Hockey's Future Profiles Joey LaLeggia

See Hockey's Future Article

Hockey's Future profiled the top 10 collegians eligible for the 2012 NHL Draft, comprised of five forwards and five defensemen who have just completed their freshman seasons. DU Defeneseman Joey LaLeggia came in at #5 on their list.

LaLeggia was named the WCHA and National Rookie of the Year honors after leading the nation in freshman defensemen with 38 points (11 goals, 27 assists) playing in all 43 games for the Pioneers.

Hockey's Future: Q & A With Sam Brittain

(above) Sam Brittain is expected to return to the crease this weekend against UAA

Sam Brittain Q & A

Sam Brittain, the sophomore goaltender for the University of Denver, is gearing up for a return to the ice this weekend after spending the first half of the season rehabilitating from surgery to repair his knee. Brittain suffered the injury in the WCHA Final Five game against the University of North Dakota on what seemed like an innocuous play, but eventually cost him not only 20-plus games for the Pioneers, but also a unique chance to play for Team Canada in the World Junior Championships.

Hockey's Future asked Brittain 15 questions about his injury, his future and goaltending.

Hockey's Future Profiles Nick Shore

(left) Nick Shore is expected to be drafted in the 2nd Round of the  NHL Draft in June

From: HockeysFuture.com
by D.J. Powers

Throughout its storied history, the University of Denver has produced a plethora of excellent NHL-drafted players. The next one to likely join the group is freshman Nick Shore.

Nick Shore is the younger sibling of Pioneers sophomore standout Drew Shore (FLA). Like his older brother, the younger Shore is also a centerman that came to the University of Denver (DU) from the US National Team Development Program (USNTDP). The two were the first brothers to play simultaneously with the USNTDP [read entire article].

Hockey's Future Profiles DU Recuit Scott Mayfield

Most NHL Mock Drafts and scouting reports project University of Denver 2011 recruit Scott Mayfield as a 1st Round draft selection next summer. This week Hockey's Future listed Mayfield as the #3 Draft eligible player in the USHL this season.

DU Recruit Scott Mayfield Receives NHL Props

(left) Scott Mayfield's stock is on the rise with NHL scouts

The Intenational Scouting Service has ranked 2011 DU recruit Scott Mayfield the #22 best North American prospect for next summer's NHL Draft.

Scott Mayfield, D, Youngstown Phantoms
"The big blueliner has been turning heads in every rink he has played in so far this year. A hulking strong defender Mayfield moves extremely well and already has the look of a top level pro. Mayfield will represent the USHL at the World Junior A Challenge in Penticton, BC and will gain even more exposure to NHL scouts. His ability to play in all ends of the rink and be an impact player in all situations will certainly move his name way up the draft list. Few players have the maturity and ability to adapt to the different styles and emotions that a game takes on, Mayfield can without missing a beat. With Mayfield already looking so strong the question will be how much better can he get, but as far as this year’s prospects go there are few players that are this ready for the NHL already."

A Third Carle Brother In The Pipeline

Editors Note - This past weekend, Hockeys Future writer and part time LetsGoDU contributor DJ Powers was in San Jose for the annual Junior Sharks Labor Day Tournament. It's one of the top Midget Major Tournaments in California, kicking off the new season for elite players with many scouts and recruiters in attendance.

DJ Powers focused much of her attention at the Junior Sharks Day Tournament on the 16AAA group (the top group of 1993-94 birth years). One of the teams hailed from Alaska and the player that really caught her eye was Alex Carle. The youngest of the Carle brothers - yes, Matt and David's brother.

What she really liked about Alex was his skating. He was one of the best skaters that she saw at the tournament in that age group. If Alex decides to follow in Matt and David's footsteps by going the college route and continues to make progress in his development, he could get quite a bit of interest from the top schools in the country, including DU. Alex is just fifteen years old, so he still has a few years to go before he hits a college campus near you (should he decide to go the college route).

His skill set is very good for the level, but he's still learning how to effectively utilize and put all of his tools together. Like Matt & David, his skating was what really stood out.

Should DU continue the brotherly tradition there's Alex Carle (15), Quintin Shore (15) & Baker Shore (9) waiting in the wings. Any little Ostrow brothers out there we don't know about?

DJ Powers Staff Writer - NCAA
www.hockeysfuture.com

DU Legend & Campus Lounge Owner Jim Wiste

(above) DU Alum Jim Wiste pictured with Joanie at the Snoopy Senior Hockey Tournament this summer is Santa Rosa, California

Editor's Note: As a lead-in to the upcoming 60th anniversary celebration of Denver Pioneers hockey, LetsGoDU begins a four-part series comprised of stories coming out of last month’s Snoopy Tournament in Santa Rosa, CA in which the DU alumni team successfully defended their Marcie (60A) Division championship.

