From Memorial Cup to Michigan, Chris Lazary 'can’t wait to get started'

Michigan’s new associate hockey coach Chris Lazary “can’t wait to get started.”

Lazary, who led the Saginaw Spirit to the Memorial Cup championship in 2024, joined the Wolverines last week after posting a record of 249-171-16-12 in the Ontario Hockey League.

“Leaving Saginaw is not easy,” Lazary told chl.com. “The players, staff, billet families, and fans have meant so much to me and my family, and I will always be grateful for the relationships and memories we built together. Those experiences have shaped me as both a coach and a person.

“I’m excited to get to Ann Arbor and begin working with our student-athletes. My goal is to help our players develop on and off the ice, compete for championships, and represent the block M with pride every day. I can’t wait to get started.”

Michigan head coach Brandon Naurato said he’s “excited” to add Lazary as the associate coach along with assistant coaches Matthew Deschamps and Kevin Reiter.

“Chris has built a tremendous reputation as a teacher, a developer of players and someone who knows what it takes to build a winning culture,” Naurato said in a statement.

“The success he’s had in Saginaw speaks for itself, but what stood out to me throughout this process was his passion for developing young men on and off the ice.

“He has a relentless work ethic, a great hockey mind and will make an immediate impact on our players and the Michigan hockey program.”

Since Lazary’s first season as Saginaw head coach in 2018-19, 18 players have gone on to be selected in the NHL Draft, including Philadelphia’s Owen Tippett, Buffalo’s Ryan McLeod, Winnipeg’s Cole Perfetti, Calgary’s Zayne Parekh and San Jose’s Michael Misa.

Michigan opens the 2026-27 season against Bowling Green at Yost Ice Arena in Ann Arbor on Oct. 2.

The Western Michigan hockey program has added Wisconsin to the 2026-27 schedule. The two teams will meet on Oct. 24 at Lawson Arena in Kalamazoo at 6 p.m. 

The Broncos are 4-5-0 all-time against the Badgers, including a win in last year’s Kwik Trip Holiday Faceoff championship game. The 4-1 win was part of a 10-game winning streak during the middle part of the 2025-26 campaign. 

Western Michigan will play an outdoors game against Michigan at Waldo Stadium in Kalamazoo on Jan. 30.

This article originally appeared on The Detroit News: From Memorial Cup to Michigan, Chris Lazary ‘can’t wait to get started’