From: Denver Pioneers.comDenver sophomore defenseman William Wrenn has left the team and signed a contract with the Portland Winterhawks of the major junior Western Hockey League.
The 19-year-old Wrenn tallied one assist and a minus-7 plus/minus rating in 18 games this year for the Pioneers and finishes his DU career with eight assists in 41 games.
“William has decided to leave our varsity hockey program and concentrate full-time on his hockey career,” DU head coach George Gwozdecky said in a statement. “William feels he will have a better opportunity to play on a regular basis and contribute in a more important role at the junior hockey level. He was a good teammate and was well liked in our locker room. William will be missed by our program.”
The 19-year-old Wrenn tallied one assist and a minus-7 plus/minus rating in 18 games this year for the Pioneers and finishes his DU career with eight assists in 41 games.
“William has decided to leave our varsity hockey program and concentrate full-time on his hockey career,” DU head coach George Gwozdecky said in a statement. “William feels he will have a better opportunity to play on a regular basis and contribute in a more important role at the junior hockey level. He was a good teammate and was well liked in our locker room. William will be missed by our program.”
44 comments:
Wrenn actually played this past weekend against Northern Michigan, but not sure how many minutes he played in each game.
Interesting decision by Wrenn. Seems that injuries really slowed down his development at DU more than lack of playing time.
With Ryder having a redshirt season under his belt, I'm guessing that he will be back next season.
DU still has six elite Dmen on the roster.
not neccessarily bad news. It opens up another scholarship for next year or two. It's like trading a player for a future draft pick in pro sports.
We wish him well.
Now that Joey Brehm has established himself as a go to guy in the lineup, someone had to go.
DU has three big-time recruits coming in next season.
1). Joey LaLeggia the leading defenseman scorer in the BCHL
2). Potential 1st Round NHL Draft choice Scott Mayfield
3). USNDT player Matt Van Voorhis
Donovan is maybe 50-50 to return, Ryder is a redshirt Senior & Nutini will graduate.
John Lee is a Junior, Paul Phillips is a Sophomore & David Makowski is a Freshman.
I noticed on Saturday night that he didn't have much playing time. I wonder if Gwoz knew this weekend that he would be leaving. He was a good buddy of Murray, and I don't think he has been thrilled with his playing time as of late.
BTW, what is up with Memis and Jones?
This is big mistake for Wrenn. Like TJ Fast and Keith Seabrook before him who were also second round pick d-men who bolted from DU and now toil in the AHL, Wrenn is unlikely to see the NHL, either. He was not given a sniff by the USA junior team, he's a minus-7 this year and can't crack the top 6 d-men at DU. He's a second round pick who wants PP time, but we won't see it at DU, either.
He's throwing away a $200,000 education for the WHL, and some AHL time after that.
If he was smart, he'd stay at DU, get his degree and then play in AHL.
Their parents and advisors are overestimating their ability...
Good points Swami.
He may not be playing well because of his previous hip injury. If true its another reason to get his degree.
I'm sure Wrenn will go to Portland and score some goals and assists on the Power Play unit. But at the end of the day, its hard to to justify walking away from a $200,000 scholarship.
I need to stay anonymous, but I was recently told that Wrenn was going to be academically ineligible to play starting after this past weekends series by a source close to him that also wished to be anonymous. Whether that is true or not, he's making a big mistake.
Hard to beleive since he was WCHA academic team last year.
I am not buying the academic thing.
1) Wrenn is a good student.
2) If he were academically ineligible, he would likely not have played last weekend. 1st quarter grades were known in mid-december at the latest, since finals were before Thanksgiving. If Wrenn were out of school, he would have likely bolted in mid-December.
3) No way Gwoz would play someone who bombed academically.
3) He likely left because of playing time.
It's never nice to see a guy bolt mid-season, but maybe Wrenn needs a change of scenery. Given his prior accomplishments and draft status, I expected him to come in and be a regular contributor, but he never seemed to get any traction at this level. The injuries didn't help, but among DU's young d-men, he seemed to be the slowest to adapt to the speed of the college game, and for a guy who came in advertised as a shut-down type defensive defensman, he wasn't overly physical either. he just seemed to be the odd man out.
Its possible that Portland offered to cover his future education costs. Even at an expensive U.S. private college.
Wow, this is a surprise - but when I read some of the comments here....maybe it's not. Whatever I guess; I like that it opens up another slot for someone else (in scholarship terms)
I think he'll eventually be playing paycheck hockey in the CHL, getting the shit beat out of him and tearing up his body like in Corpus Christi or Loredo or someplace in BFE within a few years.
Wrenn was a subpar player....period. Gwoz doesn't play subpar players. Wrenn wasn't good enough. End of story.
Foreshadowing Murray leaving too? They've been together for a while and I doubt a former USNTDP goalie wants to spend another 2 years pulling splinters out of his ass...
Sam's Brittain's save percentage has dipped from .945 at the beginning of the year to a much more human .926 right now,
If it keeps dropping, I could see Murray getting more work....
But if it stays at .926, it's hard to justify playing Murray in any important games with his .849 save percentage. Murray's GAA is also over twice Brittain's GAA.
For Murray to see any significant playing time during the rest of this year, next year, or the year after, an absolutely catastrophic meltdown of epic proportions on the part of Sam Brittain would need to take place. Or injury. Murray already spent one year riding pine where his only chance of playing meant injury to Cheverie. I wonder if he wants to spend another 2 years after this doing the same when there might be another team out there desperate for a keeper.
2nd half meltdown around the corner
Puke Swampy is an idiot. Yeah, like Sam was going keep a .945 all year. Oh my, it dropped to .926 so we must play the crappy one with an .850! You give me a fucking headache, PS! You are such a fucking fraud.