In this first installment, Jim Wiste (DU '69) shares his insights with Hockeys Future writer D.J. Powers on a variety of topics including playing for the legendary Murray Armstrong, current head coach George Gwozdecky, and how he came to own one of the DU hockey community’s favorite gathering spots, the Campus Lounge. The "Campus" located near DU, is annually ranked as one of the best Neighborhood Bars in Denver by Westword.

Exclusive to LetsGoDU
By DJ Powers

Q: Let’s start off with DU Hockey's upcoming 60th Reunion Celebration. Are you planning to be there and what are some of your thoughts about it?

JW: Oh yes! I think it’s going to be fantastic. It’s 60 years when hockey started in Denver. A guy by the name of Doug McKinnon is going to drop the first puck. He was DU’s first captain. I think there are two players from the original team that I think was in ’49. There were seven coaches and I think there are seven NCAAs (championships). I think it’s going to be great for the university and great for the players to come back. We had a 50-year reunion obviously ten years ago and now this is our 60th year. I don’t know if there’ll ever be another one just because all of the coaches may not be alive much longer that have coached (over the years).

Q: How did you come to play for the University of Denver?

JW: Well, in those days it was really surprising because Murray was the only person that recruited that also coached. He would look in the papers to see who was doing well and then he would maybe make an appointment to see your parents. He made one trip up to Saskatchewan and would come into my living room and sit down. Then he would say to my father “you know, if he were my son this is what I would suggest that he should do.” (Laughs) You know, he kind of hurt the university because his recruiting budget was probably only about 3,4, or 500 dollars and he drove everywhere. Back then it was a handshake. You didn’t sign a Letter of Intent. I didn’t know if I had scholarship until I came down and found out that I was in the dorms and that my books were free. So I thought ‘oh, maybe I have a scholarship.’ But now, it’s like everything else. Now, they make big thing out of a (player) signing with all of the legality of it and other teams trying to get somebody. But back then it wasn’t anything complicated. So it was just Murray saying that he wants a player on his team and he tells him. Other than that, it wasn’t anything fancy.

Q: What was it like playing for Murray?

JW: Well, Murray was kind of a legend in his own time because he had good teams and was the best motivator that I’ve ever seen. I played pro for ten years and I’d never seen a better motivator. Murray could motivate you. He was a salesman in his younger days and he could sell you. He would grab you by the hand as you walked out of the dressing room before a really important game and he would look into your eyes, be spitting into your face and say “good luck to you, son.” Then you would go out there and as we (players) used to say the piss is running down your leg during the national anthem, so you’d better be ready for the game. When Murray motivated you, he was good at motivating you. They only had one coach, so it was hard to teach a lot of players. We worked on fundamentals and did skating drills and different other things, which were really important, but not like it is now. They have film that they can break down everything and they can tell you if your little pinky is out of joint. I don’t know if that’s good or bad, but you can back it up.

Murray was also respected. Out of respecting him, you worked hard for him. He was a man’s man. I think he was honest with his players and he worked you hard. Now I think the players have got it so soft. But I think the players today will tell you that they have a broader variety of things to do. They’ll do weight programs and running and so forth, whereas we were just mainly on the ice.

Q: What were some of the best things that Murray had taught you that you were able to take with you and apply to yourself as both a hockey player and as an individual?

JW: I think the integrity for being an honest person. He always used to have this saying that you could look yourself in the mirror in the morning when you’re shaving and you’ve given your best. That’s kind of one of the sayings that he had. There’s a book out that somebody wrote on Murray’s sayings because he always had these sayings. Like if you got hurt, he would always say ‘tape an aspirin to it. It’s a long way from your heart. You’re ok.’ And these were things that we all put into our repertoire and still say to each other. If you had a question, Murray would say ‘honest to God, Jim?’ George (Gwozdecky) has done a great job with the players too, but they’re two different eras. And people try to compare the two and you can’t. George has got to have guys out there looking for new players. He has to have help. Murray couldn’t have done this.

Q: What are some of the similarities do you personally see between Murray and George?

JW: I think George has great respect by his players. He has great character and doesn’t put up with anything if there’s a problem. The team comes first to him, and Murray was like that too. Actually they’re both kind of a lot alike in a way. George has made a name for himself, won some NCAAs (championships), and has been one of the top five coaches (in the NCAA) for about the last four or five years. It’s hard to come into the situation that he did after Murray Armstrong, who was here for 25 years. But George has made his own niche and I think winning those championships were important. So I think George and Murray are lot alike in their characters.

Q: Obviously not any player can play at DU. It takes a special type of player that could not only play at DU but also succeed there. Players who’ve come here such as Rhett Rakhshani and Tyler Ruegsegger, and even recent former players like Gabe Gauthier and Adam Berkhoel had not only the talent, but have (or had) the character that made them fit so well into the DU system. In terms of character, how are these players similar to those that played at DU when you were there?

