The Wolverine, a magazine covering University of Michigan sports, reports that the Michigan hockey team has received verbal commitments from three defensemen for the 1997 season. They are: Ryan Vanbuskirk (6-2, 180) from the Petrolia (Ontario) Jets Mike VanRyn (6-2, 190) from the London (Ontario) Nationals Scott Crawford (6-1, 190) from the Brampton (Ontario) Capitals According to one of his coaches, VanRyn is ?the best defenseman in our league this season. He?s one of the fastest skaters I?ve ever seen. He is a very skilled offensive defenseman, a free-wheeler type who will remind you of Paul Coffey.? Crawford is described as a power-play specialist with a knack for creating points. His coach says ?Scott just plays the game on a level above everyone else in our league. He does things you don?t normally see from players his age. He is an excellent skater who knows how to get the puck into scoring situations.? HOCKEY-L is for discussion of college ice hockey; send information to [log in to unmask], The College Hockey Information List.