247Sports composite, but many believe he is due for a bump after a strong showing during the July live recruiting period.

After missing out on seven-footer Donovan Clingan (UConn), Reed appears to be atop the Wolverines’ frontcourt wishlist. Beyond Michigan, Reed is also considering Ohio State, Michigan State and Purdue. He visited all three campuses earlier this summer. He’ll be one to watch as August 5 nears.

Recruiting News

• 247Sports ($): VIP intel on Tarris Reed’s Michigan Crystal Ball
• ESPN: Juwan Howard watches Team Takeover, Dug McDaniel in person
• New York Times: Michigan target Kyle Filipowski tests positive for COVID-19 at Peach Jam

ICYMI at Maize n Brew

• Harbaugh's breaks down U-M’s RB rotation
• Michigan simulation: Bowl game and season finale
• Takeaways from Michigan at Big Ten Media Days
• Rumor: Kansas expresses interest in Big Ten
• Big Ten 2021 Preview: Rutgers

Around the Big Ten at SB Nation

• Land-Grant Holy Land: Why Chris Olave will break OSU TD record
• Bucky’s 5th Quarter: Paul Chryst takeaways from Big Ten Media Days

State of Michigan Sports

• Detroit Bad Boys: Pistons add new staffer
• Winging it in Motown: Red Wings trade up for goalie in NHL Draft
• Bless You Boys: Tigers’ streak comes to an end vs. Royals