JW: I’m fortunate to be able to skate with them. I met Rhett Rakshani and can see why he’s the captain. Mark Rycroft when he was here at DU was like him (Rakhshani) too. So they’re no different from the players that played for Murray. The same kind of guys that play for George played for Murray. Both are character people, as well as other guys like J.P. Testwuide. It’s a fraternity and in those guys, you can see that they pick it up. Just looking at their skills on the ice, you can tell that they’re way better than we were. But we never got a chance to meet them through the old-timers hockey. When you look at a player on the ice, they’ve got a helmet on and a mask. And you hardly recognize them until their senior year. And now we get to see them in the dressing room. George has a deal where he’d have alumni come in and talk to the team. You ask him what he wants you to talk and he would say whatever you want. And he’d even open the door up. And we’ve all done that. Alot of the players (that are alumni) have. So I think that’s pretty good on George’s part that he would take the chance on allowing us to talk about anything to the team that we wanted, whether it be what it’s like to be a freshman or anything about hockey or about life. I think the players always enjoyed it because a lot of the older guys would have things to say. And I give George credit because that’s like saying ‘come into my bedroom and you can say what you want.’ He wasn’t afraid to open the door. That shows me that he is self-sufficient with his own operation. When you can say that, you’re not hiding anything because I can walk into the dressing room and say I think this or that. Now George would say ‘say what you want to say. I don’t care what you talk about, just talk about something.’ I’ve had a lot of my other (Snoopy) teammates do it and we’ve all approached it from different angles. Some have approached it on a humorous angle and some have approached it on a serious angle. Well, I think that brings character into it. So I give George credit for that. He’d just look at you and say ‘do what you want to do.’ I’ve talked to them (the team) a couple of times and depending on how well the team is doing or what’s happening, it’s hard to tell them when they’re in first place what they’re doing wrong. Yet when they’re struggling, it’s not my job to tell them what to do right because I’m not their coach, but George has opened up those doors and just told me to say what I want to say.

Q: Let’s shift gears here for a bit and talk about the Campus Lounge. How did that all come about?

JW: Well, when I finished hockey, I had played about ten years, I wanted to do well in something and had no idea. I really hadn’t done anything in ten years, so with my degree I thought it was tough, but I wanted to be my own boss. I’ve always loved the food business, and actually the Whites owned it. John White played for DU and I knew his dad pretty well. One day he skated with us and asked if he ever wanted to sell his business. Each time we skated, I’d talked about it a little more. And the funny thing about it was that I didn’t know a thing about the restaurant business. Maybe it was a good thing because otherwise I probably wouldn’t have bought it. (Laughs) So that’s how I bought it and it’s been 33 years. It’s kind of nice because when I go and watch sports and talk sports, I’m fortunate to do something that I enjoy doing. Sure, there are a lot of tough things, but it’s been good to me. The DU people have been good to me. They’ve frequented my place. The faculty and other sports teams like the Boston Bruins or the Chicago Blackhawks would come in too. So that’s how I got into the business.

Q: I know that you had played professionally for a number of years. So what was it like making that huge jump from college to the pros?

JW: We were probably, and really and truly, the first college players to come out. There were players such as Keith Magnuson, Cliff Koroll, and myself, along with Tony Esposito with Chicago. College players never played in the NHL back then. Now it’s unbelievable. It was good and bad because players would take an extra run at you because you were a “college player” and maybe felt that you weren’t tough enough. They were jealous of you because you had a college education. So we were kind of the pioneers of that. I’m proud of that. Now you look down the roster and there’s I don’t know how many college kids that are in the NHL. It’s unbelievable. But we were really the first to come out. I think college players are more dedicated and I think they have a vision of what they want to do. I’m not downgrading the other guys, but that’s how much college hockey has come along too. Like when DU starts each year, they may have eight freshmen coming in and by the senior year they may have two or three because the rest have all turned pro already. So that shows the quality that they have and things like that. So we were kind of the pioneers on that end. I remember going to Chicago’s camp. We trained before we even went to camp and the other pros didn’t. We were in better shape and focused on what we were doing a little more. Now all of the pros do that. Maybe we helped them in a way that they didn’t know about because it’s an all-year job now. In the old days, you went to camp thinking that you could get into shape in about two or three weeks. Now these guys are practicing all the time.

Q: As an outsider, I have the opportunity to look at how you guys interact with one another both at the rink and away from it. And while all of you are friends and come from different mothers, you’re all brothers too.

JW: Well there’s an old saying that if you can’t be yourself around your friends, then they’re not your friends. If I can’t say what I want to say around my friends, then they’re not my friends. I might say the wrong things, but I can do it. Who else can I do it around? Who will forgive me or who will help me? So a lot of people look at us and say ‘you guys are kind of honest with each other.’ We’ll look at each other and say you’ve got this wrong in a joking way or you might say ‘you’re being an ass.’ (Laughs) So that’s the biggest compliment that you can pay your friends is to be yourself among them. And you know, it doesn’t come overnight. You have to gain that respect or have that respect to give. So I think we’ve done that and it’s carried on. At least I hope it has carried on. There have been a couple of hiccups along the way, but how can you have a program that doesn’t? When you’re on top, there’s nowhere to go but down a little bit. DU has been picked first this year and that’s the kiss of death in a way, but you know what? I’d rather be picked first than last. I think that shows the strength of our program too. We all go to the games and we all support them. The reunion is going to be great. I think it’s always tough too because we’re all at that part in our lives where we’re going to lose a few each year. So that’s tough.

