Michigan hockey defenseman Tristin Llewellyn, forward Jacob Fallon suspended for remainder of season
Michigan's Tristin Llewellyn stretches out on the Michigan bench by himself prior to the rest of the team taking the ice for pregame warmups prior to the Big Chill at the Big House at Michigan Stadium against Michigan State.
Lon Horwedel | AnnArbor.com
Senior defenseman Tristin Llewellyn and freshman forward Jacob Fallon have been suspended from the Michigan hockey team for the remainder of the season.
Both were suspended for what coach Red Berenson deemed Wednesday afternoon a violation of team expectations. Team spokesman Matt Trevor said Thursday morning the violations were behavior-related rather than performance related.
The suspension ends Llewellyn's career after 23 games this season when the Ann Arbor native registered two assists. He led the Wolverines in penalties with 14, three of which came in Michigan's 6-5 Great Lakes Invitational championship win over Colorado College.
Berenson could not be reached for comment Thursday morning. The longtime coach told The Michigan Daily after Wednesday's practice that he hopes Llewellyn will remain in school and graduate.
"We'll give him that support," Berenson told The Daily. "But we can't keep him on the team."
Fallon appeared in 13 games for the Wolverines this season, scoring one goal and dishing out two assists. Fallon left the USA Hockey National Development Program last year after he, along with teammates Jon Merrill, Kevin Clare and Matt Nieto were involved in an incident at Pioneer High School. Fallon was suspended from the team earlier in his final year with the Ann Arbor-based development program due to a drinking-related incident. Trevor said Fallon will have the opportunity to return next year and will remain on scholarship. He will not be permitted to practice with the team for the remainder of the season.
The No. 7-ranked Wolverines (13-6-4, 10-4-1 CCHA) face No. 19 Ferris State in a home-and-home series this weekend beginning with Friday night's home game at 7:35 p.m.
Jeff Arnold covers Michigan hockey for AnnArbor.com and can be reached at (734) 623-2554 or by e-mail at jeffarnold@annarbor.com. Follow him on Twitter @jeffreyparnold.
Comments
trigg7
Fri, Jan 14, 2011 : 2:45 p.m.
Pride before the fall... POS m players.
jcj
Thu, Jan 13, 2011 : 3:21 p.m.
@yelmonian Too bad Llewellyn and Fallon weren't more help then. But then our guys were tired from the hard workout MSU gave us at the big chill. And too bad MSU could not make it to the GLI this year. Oh yea they were there playing in the consolation game!
jcj
Thu, Jan 13, 2011 : 3:21 p.m.
@yelmonian Too bad Llewellyn and Fallon weren't more help then. But then our guys were tired from the hard workout MSU gave us at the big chill. And too bad MSU could not make it to the GLI this year. Oh yea they were there playing in the consolation game!
Yelmonian
Thu, Jan 13, 2011 : 3:07 p.m.
@jci I know you couldn't find them in the standings... but they were the team that beat UM on Friday night.
Yelmonian
Thu, Jan 13, 2011 : 3:07 p.m.
@jci I know you couldn't find them in the standings... but they were the team that beat UM on Friday night.
Townie
Thu, Jan 13, 2011 : 12:30 p.m.
I respect Red for making the hard decision on these players. It's good to see that there is a line that players can't cross without suspension at UM hockey. It's too bad there aren't more college and pro coaches with the integrity to make these kinds of decisions. We have too many players who are allowed to continue to do break team and society's rules with no consequences and this sends the wrong message to our youth and hurts the game. Thanks Red.
jcj
Thu, Jan 13, 2011 : 12:25 p.m.
@newlander BTW I can't seem to find MSU in the standings! Oh yea there they are so far down they need a periscope to see the top!
jcj
Thu, Jan 13, 2011 : 12:20 p.m.
@newlander "The suspension ends Llewellyn's career after 23 games this season when the Ann Arbor native registered two assists. He led the Wolverines in penalties with 14" Yea I can see why the "Old Man" would want to make sure these two were available for Sparty last weekend! LOL! There is a joke around here but it ain't the "Old Man"!
JGS
Thu, Jan 13, 2011 : 11:59 a.m.
Newlander - They were both scratched from Saturday's game against the Spartans. I'm glad to see you take pleasure in calling Coach Red Berenson "a joke." Classy! Regarding Llewellyn, I have watched this kid over his years at Michigan and honestly I can say that losing him on the team is not much of a loss. He consistently took undisciplined penalties trying to be a "thug" on the ice. I wish him well, but the Wolverines will not miss his untimely undisciplined play. Regarding Fallon, I haven't seen much of him this year, but he has been at least solid. I suspect he will transfer elsewhere due to this incident. However, I could be wrong.
StarZone
Thu, Jan 13, 2011 : 10:52 a.m.
Newlander, you assume that the players' behavior issues occurred before those games. And if they did, you assume the coaching staff new about them prior to the games as well. In short, lots of assumptions on a sparse article where little information is available. Not good reasoning at all.
newlander
Thu, Jan 13, 2011 : 9:48 a.m.
I like how they still 'met team expectations' last weekend for a home and home with Sparty but now they don't....what a joke Old Man Berenson is.