Michigan's important import

Michigan assistant hockey coach Billy Powers was in Sweden on a recruiting trip last December, looking for the next Carl Hagelin.

Fortunately for the Wolverines, they still have the original Carl Hagelin for a game -- or two.

Michigan faces North Dakota in the second semifinal of the Frozen Four on Thursday at Xcel Energy Center. Without Hagelin, the Wolverines' season probably would have long been over.

Saturday, Hagelin was named the Wolverines' MVP for the second consecutive season. The left winger from Sodertalje, Sweden, led Michigan in scoring as a junior in 2009-10 with 19 goals and 31 assists for 50 points. Now he needs one goal and one assist this week to exactly match those numbers as a senior. That's consistency. His 48 points are 18 more than any teammate.

"We are always looking for the best player," Michigan coach Red Berenson said, asked about recruiting. "We got a Swedish player kind of by accident, and he has been tremendous."

The fans at Yost Ice Arena in Ann Arbor developed a special affection for Hagelin. On senior night on Feb. 18, the Swedish national anthem was played and Hagelin was presented with the 12-by-8-foot Swedish flag that Michigan students had displayed in the stands for almost two seasons. There were hundreds of goodbye and good luck messages written on it to Hagelin.

"We have the best fans in college hockey," Hagelin said. "And when they see something different, they appreciate it."

Hagelin is different all right, because of his background and his skills.

While 6,838 applauded Hagelin and seven other seniors, the super Swede gave them a few more thrills in a 5-4 overtime victory over Western Michigan. Hagelin's goal with 39.1 seconds left in the third period tied the score; his second goal of the night, with 2.9 seconds left in the extra period, won the game.

He said he will read all the messages after the season is over. Now, there is Fighting Sioux to worry about.

"I have not played North Dakota ever," Hagelin said. "They are obviously the favorite. It will be tough. They have a lot of depth. We will have to bring everything we've got to have a chance."

The 6-foot, 187-pound Hagelin leads the Wolverines in most offensive categories, including game-winning goals (six), power-play goals (seven), shots on net (155) and plus/minus ranking (plus-21).

Hagelin has been primarily paired recently with Louie Caparusso, a senior center from Woodbridge, Ontario, and Chris Brown, a sophomore right winger from Flower Mound, Texas. In nine games, their line has 10 goals and 13 assists.

"I didn't know what to expect when I came over to the U.S.," said Hagelin, whom the New York Rangers took in the sixth round of the 2007 NHL draft.

He wanted to play hockey and go to college, too. His father, Boris, attended Western Michigan and became enamored with the Wolverines' program. He sent his sons Carl, then 11, and older brother Bobbie, to a summer hockey camp in Ann Arbor. Bobbie went on to become a pro hockey player in Denmark. Carl formed a connection with Berenson's program.

Hagelin, 22, arrived at Michigan as a shy, somewhat unheralded freshman then blew everyone away in one traditional preseason fitness test, the run up and down the stairs at Michigan Stadium. In four years, he never lost a race up and down those steps, finishing 60-0.

He credits youth soccer for his early fitness. He used to practice 90 minutes daily, then ran an additional 30 minutes.

Hagelin told Michigan's campus newspaper he was never that skilled in soccer but the sport taught him to battle.

"I don't think about working hard," he was quoted as saying in the same story, "it's just there."

No wonder the Wolverines want another Hagelin.