Q: Would you say that “family” is a more generally accurate description of the team, especially in the way you guys support one another?

JW: Oh yeah, and we all are. We’re sitting there tonight, playing in the over-60 group, we all know that we can’t do the things that we used to do, but we’re just sitting there cheering each other on. If a guy gets hurt, we’re all concerned. We’re friends and we’re here because of that. There’s still that competitiveness. You can’t lose that because let’s face it you still want to win. If you can look into mirror and say that I gave it my best, then that’s all that matters. Even when I played pro, I remember one of the older pros that was our goalie say to me after we had been beaten 7-2, “I played the best that I could.” And I thought, he was right. He tried his best and did his best. If don’t play your best, then you’ve got a problem. Maybe you could say that I could’ve been in better shape or more prepared. But those go on in life and in business. So be prepared and be there. Hockey is no different than running a business. You’ve got to be organized and have leadership and do a lot of things, so those things carry on. I think they’re important. I’m fortunate enough to be here talking to you and say that I’m a Pioneer and I’m proud of it.

Q: In your personal opinion, how would define a Denver Pioneers hockey player?

JW: I would like to define him as dedicated, sincere, honest, hard working, and compatible with other people. Maybe we would like to have everything but we can’t. But I think a lot of those qualities are maybe 80 percent of what they are because if he isn’t then all the other guys would give him a hard time. Like maybe we would have a guy that’s a little bit of problem and we would all say ‘c’mon, you have to lighten up.’ (Laughs) We would govern ourselves. We’ve always done that. I think they still do that. So when you bump into a guy and if he’s a Pioneer, then he’s your friend. And if he needs help, you help him. If he needs some advice, then you give him some advice. And I think it’s sincere. So those are the things that you look upon as a Pioneer.

Q: What was the greatest memory that you took from your time at DU?

JW: I think winning an NCAA championship was a great memory. But I don’t like to say that everything is about winning because I know some guys that didn’t win. They always say that you’ve won an NCAA championship. That’s not really it. I think the friendships with guys like Cliff Koroll, Keith Magnuson and the guys that I met that I went to school with is a great memory. And it’s not just in hockey either. The people that I’ve met when my life changed and I couldn’t mention them all was the best thing that I’ve gotten out of it. So if you asked what the biggest thrill from hockey, I’d say winning the NCAA championship. They always say that what you can go back to is priceless, which are the friendships that we formed. And we’re all still good friends.

DU Hockey Alums Win 1st Game @ Snoopy Tourney

DU crushes Reno 8-0 in Snoopy Tournament opener.... University of Michigan Alums lose to Calgary in 1st game


Editor's Note: DJ Powers of Hockey's Future is in California this weekend covering the Snoopy Senior World Hockey Tournament. For the third straight year she agreed to write a series of articles for LetsGoDU about the DU Pioneers, an alumni team made up of former DU players from the Murray Armstrong era. We can't thank DJ enough for her outstanding commitment to this event.

Article by: DJ Powers
Staff Writer - NCAA
Hockey's Future
Future Considerations

Some brilliant goaltending by Ron Grahame and a five-goal outburst in the second period propelled DU to an 8-0 rout of the Reno Aces on Sunday in the Marcie (60A) Division opener.

Like the beginning of last year’s meeting against Reno, DU got off to a slow start once again. While the Pioneers generated some good scoring opportunities early in the opening stanza, they failed to beat the Aces’ goaltender.

For much of the first half of the first period Grahame saw few shots, but that would change in the latter half of the period as both teams had settled in and Reno began to generate some good scoring chances of their own.

At the 13:33 mark, Reno would get the first power play opportunity of the game when defenseman Bob Peers was called for a hook.

DU successfully killed off the penalty and went back to work.

At the 19:05 mark, defenseman Bob Brawley got the Pioneers on the board first with the eventual game-winner when he flipped a backhander over the Aces netminder. Wayne Smith, who has been moved to forward in the tournament, and newcomer Peter Markle drew the assists.

The combination of excellent puck movement by DU and poor defensive coverage by Reno led to a dominant performance by the Pioneers in the second period.

The scoring outburst began at the 3:50 mark when Smith put home a rebound to put DU up 2-0. Just 53 seconds later at the 4:43 mark, Caton made it 3-0 DU when he blasted in a shot from the point.

The barrage in front of the Reno would be a recurring scene throughout the period as the Pioneers relentlessly peppered the Aces netminder.

One problem that plagued the Reno goaltender throughout the game was controlling rebounds. And that led to DU’s next goal at the 7:11 mark by Caton.

While Grahame wasn’t quite as busy as his Reno counterpart, he was rock solid when called upon. The few quality chances that Reno generated in the period were effectively shutdown by Grahame and the stingy DU defense.

