(Above) Captain Adrian Veideman leads the Pioneers into the 2006-07 SeasonSomething was missing this summer for Adrian Veideman and the rest of the seniors on the University of Denver hockey team.
Gone were the celebrations and well-wishers waiting at every corner. Gone was the bursting sense of accomplishment that comes with knowing you have ascended to the peak of your trade.
Instead, Veideman and his classmates suffered through a summer of frustration and disappointment. For the first time in their careers, the Pioneers seniors did not glide through the summer basking in the glow of a national championship.
"The first two summers were pretty awesome for our senior class," said Veideman, DU's captain. "This summer was definitely an awakening for our senior class. We didn't know what it was like to lose. We needed to get that resurgence to train hard and make sure we are ready to go for the season."
Veideman has been leading captain's practices for several weeks, and the Pioneers expect to give heavy ice time to their heralded freshman class.
That group has been ranked as the fourth-best incoming freshman class in the nation by the online publication Inside College Hockey. Forwards Matt Glasser, Rhett Rakhshani and Tyler Ruegsegger, a native of Lakewood, in particular have generated an early buzz and will be expected to help fill the void left by center Gabe Gauthier, Hobey Baker Award winner Matt Carle and forward Paul Stastny, a trio that combined for 45 goals and 100 assists last year.
"Our freshmen on our team right now are a direct result of our national championships in '04 and '05," DU coach George Gwozdecky said. "The face of our team is very different, with the loss of terrific leaders, some outstanding players who graduated or left early to sign pro contracts. I think our returning players are very determined to play more consistently."
DU, ranked ninth by U.S. College Hockey Online, begins the regular season Friday against eighth-ranked Miami of Ohio in the opening game of the Redhawks' Icebreaker Tournament. The Pioneers will play either 14th-ranked Colgate or Vermont on Oct. 7.
"Our freshmen we have in have a great deal of skill this year," Veideman said. "They definitely are buying into our system and program right away. I think that is going to benefit our team right off the bat."
Gone were the celebrations and well-wishers waiting at every corner. Gone was the bursting sense of accomplishment that comes with knowing you have ascended to the peak of your trade.
Instead, Veideman and his classmates suffered through a summer of frustration and disappointment. For the first time in their careers, the Pioneers seniors did not glide through the summer basking in the glow of a national championship.
"The first two summers were pretty awesome for our senior class," said Veideman, DU's captain. "This summer was definitely an awakening for our senior class. We didn't know what it was like to lose. We needed to get that resurgence to train hard and make sure we are ready to go for the season."
Veideman has been leading captain's practices for several weeks, and the Pioneers expect to give heavy ice time to their heralded freshman class.
That group has been ranked as the fourth-best incoming freshman class in the nation by the online publication Inside College Hockey. Forwards Matt Glasser, Rhett Rakhshani and Tyler Ruegsegger, a native of Lakewood, in particular have generated an early buzz and will be expected to help fill the void left by center Gabe Gauthier, Hobey Baker Award winner Matt Carle and forward Paul Stastny, a trio that combined for 45 goals and 100 assists last year.
"Our freshmen on our team right now are a direct result of our national championships in '04 and '05," DU coach George Gwozdecky said. "The face of our team is very different, with the loss of terrific leaders, some outstanding players who graduated or left early to sign pro contracts. I think our returning players are very determined to play more consistently."
DU, ranked ninth by U.S. College Hockey Online, begins the regular season Friday against eighth-ranked Miami of Ohio in the opening game of the Redhawks' Icebreaker Tournament. The Pioneers will play either 14th-ranked Colgate or Vermont on Oct. 7.
"Our freshmen we have in have a great deal of skill this year," Veideman said. "They definitely are buying into our system and program right away. I think that is going to benefit our team right off the bat."
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