Dakoda Rhéaume-Mullen plays during an NCAA hockey game for the University of Michigan. Rhéaume-Mullen’s mother, Manon Rhéaume, is the only woman to ever play in the NHL.Al Goldis/The Associated Press
When he was young, Dakoda Rhéaume-Mullen would accompany his mother to hockey tournaments.
“There were always little girls coming up to meet her and get an autograph,” the University of Michigan defenceman said this week.
His mom, Manon Rhéaume, is the only woman to ever play in the National Hockey League, for the Tampa Bay Lightning during the preseason in 1992 and 1993. The former Olympic goaltender backstopped Canada’s women to a silver medal in 1998 and also played against men in the East Coast and International Hockey Leagues.
Rhéaume-Mullen is a sophomore for the No. 1-ranked Wolverines. The team travelled to Boston on Thursday and will face Harvard on Friday and Saturday. The Crimson is No. 18 in the latest USA Hockey poll.
Between them, they have an extraordinary collection of elite talent, many of whom had a mother or dad or siblings that played or are playing now in the National Hockey League.
Michigan has seven players on its roster whose lineage is linked to the NHL. Harvard has four. Combined the clubs have 23 players who have already been drafted by NHL teams.
Rhéaume-Mullen was on skates even before his first birthday.
“It was pretty automatic for me,” he said.
“You don’t really see so many players with so many family ties to the NHL. It’s just Michigan hockey.
“It is a testament to how good the program has become.”
Harvard forward Marek Hejduk (13) and his brother David learned about the highest level of hockey from their father, Milan, who played for the Colorado Avalanche.Greg M. Cooper/The Associated Press
It is for Harvard, too.
Lucas St. Louis, a second-year defenceman for the Crimson, is the son of Hockey Hall of Fame member Martin St. Louis, the coach of the Montreal Canadiens. Fellow blueliner Mason Langenbrunner’s father is Jamie Langenbrunner, who played for 16 years in the NHL and is now an assistant general manager of the Boston Bruins.
The Hejduk twins, Marek and David, grew up while their father, Milan, was a member of the Colorado Avalanche. He led the league in scoring once.
Harvard is also coached by Ted Donato, who registered 150 goals and 347 points during a 13-year NHL career, half of which was in Boston.
Lucas St. Louis talks to his dad almost daily.
“I remember being in his locker room after games,” St. Louis said. “I was kind of a fly on the wall. I feel like all of us that grew up this way understand at a young age what it takes to be a professional.”
Harvard (5-1-1) won three straight games on the road over the past two weeks. Michigan (13-3) beat Ohio State twice last weekend by a cumulative score of 13-3. That propelled the Wolverines to the top of the NCAA poll.
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“At times we definitely struggled in recent years but this year guys have kind of matured,” St. Louis said. “This will be the biggest home game for Harvard in a while but we are not scared a bit. We are playing really well.
“The team that wins is not always the one that is the best on paper. It is the one that plays the best on any given day.”
Michigan has 11 Canadian players, all but one from Ontario.
Will Horcoff is second in team scoring with 14 goals and 21 points in 16 games. His dad, Shawn, is the former captain of the Edmonton Oilers and is an assistant general manager of the Detroit Red Wings.
Harvard’s roster includes five Canadians, led by sophomore forward Mick Thompson of Mississauga, who is second in the country in points per game at 1.57. Goalie Ben Charette of Aurora, Ont., has played every minute and has recorded a .934 save percentage.
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Marek Hejduk, who grew up in Colorado, is a fourth-year right wing.
He remembers shooting pucks at tiny nets with other players’ kids in the Avalanche dressing room.
“We were like little rats running around,” Hejduk said. He thinks about his teammates that grew up like he did. “It’s always cool within the team to have the experience.”
Mason Langenbrunner is completing his fourth year at Harvard and is one of the team’s captains.
“We actually talk about all of our guys with ties to the NHL in our dressing room,” Langenbrunner said.
His father played in more than 1,000 NHL games and won Stanley Cups with Dallas and New Jersey.
“It’s every kid’s dream to have a dad that plays in professional sports,” Langenbrunner said. “It was a great experience.”