Bill Pettinger would extend the Pioneers lead to 5-0 after his shot went five-hole on the Aces netminder at the 13:40 mark.

Reno would get another chance to get on the board at the 17:03 mark when Pettinger was called for hook. However, it would be DU that would get on the board instead.

DU’s only special teams goal of the game came at the 18:00 mark when Markle tapped home the shorthanded tally.

The Pioneers began the final period with 23 seconds left in Pettinger’s hooking penalty. [Note: Minor penalties in the Snoopy Tournament are three minutes long]. Once again, DU was successful in their kill and it didn’t take long before the scoring got going once again.

At the 1:27 mark, Jim Wiste put the Pioneers up 7-0 off of another rebound chance. Shortly thereafter, the frustration of the Aces began to show as one of the Reno players momentarily tangled up with one of the Pioneers.

About four minutes into the period, the Aces would generate some good scoring chances only to see them stopped by Grahame.

Reno would get another shot at getting on the board at the 13-minute mark when Pat Halas was called for trip. Shortly into the power play, Grahame would make arguably his best save of the game when he made a beautiful, sprawling save on a two-on-one chance.

DU would give Reno a glorious opportunity to spoil Grahame’s shutout bid when Markle was called off for a trip at the 8:34 mark, giving the Aces a two-man advantage for 1:28. And while Reno had perhaps their best power play of the game, Grahame and the Pioneers defense stood tall, effectively killing off both penalties.

Halas would put the frosting on the cake for DU when he put home a rebound at the 15:43 mark.

While the game was well out of reach for Reno at this point, Grahame shutout bid was not. The Aces came very close to getting one by the Pioneers netminder with just over a minute left in the game when the Reno player’s shot had just missed going into the open side of the DU net.

When the final buzzer sounded, DU not only won, but preserved the shutout for Grahame as well, who had made several crucial saves throughout the contest.

Reno went 0-4 on the power play. DU did not have a power play in the game.

Next up, the Calgary Old Buffaloes on Monday.

DU Alums Will Play In Snoopy Hockey Tournament

Once again several DU Alums in their 60's will participate in the 2009 Snoopy World Hockey Tournament in Santa Rosa, California. For the third year in a row, Hockey'sFuture.com writer DJ Powers will be writing exclusive stories for LetsGoDU about our alumni team.

The DU Alums vs. University of Michigan Alumni, the final game in the 60A division, takes place on Wednesday, July 15 at 7:45 am. As usual Michigan head coach Red Berenson is expected to lead the Wolverine Alums.

DU is the defensing champions in the "Marcy Division" after defeating Michigan last year.

This year, the Snoopy Tournament officially gets underway on Saturday, July 11, which is a day earlier than in previous years.

“I want our players to get a sense of those who built the Denver hockey traditions. DU has a wonderful hockey legacy and we don’t do enough to celebrate it. We can’t think of a better way of opening the 2009/2010 season than with all of our Denver Hockey Alumni in attendance.”

- Coach George Gwozdecky

DU Recruit William Wrenn Profiled In HF

Hockey's Future spoke to University of Denver recruit William Wrenn at the U18 Championships. He had just found out he was invited to the NHL combine, which he was excited about. He also talked about the decision to go to DU and what he needs to work on.

Its a very good interview, so check it out.

Turns out that incoming recruit Adam Murray may be one of DU's best recruiters.

Hockey's Future Profiles DU Alum Chris Butler

(above) DU Alum Chris Butler plays for the AHL Portland Pirates

Over the past year, the Buffalo Sabres have had a pipeline of quality defensive players move up from the AHL and immediately contribute. The hallmark of these defensemen, like Andrej Sekera and Mike Weber, has been intelligent, responsible play in their zone. The next player in the line of succession is Portland Pirates defenseman Chris Butler.

Butler is widely considered one of Buffalo’s elite prospects. Hockey’s Future rates him as the seventh best player in the Sabres organization. Based on the fact that those graded above him have already played significant minutes in the NHL, high expectations are being placed on the 22-year-old. [read rest of article]

Californian Ice Hockey: 41 Current NCAA Players

(left) Gabe Gauthier's goal against Maine in the 2004 National Championship game is considered by many to be the "most important goal" in DU hockey history

With Denver being one of the closest D-1 cities to the west coast and with a legacy of Californian players such as Rhett Rakhshani & Gabe Gauthier, no program is poised to benefit from the growth of Californian ice hockey, like DU.

DJ Powers, who has written for LetsGoDU in the past, takes an in depth look at Californian ice hockey. The article includes quotes from Rakhshani & Gauthier.

There are currently 41 players playing NCAA Division I college hockey that reside in and/or played all or part of their youth hockey in California. That is up from 37 last year. The 41 players represent 26 schools across the league.

Up in the Western Hockey League, there are currently 22 players that played all or part of their youth hockey in California. That is up from 13 last year. The 22 players represent 12 teams across the league.

