What Happened to DU's Senior Class... .
(Left) Gabe Gauthier has led the Pioneers to two National Championships
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Yesterday, Coach Gwozdecky was asked during Ask the Coach...
Danielle (Boulder): Most of the national championship team from last year returns for the 2005-2006 season... team's leading scorer, WCHA Rookie of the Year, Frozen Four MVP...With all this returning talent, how is it that you began the season ranked number one and have gradually slipped to 15 in the national polls?
Coach Gwozdecky: Through our last two National Championship runs, we have had the great luxury of a good sized senior class. These seniors have been strong, skilled and had valuable experience. We are challenged this year with having only one senior who has been a regular in our lineup over the last three years. As a result, we have asked many of our younger and more inexperienced players to assume roles of primary responsibility that they are slowly getting comfortable with.
I thought this was a very candid answer, so I went back to Heisenberg's site and did a little research to see what was going on at DU in 2001, during the Letter of Intent signing periods. This was a very pivotal moment in DU's Hockey History. The Pioneers had their last losing season under Coach Gwozdecky in 1999-2000 and may not have been on the radar of the top college hockey "blue chippers." Down the road in Colorado Springs, Don Lucia was in the process of moving on to Minnesota and Scott Owens was taking over the reins at CC.
During the "Early LOI" period (March-May, 2001), DU signed Brett Skinner and Ryan Dingle. (During this period DU also signed Jon Foster, Kevin Ulanski and Nick Larson, who were "late signees" coming to DU in the following Spring). Skinner was a huge prize for the coaching staff. He was a Canadian defenseman who played for Des Moines in the USHL. At 6'1" 170 lbs. he might have been on the "skinny" side, but Heisenberg had him listed as the #2 recruit in the USHL and the #1 defenseman. During his DU playing career he improved unbelievably and eventually became an All-American his Junior season. As we all know, he signed with the Vancouver Canucks a year early. The other signee, Ryan Dingle from Steamboat Springs ended up deferring his college admission at DU for two seasons, but has been a fantastic addition for the Pioneers. So if you were to grade DU's recruiting signees in the Fall of 2001 you would have to give the coaches an "A" or perhaps an "A+", when you factor in the contributions made by Foster, Ulanski and Larson during the Championship runs. There were some real "finds" there.
During the Fall Signing Period of 2001 DU inked commitments from Gabe Gauthier, Scott Drewicki, and Glenn Fisher. Gabe Gauthier was a another huge signing for the DU coaching staff. Gauthier was a Californian playing for the Chilliwack Chiefs along with Jeff Tambellini, who ended up being a superstar with Michigan. Tambellini racked up 129 points for Michigan in just three seasons, but like Skinner signed a professional contract a year early. Tambellini was considered to be the #1 recruit out of British Columbia and Gauthier #2.
Gauthier narrowed his choices down to Boston University and DU. Gabe's father was so sure that he was heading to Boston, that he loaded up on BU Hockey shirts on a recruiting visit. Gabe had played some prep hockey out East, so he was familiar with the area. Something must have happened on his visit to Denver, however, because Gabe choose the Pioneers in a bit of a surprise at the time. One GWG against Maine, two National Championships and over 100 career points later and Gauthier is a shoo-in for the DU Hall of Fame.
Glenn Fisher was signed during the 2001 Fall signing period as well. He was always slated to come to DU a year after Gauthier. Fisher was a prize recruit considered by Inside College Hockey to be the #1 incoming goaltender. The Scott Drewicki signing can only be descibed as a "bust." He was a sought after prospect from Alberta, and was ranked by Heisenberg as the #2 defenseman and #13 prospect overall. When DU signs a player out of Canada, big things are expected. In a season and a half at DU he saw limited duty with the Pioneers appearing in 28 games and notching up two assists. He quit the team during the middle of first Championship season and transferred to Merrimack. The irony was that as soon as he quit in his sophmore season, DU had a rash of injuries and he would have seen more playing time. Add to the fact that he walked out on two National Championships and perhaps a key role this season. Hard to say what kind of a grade you would give the Fall Signees. Skinner is one of the top Power Play defensemen in DU history and he played a pivotal role in two Championships. Perhaps a "B," but it sure would be handy to have a few more Seniors on the roster right now.
Ted O'Leary was a Late Signee in the Spring of 2002. He has played in two National Championship games, is the Assistant Captain this season and as we all know is a three time WCHA All-Academic Team selection. You have to love what he has contributed to the Pioneers over his career. The coaches frequently point to his leadership and hard work to motivate the younger guys. Ted has two rings and the respect of every Pioneer fan.
So there you have it. The 2001 recuits who played a pivotal role in delivering two National Championships to the Pioneers. Today the Pioneers only have two Seniors on the Roster and with the big CC series this weekend, perhaps the entire season hangs in the balance. A split or better and the Pioneers can improve their RPI postion towards an NCAA bid. Against all odds, DU's two lonely Seniors are going to have to lead the way for DU to return to Milwaukee.