I'm so sorry you have headaches. Perhaps you should invest in some aspirin. Or don't read my posts.
Of course, Brittain is a much better goaltender that Murray is. All I am saying is that if Brittain keeps slipping (say down to a .900) I could see Murry getting more playing time.
As for your name-calling,I have no idea why you seem so accusatory. I stand behind everything I post. I have following the game for a long time, and have been fourtunate enough to have been paid full time at elite levels of the game for my hockey brain. In short, I feel very qualified to post in comparison to others. If you wish to engage here in hockey related conversation in a civil manner, I am open to it. If not, that's your choice.
People troll when they can't respond with a valid argument. Keep it up Swami!
Hey anon 8:35 let me clue you in on something. The reason he is called Puck Swami is because he is all knowing and all seeing.
Get the picture!
I don't know who you are, Swami. Likewise - you don't know me either. But I see you in other places online too. You really do know your crap! I like you and I kind of wish I knew you personally. But that would take away some of the fun; kind of like like seeing Gene Simmons' face after 20 years behind makeup.... yeah, I didn't need to see that afterall. But yes - Swami is usually spot-on.
Puck Swami's appearance is is more Richard than Gene. Keep on dancin' to the oldies Swami.
Just to issue a fair warning to the newbies - Swami is more Keyser Soze than Gene or Richard Simmons. A few years ago I posted a story that I've heard about the Swami since I was a little kid. I'm too lazy to post again, but I would definitely think twice before insulting the Swami. Venture over to USCHO, it's impossible to find someone that's insulted the Swami twice. Every single poster has dissappeared after the first insult.
DG always used to say, "I don't believe in Gwoz, but I'm afraid of him."
Well I believe in Gwoz, and the only thing that scares me is Puck Swami.
Who is Puck Swami? He is supposed to be Turkish. Some say his father was German. Nobody believed he was real. Nobody ever saw him or knew anybody that ever worked directly for him, but to hear Gwozdecky tell it, anybody could have worked for Swami. You never knew. That was his power. The greatest trick the Devil ever pulled was convincing the world he didn't exist. And like that, poof. He's gone.
I actually did have a conversation with Gwozdecky in 2004 about Puck Swami.
Gwoz: "Puck Swami, Puck Swami. How do I know that name?"
Since I got away from the Av-O-Lanch and bought DU season tickets 6 years ago.... I'm seeing it more and more - and realizing that when these kids leave early like this - unless they're a Stasny or Bozak or a Carle (and clearly not every one is)..... usually means the grades are in the crapper and he won't be allowed to play pretty soon.
It's about character or in Wrenn's case a lack of it. when he was being recruited I'm sure he was strutting like a peacock until he got to Denver and found out it takes more the playing skills to make it at DU. Now he's bolting, who did he crew out of a scholarship when he accpeted his?
The Swam is everywhere and he is nowhere . When we are jollying it up at the D.G.-Franklin observation point he is in the corner upper reaches disguised as a C.C. fan garnering tid bits of information .He found out that the bus driver who drives all visiting teams to and from the airport and games at Magness likes single malt. He gives him a select bottle for every tip he gets from the bus front row sitting coaches. It is rumored that a bug was found in Gwaz's office that the swam was asked about.
Do not doubt information coming from the Swam.
Swami - I heard he was the waterboy for the team.
Just some more tidbits that I've learned through the years about Swami, the most interesting hockey fan in the world:
- He has won the lifetime achievement award...twice.
- President Lincoln took a bullet for him
- He once travelled to and explored the Virgin Islands, when he left they were just "The Islands."
- He is the only person Chuck Norris has apologized to.
- Danger fell in love with him, because he is always flirting with it
- His real name rhymes with orange
- He knows who let the dogs out
- He has found Waldo several times, but has released him because he enjoys the hunt
I heard Swami still lives in his Mom's basement. But there is a Mrs. Swami. Is that his Mom?
You're getting your characters confused. Here's a simple cheat sheet:
- Dirty lives in his mom's basement, not Swami.
-Donald likes to get raped by grizzly bears.
-Runningwiththedogs is a total puck slut
Just to clarify a few things.
1) Apprectiate the words of support from people here, but I am not all that mysterious. I'm just the guy in the turban.
2) I've never lived in anyone's basement.
3) Mrs. Swami is my long-suffering wife of many years. Every day she stays is a bonus.
4) I'm pretty sure Dirty, wherever he lives, keeps the world turning properly on it's axis with his post-per-minute one-liners on USCHO.
5) Donald is more interested in UAA hockey than Grizzly Bears. Sure, he can be overbearing and profane, but he knows the game and has a huge heart for his team. I admire him.
6) RWD is no puck slut. She is married to a nice guy, and is not only a serious fan of her team, but she can write circles around any of us, present company included. I admire her, too.
LOL...this is the best thread ever on this blog. Comedy. I'm putting money on Randy May having climbed out of his hiding spot and being a part of this...I know he thinks of the Swami as a "fraud". Go back to your junk shop, chicken shit.
There are 2 types of people here: ones with their noses planted firmly in Swami's ass and others who aren't amused with nor buy into his "aura". Funny. Too. Damn. Funny.
Oh well. GO DU!!!
Swami knows all......we all know that. Anyone who doesn't buy into Swami and his "aura" is a dimwit who couldn't find his own pecker with a compass and a magnifying glass.
Don't hate on the Swami. He knows more about DU and cares more about DU than you do.
The Swami's aura is so strong he could compel a northern facing compass to point south (hopefully assisting you find your pecker).
Swami is a passionate and knowledgeable hockey fan. Nuff said.
Compared to dubbie, Swami is a genius. But what does that really say?
Wait, didn't this start out about some guy named Wrenn?
Who's Wrenn, I thought this was a Swami love/hate extravaganza...
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