The Denver Hockey program made history last season with four Pioneers picked in the first three rounds of the 2021 NHL Draft. This year, they very nearly matched that feat for the second straight year as four incoming Pioneers – F Rieger Lorenz (R2, #56 overall), F Miko Matikka (R3, #67), F Aidan Thompson (R3, #90), and D Garrett Brown (R4, #99) – were selected in the first 99 picks. The shocker of the draft, however, was that rising sophomore forward Jack Devine, a key piece of the Pioneers’ third line last season, fell to the seventh round at #221 after being projected to get selected in the second or third round. But when all was said and done, the 2022 draft was just a bit better than last year’s draft with one more Pioneer getting selected this time around.
With the selections made today, the Pioneers will feature a whopping 13 NHL draftees on its 2022-23 roster, one more than they had a year ago:
NHL prospects on 22-23 @DU_Hockey:
McKade Webster (TB)
Massimo Rizzo (CAR)
Carter Mazur (DET)
Tristan Broz (PIT)
Jack Devine (FL)
Samu Salminen (NJ)
Miko Matikka (AZ)
Rieger Lorenz (MIN)
Aidan Thompson (CHI)
Mike Benning (FL)
Sean Behrens (COL)
Shai Buium (DET)
Magnus Chrona (SJ)— LetsGoDU (@LetsGoDU) July 8, 2022
This year’s selections, though, continue to show head coach David Carle’s great recruiting acumen as the Pioneers once again boast the most draftees among NCHC teams. The next closest team, North Dakota, had three selections today.
Of the five Pioneers selected today, four of them will be on the roster come October: Devine, of course, Matikka, Lorenz, and Thompson. Brown, as it stands now, is scheduled to arrive at DU next fall for the 2023-24 season, though that could very well change after Antti Tuomisto’s surprising departure for Liiga’s TPS in his native Finland.
It was another banner day for the DU Hockey program as they prepare to begin their quest for their record-breaking 10th national championship. Scoring and talent depth were the key reasons why the Pios were able to win their ninth title in Boston a few months ago and after today’s haul of Pioneers getting selected by NHL teams, the 2022-23 team is setting itself up to follow in last year’s championship-winning footsteps.
We will have much more on each of the incoming freshmen as October draws nearer and we put together our season preview.
Top photo of Jack Devine: Jameson Olive
A great draft day for the Pios. Lorenz and Matikka should be contributing to DU by the end of their freshman year next season, and could be in the mix to try win a top 6 forward position with the Pios, but competition will be tough with Rizzo, Mazur, Devine, King, Dornbach, Broz, Webster, Edwards and Caponi, and Salminen all trying to win one of those jobs. DU should plenty of depth next year…
Very surprised to see Thompson and Brown go as high as they did in the draft – I did not think either of them would be in the top 150 picks. As for Devine falling to the seventh, that should be even more motivation for him to boost his scoring impact on the Pios. I expect him to be the one player who explodes this coming season, and he’ll be an impact player for the Pios.
Looking good for a Tampa Frozen .4 revisit. If not for the terrible icing play that is where we would have won the Frozen 4 a few years ago. We had N. Dakota on their heals.
That seems like a pretty great draft for the program…a solid number of pretty high draft picks, but no first rounders where the minute they step on campus all you do is wonder when they will leave. Bummed that we lost the Finn d man and Savoie, but otherwise, the immediate future for DU is looking great.