“If it’s in The Hockey News it’s gotta be true.” … Or something like that.

The benchmark hockey publication dropped a copy of its “Dream Teams” commemorative issue in my mailbox this week, and there are a few items of interest to University of Denver hockey fans in it.

First, DU’s program was ranked the 33^rd overall producer of NHL talent in a rating system that skews heavily toward Canadian major junior teams. The intent was all-time rankings, which doesn’t take into account college hockey’s recent surge in producing NHL-ready players.

It named first-team all-stars for every position in DU’s history. The magazine’s choices were forwards: Glenn Anderson, Peter McNab and Kevin Dineen, while the defensemen were Keith Magnuson and Matt Carle. Ron Grahame was the choice in net. The honorable mention list included forwards Paul Stastny, Ed Beers and Rich Preston, defensemen Craig Redmond and Patrick Wiercioch and goalie Wade Dubielewicz.

Some choices could be open to debate (Anderson played just one year at DU but is a Hockey Hall of Famer, Redmond also was a one-season Pioneer), but remember they’re coming from THN’s contribution to the NHL perspective. DU’s list is more balanced but the magazine tends to skew a bit more toward recent players. And it would be nice to see a nod to players who were outstanding college players but either didn’t reach the NHL or maybe didn’t have the enduring career that some of the aforementioned did. (I would love your feedback on this!)

The publication also includes fun facts and figures as well as what it deems the program’s three defining moments – winning the 1960-61 NCAA title in Denver, the Denver Cup drawing more than 16,000 fans to see DU beat then-No. 1 Colorado College on Dec. 28, 1995, and the back-to-back titles of 2004-05. Part of the noteworthiness of the Denver Cup was the state record for college hockey attendance, which will stand for about four more months, until the Battle on Blake in late February.

The second item of note from a DU perspective comes a few pages later for Maine, which was ranked No. 45. Tucked away under a list of career leaders we’re reminded that Coach Jim Montgomery was a fantastic player – skillful AND durable. He is the Bears’ all-time leader in games (170), assists (198) and points (301). That’s nearly 1.8 points per game. And remember, Monty helped anchor (along with Paul Kariya, the Ferraro twins, and goalies Garth Snow and Mike Dunahm) a team that went 42-1-2 in 1992-93 en route to winning an NCAA title. It’s still considered one of the best – if not the best – college team of all time.