It has been just over a week since the University of Denver’s 2022-23 hockey season came to a close after a devastating 0-2 loss to Cornell in the first round of NCAA Frozen Four play. In that time, four members of the current squad have signed professional contracts to continue their skating careers elsewhere.
Kyle Mayhew (Anaheim Hills, Calif.) was the first to sign his professional contract this off-season, signing with the Colorado Eagles. The Eagles are located in Northern Colorado and are the American Hockey League (AHL) affiliate of the Colorado Avalanches, so Mayhew will be staying local to his alma mater for the next 12-18 months.
His contract is for next season but he joined them this week for the remainder of the 2022-23 season on a professional tryout (PTO). The Eagles have seven games left in the regular season and have clinched a playoff spot in the AHL playoffs.
Mayhew just finished his fifth season with DU and was a member of the NCHC Academic All-Conference Team and an NCHC Distinguished Scholar-Athlete each season. He finished his collegiate career with 35 points (6 goals and 29 assists), a plus-51 rating, 80 penalty minutes and 135 blocked shots. He was a part of the 2021-22 National Championship team and was an alternate captain for the 2022-23 season.
2022-23 captain Justin Lee (Waskada, Manitoba) was another player to turn pro early this off-season. Lee, who was an alternate captain last season and captain this season, signed with the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins which is the AHL affiliate of the Pittsburgh Penguins, for the 2023-24 season. He is finishing out the 2022-23 season with the Penguins on an amateur tryout (ATO).
Lee was a member of the NCHC Academic All-Conference Team during his last two seasons with DU. He played 133 games at Denver and finished with 15 goals, 26 assists, 41 points, 117 penalty minutes, 134 blocked shots and a plus-49 rating in his college career.
The third player to turn pro thus far in the offseason is sophomore forward Carter Mazur (Jackson, Michigan). Mazur was drafted by the Detroit Red Wings back in 2021 and signed a three-year deal beginning in the 2023-24 season. The Michigan native will now be only an hour away from his hometown of Jackson, Michigan. For the remainder of this season, he will report to the AHL’s Grand Rapids Griffins on an amateur tryout.
An alternate captain of DU as a sophomore in 2022-23, Mazur finished his collegiate career with 36 goals, 39 assists and 75 points and did not miss any games in the two seasons with the Crimson and Gold. . With this contract, he will forgo his last two years of college eligibility and will not return to play under the lights of Magness Arena.
Mazur led the DU team and ranked tied for fifth in the nation in goals this past season, recording 22 markers while playing in all 40 games. Mazur was also awarded as a member of the NCHC All-Conference Second team after his sophomore season.
He was named Rookie of the Month in November 2021, December 2021 and March/April 2022 during his freshman season last year as well as Rookie of the Year. He also made the NCHC Academic All-Conference Team last season.
Casey Dornbach (Edina, Minn.) is the last player so far to turn pro in the offseason. Dornbach, who transferred from Harvard for this season, signed a contract for the 2023-24 season with the Iowa Wild, the AHL team of the Minnesota Wild. While here in Denver he played in all 40 games, totaling 13 goals and 21 assists this season. Dornbach, who was the previous captain at Harvard, played over 95 games with that program while playing his 100th and 125th career games here in Denver. Throughout his collegiate career, he tallied over 124 points in 138 games.
He also earned Ivy League and ECAC Rookie of the Year Awards in the 2018-19 season. During his last season with the Crimson, before donning the Gold, he was a finalist for both the Harvard Athletics’ Top Male Scholar-Athlete and the ECAC Student-Athlete of the Year
“[I’m] very thankful to our players, especially our seniors for all they have given to our program, what they have added to the pioneer legacy,” said Head Coach David Carle after the season-ending loss to Cornell.
