Saginaw star Levi Harper joins Michigan's star-studded blueline

Michigan hockey added another highly-touted defenseman for the 2026-27 NCAA season.

Levi Harper, who led Ontario Hockey League rookie defensemen in scoring with the Saginaw Spirit last year, announced his commitment to the Wolverines last week.

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Harper set records in his rookie season, with 57 points (12 goals, 45 assists) to establish a new high-water mark by a rookie Spirit defenseman and finished third overall in the rookie scoring race.

He was also the recipient of the OHL’s Bobby Smith Trophy, awarded annually to the league’s Scholastic Player of the Year. He maintained a 93.2% academic average (3.856 GPA) through the University of Nebraska High School.

Harper will join a Michigan blueline corps which includes Landon DuPont, the projected No. 1 overall pick for the 2027 NHL draft, as well as NHL-drafted players Henry Mews (Calgary Flames), Cameron Reid (Nashville Predators) and Asher Barnett (Edmonton Oilers).

The blueline also feature’s Harper’s older brother, Brandt, who had six goals and 16 assists for 22 points in 57 games with the OHL’s North Bay Battalion last year.

Michigan will open the season with a home-and-home series against Bowling Green. They’ll host the Falcons on Oct. 2 and play in Bowling Green on Oct. 3.

This article originally appeared on The Detroit News: Saginaw star Levi Harper joins Michigan’s star-studded blueline