In addition, there are currently 23 California players in the United States Hockey League, 21 in the North American Hockey League, five on the National Team Development Program’s (NTDP) U-17 roster, and approximately a dozen playing in the British Columbia Junior “A” league (BCHL).

Among the aforementioned leagues, there are ten players that reside in and/or played all or part of their youth hockey in California that are also NHL draft selections. [read rest of article]

NHL Prospect Site Profiles Pioneer Players

(above) Tyler Ruegsegger

Hockey's Future has NHL profiles on present and past Pioneer players Joe Colborne, Tyler Ruegsegger & Chris Butler.

Hockey's Future Ranks Incoming Frosh Wiercioch

(above) DU is counting on Patrick Wiercioch to make an immediate impact this season

From: Hockey's Future
Profile Contributed By: HF Staff

Patrick Wiercioch
NHL Prospect Grade: 7.0 C

History

2006-07: Played for the Burnaby Express in the BCHL. Named the team’s rookie of the year.

2007-08: Joined to the Omaha Lancers as an import player for his first season in the USHL Broke his right-thumb late in November and missed 20 games as a result. Was one of the leaders in Omaha’s Anderson Cup run.

Talent Analysis

Wiercioch has a nice blend of size and skill. He’s a good all around defenseman who can play in many different situations. A mobile puck moving defenseman, he has very good hands but needs to better his skating. Needs to add some size and strength to become effective down the road. Has the smarts and know how to be effective.

Hockey's Future Profiles Jesse Martin

(above) Jesse Martin (#12) was drafted by the NHL's Atlanta Thrashers in 2006

From: Hockey's Future

DU player Jesse Martin was listed as one of the Atlanta Thrashers Top 20 Prospects by Hockey's Future this week.

Jesse Martin was selected 7th round, 195th overall, in the 2006 NHL Draft.

As a freshman at Denver, Martin carved out a niche for himself quickly, playing on the second line and getting good ice time. The 5'11, 118-pounder posted 15 points in 41 games.

Martin was invited to attend Thrashers prospect camp the last two years, but Denver told him there was no point in going unless he'd make the team. Instead, they told him to stay in Denver and work out with his teammates at DU. That's what he did, keeping his full attention devoted to college hockey right now.

Martin needs to work on skating and projects as a checker. He’ll remain at Denver for the foreseeable future. Martin turns 20 next week.

Republicans Play The "Hockey Mom" Card

(above) America's most famous Hockey Mom

Senator John McCain astonished the political world on Friday by naming Sarah Palin, a little-known governor of Alaska and self-described “Hockey Mom” as his running mate on the Republican presidential ticket.

If the Clinton's rode the backs of Soccer Moms to the White House, what other differences are there between Hockey Moms and Soccer Moms?

LetsGoDU's Soccer Mom vs. Hockey Mom Comparison

Soccer Mom: Democrat
Hockey Mom: Republican

Soccer Mom: Drives mini-van
Hockey Mom: SUV with 250,000 miles on it driving to tournaments

Soccer Mom: Spends $200 per year on youth sports
Hockey Mom: Spends $10,000 per year on youth sports

Soccer Mom: Barely watches game while gabbing with the gals about tomorrow's Mahjong get-together
Hockey Mom: Yells at ref and intimidates opposing players

Soccer Mom: Fools around with tennis pro at country club
Hockey Mom: Sleeps with kid's hockey coach to get son on #1 Power Play unit

Soccer Mom: Has white collar career at Honeywell
Hockey Mom: Has second job to help pay for Power Skating Camp in Summer

Soccer Mom: Hosts bake sale to raise money for team
Hockey Mom: Billets three extra kids to help pay second mortgage

Soccer Mom: Reads Vanity Fair in spare time
Hockey Mom: Has Blog, MySpace Page & Hockey's Future Message Board Thread about her hockey playing kid to attract scouts attention

Why DId NHL Scouts Miss The Boat On Stastny

(above) 43 players were drafted ahead of DU Alum Paul Stastny in the 2005 NHL Draft

Its not very often that we post comments from Message Boards, but the comment below was interesting, so we're passing it along.

From: How Does Stastny Slip To The 2nd round?
Site: Hockey's Future Message Board
Posted By: bleedgreen

"I watched him live quite a bit at the University of Denver and to be honest, he never looked like a stud prospect. He wasn't fast, he never went end to end, he rarely beat goalies with a shot further away than ten feet, he didn't dangle anyone.

Most players in the NCAA who go on to be at Stastny's level in the NHL, were far more dominant individual players in college. He got points for sure, but not very often through highlight reel individual efforts. I'm sure the scouts thought he was too slow and not dominant enough for his game to translate.

Why he did is because of one thing, smarts. He is the closest player I've ever seen to Ronnie Francis. He is always in the right place at the right time, and that translated, as well as his vision and awesome passing. He makes exactly the same plays he made in college, and they're the kind of plays that work at any level.

