As the 2023-2024 college hockey season nears, the growing excitement from players, coaches and fans is palpable.
The Crimson and Gold have a new captain this season in senior forward, McKade Webster, with senior forward Connor Caponi, junior forward Carter King and junior forward Massimo Rizzo as assistant captains.
Webster enters his senior year at Denver, who is a consistent forward with 14 points in each of the last two seasons. However, he hopes to add to his stat sheet this year, and he has an idea of how to go about it.
“I want to increase my offensive upside and bear down on my chances when I get them and put the puck in the back of the net a little bit more,” he explained.
Webster is excited about being a captain of Denver hockey and getting this special opportunity to lead this program.
“There have been so many good leaders that have come through this historic program,” he said. “It’s an honor and a privilege to lead this program.”
In Webster’s third season in the USHL, before committing to play at DU, he was captain of the Green Bay Gamblers and learned to lead by example. He understands that players on a team look up to the captain and the importance of leadership in a team setting.
“I should be leading by example every day and help out other guys with things mentally and be a shoulder people can lean on for certain things,” Webster explained.
Last season, DU lost to Cornell in the NCAA Regionals tournament and did not put up a goal in the contest. Webster’s eyes are therefore set on the prize of another national championship.
“Our goal is to be the first to ten and win another national championship,” he said.
Webster was also adamant about winning the NCHC playoffs, as the team hasn’t won since Webster’s arrival at Denver in 2020. To Webster though, the importance of, “following the process of the standard we put for ourselves” is just as important as accomplishing all of these goals.
A different mix of players this season can make for an interesting team dynamic for the Crimson and Gold. There are 10 new freshmen coming into the season, mixing together younger and older players.
“The boys are family— a brotherhood, and we are all excited to get the season going, ” he said.
Denver’s roster runs deep, with many who won the National Championship still on the team. This is the leverage that they hope to use when they shoot for it this year. Leaders on the team like McKade are responsed with stoking this furnace, promoting the desire to conquer the NCAA within the younger generations.
“We have some experience of what it takes to win, and now, two years removed, the underclass may not know what that experience is like,” he said. “The team is hungry for another national championship, and a lot of different things factor into winning and everyday building of the foundation of a stronger team.”
Webster and Denver hockey are looking for their 10th national championship this season and are looking to become the first program in NCAA Division One ice hockey to achieve that goal. The team’s first home game of the season takes place on Oct. 27 against Augustana University.
