LetsGoDU

With Dingle Gone The Rebuilding Begins

From: Denver Post
by Mike Chambers

(left) Coach Gwozdecky has to replace Ryan Dingle and as many as three other players who may turn pro with eligibility still remaining this summer

DU coach George Gwozdecky noted on Tuesday that, "We're proud of the fact that Ryan has been able to accomplish one of his boyhood dreams, which is to have an opportunity to play professional hockey. On the other hand, our leading scorer with eligibility remaining has left us. It might be a positive recruiting tool down the road, but there is nobody that can come in as a freshman and produce like Ryan."

Gwozdecky could lose as many as three more underclassmen, and said his staff would recruit through the summer for possible additions to the incoming freshman class.

DU could begin to make up for Dingle's loss by signing highly-sought forward Riley Nash of the Salmon Arm Silverbacks of the British Columbia Hockey League. Nash, 18, was the league's top rookie scorer with 84 points (38 goals) in 55 games.

Two players from the United States Hockey League who have committed to DU for the 2008 class - forward Jason Gregoire (Lincoln) and defenseman John Lee (Waterloo) - might be brought in this fall.

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Notes: Ryan Dingle is the sixth DU player in the past seven years to leave early, joining forwards Mark Rycroft (2000) and Matt Pettinger (2000), defensemen Brett Skinner (2005) and Matt Carle (2006), and forward Paul Stastny (2006). All but Skinner currently are playing in the NHL.