After entering the transfer portal on April 7, sophomore defenseman Ben Robertson will transfer to the University of Michigan, announced on Tuesday afternoon.
Robertson announced his transfer through an Instagram post that was collaborated with Michigan’s hockey’s official account. Robertson captioned the post with just two emojis signifying the maize ‘M’ of Michigan.
Robertson will join a Michigan group that has seen major departures on the backend — Ethan Edwards, a four-year Wolverine, signed a National Hockey League contract with the New Jersey Devils on March 25. On Sunday, Jacob Truscott — a graduate student and multi-year captain at Michigan — inked an American Hockey League contract with the Grand Rapids Griffins.
Additionally, Will Felicio entered the transfer portal after one year with the Wolverines. Felicio at times appeared on the top defensive pairing with Edwards. Two of Michigan’s confirmed departures on defense play on the left side — the same side that Robertson plays.
As of Feb. 11 — before this spring’s signings — Michigan has 32 alumni currently active in the NHL, along with six active AHL and eight active ECHL players. Conversely, as of Tuesday, three Cornell alumni are active on NHL rosters, with 10 on AHL rosters and three on ECHL rosters. That does not include the six graduating seniors from the 2024-2025 Cornell team who signed various NHL, AHL and ECHL contracts.
Robertson initially entered the transfer portal on April 7 and was rumored to have been approached by multiple top hockey programs, including Denver and Notre Dame along with the eventual final destination of Michigan.
Jane McNally is a senior editor on the 143rd editorial board and was the sports editor on the 142nd editorial board. She is a member of the class of 2026 in the College of Agriculture and Life Sciences. You can follow her on X @JaneMcNally_ and reach her at jmcnally@cornellsun.com.
