On the Sheet: Brandon Naurato
On the Sheet: Brandon Naurato  
Podcast: The Sheet with Jeff Marek
Published On: Thu Jan 15 2026
Description: Jeff Marek sits down inside the University of Michigan Wolverines locker room at Yost Ice Arena with head coach Brandon Naurato for a wide-ranging conversation on culture, development, and why this season’s group has emerged as the No. 1 team in the nation. Naurato breaks down what the “Michigan experience” truly means, how leadership from captain TJ Hughes and the upperclassmen set the tone, and why people and habits matter as much as skill. The conversation dives deep into Michigan’s NHL pipeline, recruiting philosophy, and how the program develops players like Michael Hage, Malcolm Spence, Ivan Ivanov, and Jack Ivankovic for long-term professional success. Naurato also discusses the evolving college hockey landscape with CHL eligibility, mentorship from legendary coach Red Berenson, alumni involvement at Yost, and why he believes this is the best team he has ever coached. An essential watch for college hockey fans, NHL prospect watchers, and anyone interested in how elite programs are built the right way.Chapters:00:00 – Intro01:10 – What the “Michigan experience” really means01:30 – Leadership, culture, and captain TJ Hughes03:10 – Coaching under the shadow of Red Berenson04:15 – The recruiting pitch: Michigan to the NHL05:40 – Developing pros vs. college systems06:50 – Letting players fail to help them grow08:36 – Alumni impact: Larkin, Johnson, Werenski & more08:56 – CHL players entering college hockey10:53 – Michael Hage’s NHL ceiling11:52 – Malcolm Spence’s impact and energy16:16 – Goaltending and Jack Ivankovic’s importance18:48 – Michigan as the No. 1 team in the country20:15 – College hockey’s momentum and exposure23:40 – Recruiting challenges and negative recruiting28:37 – Underrated player spotlight: Josh Earnest31:56 – “This is the best team I’ve ever coached”Reach out to sales@thenationnetwork.com to connect with our Sales Team and discuss opportunities to partner with us!If you liked this, check out:🚨 OTT - Coming in Hot Sens | https://www.youtube.com/c/thewallyandmethotshow🚨 TOR - LeafsNation | https://www.youtube.com/@theleafsnation401🚨 EDM - OilersNation | https://www.youtube.com/@Oilersnationdotcom🚨 VAN - CanucksArmy | https://www.youtube.com/@Canucks_Army🚨 CGY - FlamesNation | https://www.youtube.com/@Flames_Nation🚨 Daily Faceoff Fantasy & Betting | www.youtube.com/@DFOFantasyandBetting____________________________________________________________________________________________Connect with us on ⬇️Link Tree: https://linktr.ee/daily_faceoff💻 Website: https://www.dailyfaceoff.com🐦 Follow on twitter: https://x.com/DailyFaceoff💻 Follow on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/dailyfaceoffDaily Faceoff Merch:https://nationgear.ca/collections/daily-faceoff#MichiganHockey #GoBlue #NCAAHockey #CollegeHockey #BigTenHockey #BrandonNaurato #JeffMarek #YostIceArena #MichiganWolverines #NHLProspects #HockeyDevelopment #CollegeToPro #HockeyCulture #DailyFaceoff #TheSheet Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.