Scouts couldn't have known that, as I'm sure a lot of guys look like that at lower levels. Stastny is the rare case of a guy being smart enough to fit in with anyone at any level, the better the players around him the more it all works.

I'm curious to see his transition to #1 center continue as the players around him have helped out. As Sakic moves on and the Avs become "Stastny's team," I wonder if he can become more individually dominant. Hopefully the Avs keep enough skill around him to not worry about it.

After watching him in college, I didn't think he would ever be more than a third liner, despite racking points and being a very good player at DU. He just didn't look like he was dominant enough. Ironically guys like TJ Hensick [University of Michigan] are the ones who look like studs in college and don't reach the same levels. Hensick is a guy who relies on his skill and speed to get him there; it may not be enough. Whereas Stastny relied on brains and sound instincts.

2008 Snoopy Senior World Hockey Tournament Underway

The Snoopy's Senior World Hockey Tournament began today in Santa Rosa, California. The University of Denver alumni team featuring hockey alums from the ´60s & ´70s does not begin play until Thursday. They are in the the following division.

60A “Marcie” Division
University of Denver Pioneers
Hodgepodge Elite
Reno Aces
University of Michigan Wolverines 60’s

DJ Powers of Hockeys Future is at the tournament and will be providing updates on the games to LetsGoDU. Bob Peers helps organize the DU team and DJ reports that all but 4 or 5 players this season will be DU alums. The Michigan team features Wolverine head coach and former NHLer Red Berenson. DU is looking to avenge last year's loss to the Michigan alums.

Snoopy Tournament

Hockey's Future Talent Analysis Of Colbone

From: Hockey's Future Website

Talent Analysis

Has the size that every team dreams of but is still learning how to use it to his full advantage. The growth spurt is still relatively recent and so Colborne is still making the adjustment mentally that he can do much more than he believes he can from a physical perspective.

Decent skater but best asset apart from his size is his on ice vision and playmaking skills. He can finish and does possess an above average shot but he is a self-admitted pass-first player. Loves to control the puck on along the boards on the power play and find his teammates for gift goals.
Played the wing in Camrose but took most of the faceoffs and then would shift to the wing after the play had started. Some scouts have wondered if he might make a better center with his size and passing skills.

The knock on Colborne is his lack of physical grit; he's not a banger and he doesn't really drive to the net very often both of which he could do easily if he tried.

Comes from a wealthy family which some consider a flaw for some reason believing his committment isn't as deep as with other players. Hockey's Future does not believe this to be an issue. With excellent grades in school, Colborne has shown the dedication for personal improvement off the ice and his coach's do not question his determination on it. (read rest of article)

DJ Powers Interviews Andy Thomas For LetsGoDU

(above) After the Skills Competition at the Frozen Four, DU Captain Andy Thomas sat down with hockey journalist D.J. Powers to talk about hockey, DU and his future

Editors Note: D.J. Powers of Hockey's Future.com & Future Considerations.com writes articles about NHL prospects. In the past she's written exclusive articles for LetsGoDU about DU hockey alums at the Snoopy Old-Timers Tournament and interviewed former Pioneer Adrian Veideman. As the Frozen Four approached we asked her to write an article or two with a DU theme for us to publish in LetsGoDU. The first interview was with DU Captain Andy Thomas. Tomorrow we'll run her interview with Air Force star Eric Ehn.

(left) Mannino & Thomas guarded DU's net for four years together

Q & A with Andy Thomas
By: DJ Powers
Special to LetsGoDU

Defenseman Andy Thomas just completed an outstanding four-year career at the University of Denver, having served as team captain this past season. Thomas, a 2004 draft selection of the Washington Capitals, was became one of the Pioneers most reliable and durable defensemen. He appeared in 161 career games, posting 26 career points (six goals, 20 assists). Thomas’ 161 career games ties him for seventh all-time in the program’s history, while his 278 career penalty minutes ranks him eighth all-time. During the Skills Challenge last Friday at the Pepsi Center in Denver, Thomas won the Shooting Accuracy title, hitting 3 of 4 targets in the playoff round after going 4-for-8 in the opening round.

Following the Skills Challenge, Andy Thomas took time out for this interview.

Q: First of all, you were great out there tonight.

AT: Thank you

Q: So tell me about all those events that you were in, and how it all went for you tonight.

AT: I think Coach Gwozdecky wanted to put me into as many skills (events) as I could be in, just so I can keep improving myself, because I knew that I would screw up one or two of them if I didn’t do well. (Laughs) The hardest shot competition didn’t go great and obviously the breakaway relay didn’t either. It was a lot of fun and this is really great for Colorado.

Q: C’mon, Coach Gwozdecky was giving you some preferential treatment, right?

AT: (Laughs) Maybe, maybe, but I would never say that. That’s for sure.

Q: So how has the weekend been for you?

AT: Hectic. It’s been real busy. Obviously living here in Denver makes it a lot easier. It’s been pretty structured and pretty rigorous. I’ve been spending a lot of time here at the rink and have been watching some great hockey. I saw the crowds yesterday and two terrific hockey games, it was so great.

