The seasons have changed, classes have begun and the DU hockey team is ready for their season to begin.
The No. 6 Pioneers have been steadily preparing for the upcoming hockey season, which features a highly competitive schedule from the start, and with hopes of finally advancing to the Frozen Four and winning back the Gold Pan Trophy.
The first half of Denver’s schedule features NCAA runner-up Notre Dame, ranked No. 3 in USA Today/ USA Hockey Magazine pre-season poll, No. 13 Wisconsin and archrival No. 5 Colorado College.
“Our schedule is probably one of, if not one of the most difficult schedules in the country, but I think this team is very eager and will match up well against anyone we play against. I think they have a very strong resolve to going farther than we did last year and making it to the national tournament,” said head coach George Gwozdecky.
With only four days until Denver’s first exhibition game against the University of Alberta, the Pioneers are adjusting to the many changes to the roster this season after watching four seniors graduate and having two teammates leave for the NHL.
The most obvious change this season, however, is in the starting goaltender to sophomore Marc Cheverie, replacing former Pioneer Peter Mannino.
Despite his minimal playing time last season, Cheverie and Gwozdecky are optimistic about his career.
Although Cheverie will be the starting goalie, his role could be much different than Mannino’s last year.
It is probable that Cheverie will alternate with sophomore Lars Paulgaard, who didn’t touch the ice last season.
This will be a similar defensive line up that has been used in the past with former goaltenders Glenn Fisher and Mannino.
Also new to the lineup this season are five freshmen: John Lee, defenseman; Joe Colborne, forward; Luke Salazar, forward; Patrick Wiercioch, defenseman; and Nate Dewhurst, forward.
“Up front the one guy that’s gotten a lot of attention is Colborne,” Gwozdecky said about the freshman on the roster. “He’s a very talented player, the No. 1 pick of the Boston Bruins in NHL draft this past June. I think based off that attention a lot of people will be watching him.”
Colborne, of Calgary, Alberta, is the second player in program history to be selected in the first round of the NHL Entry Draft.
Wiercioch was a second-round pick to Ottawa in the NHL Draft in June.
Wiercioch had a verbal agreement to play with Wisconsin. However, he signed his National Letter of Intent with DU in July, filling the spot left by David Carle, brother of former Pioneer and Hobey Baker award winner Matt Carle, who now plays for the San Jose Sharks.
Carle left the program over the summer due to a heart condition.
“We are all expecting big things out of them (the freshmen). They’re going to play right away so it will be fun to watch them,” senior captain J.P. Testwuide said.
The Pioneers will take on the University of Alberta on Saturday in Magness Arena. The puck drops at 7:07 p.m.
