It’s no secret that Denver looks for smart and talented hockey players that fit head coach David Carle’s style of high speed, high-skill transition hockey.  For many years now (pre-dating Carle’s tenure), DU has often featured small, fast, and shifty offensive players who can move and control the puck on the rush, through the neutral zone, and down low below the face-off dots. These speedsters are usually backed by a very mobile puck-moving defensive corps who can jump into the offensive zone and contribute on the scoresheet. It’s a system that typically works well for the Pioneers, as that speed and skill can create both open spaces and skill mismatches that can often compensate for a lack of size. 

Smaller players also tend to stay longer in college, and are often undrafted by the NHL, allowing a program such as DU to skate a more experienced lineup vs. teams who consistently lose talent early to pro contracts. Continue reading Can Denver Hockey Get Bigger this Summer? →