Q: Now, I’m going to ask you a real painful question

AT: Go ahead. I’ve probably been asked it before.

Q: How is it for you personally to be here at the Pepsi Center during the Frozen Four without your (DU) team among the four teams playing here this weekend?

AT: It’s tough. We had a lot of freshmen this year. We had 11-12 freshmen and it’s disappointing. At the end of the day and at the end of the season, there’s only one team really happy. Every team is kind of in the same situation. We won the (WCHA) playoff championship and the Broadmoor Trophy and can’t really beat that, especially with so many young guys. If you’d told me at the beginning of the year that we would’ve done this well, then I’d have told you that I’d definitely have been satisfied.

Q: Winning the WCHA Playoff Championship had to have felt pretty good, especially since everyone seemed to be predicting either North Dakota or CC winning it.

AT: Yeah, we were playing great hockey, but in the end [NCAA Tournament], we ran into a team (Wisconsin) that didn’t have much to lose. We played Wisconsin real tight, but gave up six goals. So we kind of beat ourselves that night. But we went into the WCHA tournament with a lot of confidence and we were successful there.

Q: So what happened against Wisconsin in the regional aside from the fact that you guys lost in their house?

AT: Yeah, that was tough. It adds a whole new element to it. But they play good hockey and great playoff hockey. They’re very well coached and have a good goalie, so it was tough.

Q: But that sounds just like what you guys have.

AT: Yeah, and that’s the funny thing. They play a much similar defensive style. They can get all the pucks to the net and they play real physical. They played with a lot of emotion and they had a lot of rest coming into that weekend.

Q: Having served as captain of the Pioneers this year and going through the many adversities that you guys went through, how were you able to handle it all and bring the guys together game in and game out?

AT: We just kept reminding each other and kept reminding all of the guys on the team that adversity happens, whether it’s injuries, sickness or personnel losses. We obviously faced some injuries and some personnel losses, but we battled through it. We have a lot of great, young guys that have a lot of energy who were very, very understanding, very attentive and really took what I, the other captains and coaches said to heart. Everyone says that I have a real hard job with 11-12 freshmen, but they made my job so easy because they were like clay to mold. Looking at the next three or four years, Denver hockey is going to be very, very good.

Q: Now that you’ve wrapped up your career at DU, what are you taking from it going forward?

AT: Well, I’m a Capitals draft pick, so we’ll see what happens in the next month or two here. The best part is that I’ll be getting my degree pretty soon. That’s exciting to have that chapter of my life coming to a close and we’ll see what happens. Obviously getting an education from Denver isn’t too bad.

Q: Speaking of the Capitals, have they been in touch with you since the (DU) season has ended?

AT: Yeah, there’s been a little bit of contact, but they’re real busy with the (NHL) playoffs and they’re going to be busy for the next however many weeks, which is great that they’re back in the playoffs and having more success. It’s a long summer and they have my rights until August 15, so it’s a big waiting game. I’m starting to realize that now. (Laughs)

Q: So is the wait really tough?

AT: It is because you want to know what your future is going to hold for you, and what’s going to come next. It’s so hard to wait, especially in terms of hockey and professional sports. But the nice thing is I know that I have my degree from Denver to fall back on.

Q: Something that I asked one of your former teammates, Adrian Veideman earlier that I’ve gotta ask you is in your career at DU, how many oranges and how many lemons did win? [Orange & Lemon YouTube Video]

AT: I counted them like three days ago, and I had two oranges and five lemons in my career.

Q: So when did you win your oranges?

AT: My sophomore and junior years. In this past year, I came real close once, but I’m alright with it. That helmet got pretty uncomfortable a couple of times. (Laughs)

Q: Finally, now that you’ll be leaving DU soon, what would you like to be best remembered for?

AT: The pride that I had playing for Denver and the fact that I truly cherished every second that I wore the jersey. I’m thankful because towards the end of this year, I really realized that it was coming to an end. I just want to be remembered as a person who was very appreciative of all the people that have influenced me. It’s tough and it always has to come to end, even though you don’t want it to. I just want to be remembered as a person who was passionate about, appreciative of, and really takes a lot of pride in Denver and Denver hockey.

Q: Do you feel that the team has become like a second family to you?

AT: Oh, absolutely. They took a chance on me when I was 18 and Coach Gwozdecky threw me right into the fire.

Q: In covering the DU old-timers at the Snoopy Tournament, one thing that I discovered was the team really is like one big family.

AT: Yeah, guys like Jim Wiste, Cliff Koroll, Ron Grahame and all the names. A lot of those people have had a big influence on me since my career started at Denver. And even former captains like Ryan Caldwell and Matt Laatsch I credit a lot to for taking me from where I’ve been to where I’ve gotten to now. So yeah, it really is a family here. If you’ve worn the jersey, you’d understand.

Q: So for you, it’s more like an extended family.

AT: Absolutely and they’re people who would do anything for you too.