from Nicholas J. Cotsonika of NHL.com,

He was a trailblazer, tough mentally and physically. With a few words and a piercing stare, he could make you uncomfortable, make you think, challenge you. But he did it to bring out your best, and he walked the walk.

Many who followed his example reached their destination, and that goes beyond hockey.

Berenson will be inducted into the U.S. Hall of Fame mainly because of his 33 years as coach at Michigan. He won 848 games, fourth in NCAA history, and two national championships, helping college hockey become a viable route to the NHL so players didn't have to choose between getting an education and chasing their dreams.

"It just reassures me that I did the right thing for all that time, and it should reassure other people that college hockey is the way to go," Berenson said. "If you go with the right attitude, you really get the best of both worlds. I think this induction is a reassurance that this has been good for college hockey and good for U.S. hockey."

Berenson could have turned pro after high school in Regina, Saskatchewan, but wanted to find the U.S. college with the best combination of academics and athletics.

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