Saturday night the University of Denver hockey program will honor its four seniors, a core of players coach Jim Montgomery repeatedly has said have been vital to the Pioneers’ success this season.
If there is a hallmark of the quartet of Grant Arnold, Gabe Levin, Quinten Shore and Nolan Zajac it is their consistency. They show up for work, they do their jobs well and in the process encourage and educate their peers on how to the same.
“We’re really fortunate to have a senior class like that,” junior Trevor Moore told me this week. “They’re all really respected. It’s not just because they’re older; they’re really good guys and they back it up with how they play. All of them lead by example. There are no egos.”
Two other notes: All four recently were recognized with NCHC Academic All-Conference honors this season, the third year in a row that has happened, and all four are pleasant and professional to speak with.
Here is look at what I’ve observed each bring to the team in tangible and intangible ways.
GRANT ARNOLD
One of three two-year captains in DU’s 67-year hockey history … ever. That’s a good place to start with the Centennial, Colo., native. Not only is he the Pioneers’ leader in letter, he is their unquestioned tone-setter.
You could count on your fingers the number of times Arnold’s line (with junior center Matt Marcinew and freshman right wing Jarid Lukosevicius) isn’t sent out after a goal (DU or otherwise). Why is that? Either to keep momentum going or turn it back toward the Pioneers.
Arnold committed to tailoring his game to suit the Pioneers’ uptempo style, losing more than 10 pounds this past offseason. He’s noticeably quicker, and “puck is finding him” more. His 12 points are a career high, and his four goals are just one fewer than his previous career TOTAL.
“Everyone thinks (Arnold’s line) is another ‘Mash Line’ but that line produces points every weekend,” Moore said.
GABE LEVIN
One of the Pioneers’ biggest strengths is at center ice, and Levin has a lot do with that. Defensive zone face-off, protecting a lead, any key juncture in a game, you can bet he or Shore or both will be on the ice.
His face-off win rate of 54.6 is a fraction behind Shore’s 55 for the team lead, and his five goals have tied a career high. A season ago, he won more than 57 percent of his draws and placed near the top of the NCHC in that category.
But Levin’s contributions go far beyond that, said Moore, his long-time friend from California.
“Gabe is a smaller guy, but no one focuses on the details of the game like he does,” Moore said. “Examples like that have helped the freshman play well. I truly believe it’s because we have such a good older leadership core.”
Levin is also a rising media star, with his Gabbin With Gabe feature drawing rave reviews from all corners of the media universe.
QUENTIN SHORE
If there is a first family of DU hockey in the past decade it is the Shores. Preceded by older brothers Nick and Drew, Quentin continues to do what he’s done every year he’s been on campus – score, win face-offs and be tough to play against.
Fourth on the team with 18 points through 32 games, the Denver native’s career point totals the previous three years are 26, 25 and 19. He plays the tough minutes, he takes the big face-offs and has demonstrated he will play whatever style the game calls for.
A sixth-round pick of the Ottawa Senators in the 2013 NHL Entry Draft, Shore also seems to be carving out a niche as Levin’s foil in Gabbin With Gabe.
NOLAN ZAJAC
Zajac is a second-generation Pioneer (his father Tom played at DU in the 70s), and like Shore has older brothers playing pro hockey.
He is a wildly consistent scoring threat from the blue line. His 18 points through 32 games are about on pace with his numbers in his first three seasons (26, 23, 26). He also annually is among DU’s blocked shot leaders. His 55 this season are one off Adam Plant‘s team lead, but exactly the same number he had each of the past two seasons.
DU’s defense has improved more from start until now than any other unit this season, and Zajac’s improved play is part of the reason. It’s also obvious that he and teammate Will Butcher have taken the younger members of the D under their wings.
He also forever endeared himself to Mayhem Jr. with his responses to our Q & A last fall.
Arnold, Levin, Shore and Zajac will play one more series at home after this weekend — next weekend’s NCHC playoff quarterfinal series — but before the playoff beards begin growing, before sure to tap your stick on the ice for DU’s fantastic four.
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