Yesterday, Coach Gwozdecky was asked during Ask the Coach...
Danielle (Boulder): Most of the national championship team from last year returns for the 2005-2006 season... team's leading scorer, WCHA Rookie of the Year, Frozen Four MVP...With all this returning talent, how is it that you began the season ranked number one and have gradually slipped to 15 in the national polls?
Coach Gwozdecky: Through our last two National Championship runs, we have had the great luxury of a good sized senior class. These seniors have been strong, skilled and had valuable experience. We are challenged this year with having only one senior who has been a regular in our lineup over the last three years. As a result, we have asked many of our younger and more inexperienced players to assume roles of primary responsibility that they are slowly getting comfortable with.
I thought this was a very candid answer, so I went back to Heisenberg's site and did a little research to see what was going on at DU in 2001, during the Letter of Intent signing periods. This was a very pivotal moment in DU's Hockey History. The Pioneers had their last losing season under Coach Gwozdecky in 1999-2000 and may not have been on the radar of the top college hockey "blue chippers." Down the road in Colorado Springs, Don Lucia was in the process of moving on to Minnesota and Scott Owens was taking over the reins at CC.
During the "Early LOI" period (March-May, 2001), DU signed Brett Skinner and Ryan Dingle. (During this period DU also signed Jon Foster, Kevin Ulanski and Nick Larson, who were "late signees" coming to DU in the following Spring). Skinner was a huge prize for the coaching staff. He was a Canadian defenseman who played for Des Moines in the USHL. At 6'1" 170 lbs. he might have been on the "skinny" side, but Heisenberg had him listed as the #2 recruit in the USHL and the #1 defenseman. During his DU playing career he improved unbelievably and eventually became an All-American his Junior season. As we all know, he signed with the Vancouver Canucks a year early. The other signee, Ryan Dingle from Steamboat Springs ended up deferring his college admission at DU for two seasons, but has been a fantastic addition for the Pioneers. So if you were to grade DU's recruiting signees in the Fall of 2001 you would have to give the coaches an "A" or perhaps an "A+", when you factor in the contributions made by Foster, Ulanski and Larson during the Championship runs. There were some real "finds" there.
During the Fall Signing Period of 2001 DU inked commitments from Gabe Gauthier, Scott Drewicki, and Glenn Fisher. Gabe Gauthier was a another huge signing for the DU coaching staff. Gauthier was a Californian playing for the Chilliwack Chiefs along with Jeff Tambellini, who ended up being a superstar with Michigan. Tambellini racked up 129 points for Michigan in just three seasons, but like Skinner signed a professional contract a year early. Tambellini was considered to be the #1 recruit out of British Columbia and Gauthier #2.
Gauthier narrowed his choices down to Boston University and DU. Gabe's father was so sure that he was heading to Boston, that he loaded up on BU Hockey shirts on a recruiting visit. Gabe had played some prep hockey out East, so he was familiar with the area. Something must have happened on his visit to Denver, however, because Gabe choose the Pioneers in a bit of a surprise at the time. One GWG against Maine, two National Championships and over 100 career points later and Gauthier is a shoo-in for the DU Hall of Fame.
Glenn Fisher was signed during the 2001 Fall signing period as well. He was always slated to come to DU a year after Gauthier. Fisher was a prize recruit considered by Inside College Hockey to be the #1 incoming goaltender. The Scott Drewicki signing can only be descibed as a "bust." He was a sought after prospect from Alberta, and was ranked by Heisenberg as the #2 defenseman and #13 prospect overall. When DU signs a player out of Canada, big things are expected. In a season and a half at DU he saw limited duty with the Pioneers appearing in 28 games and notching up two assists. He quit the team during the middle of first Championship season and transferred to Merrimack. The irony was that as soon as he quit in his sophmore season, DU had a rash of injuries and he would have seen more playing time. Add to the fact that he walked out on two National Championships and perhaps a key role this season. Hard to say what kind of a grade you would give the Fall Signees. Skinner is one of the top Power Play defensemen in DU history and he played a pivotal role in two Championships. Perhaps a "B," but it sure would be handy to have a few more Seniors on the roster right now.
Ted O'Leary was a Late Signee in the Spring of 2002. He has played in two National Championship games, is the Assistant Captain this season and as we all know is a three time WCHA All-Academic Team selection. You have to love what he has contributed to the Pioneers over his career. The coaches frequently point to his leadership and hard work to motivate the younger guys. Ted has two rings and the respect of every Pioneer fan.
So there you have it. The 2001 recuits who played a pivotal role in delivering two National Championships to the Pioneers. Today the Pioneers only have two Seniors on the Roster and with the big CC series this weekend, perhaps the entire season hangs in the balance. A split or better and the Pioneers can improve their RPI postion towards an NCAA bid. Against all odds, DU's two lonely Seniors are going to have to lead the way for DU to return to Milwaukee.
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