I’d like to give you some intel on DU’s Gabe Levin.

I first saw the Pioneers senior play as a Midget-aged player in Southern California. One of his L.A. Jr. Kings coaches was a close friend of mine, and he raved about Gabe’s ability to play in every zone and every situation. And, “great kid. A real leader.” The following year I saw him play for the now-California Titans. My second impression was that he was everywhere on the ice and able to play in any situation. Also, despite standing 5-foot-7 and probably not weighing a lot more than some goalies’ equipment bags at the time, he didn’t seem to back down.

What I didn’t realize was how much more there was to the NCHC’s first ever Post-Graduate Scholarship recipient. (Update: Levin also won the NCHC Scholar-Athlete award while teammate Danton Heinen was selected the league’s Forward of the Year on Thursday night).

As a former editor of California Rubber Hockey Magazine one of the things I enjoyed the most was tracking the progress of the state’s players as they advanced through the ranks of juniors and college and possibly beyond.

Gabe’s junior career in Fairbanks, Alaska, was impressive. He posted eye-popping numbers – 148 points in 111 regular-season games and 15 more in 21 postseason games. It’s no wonder he attracted a lot of Division I looks.

Those of you who’ve watched Gabe at DU know that he is counted on in many ways. During my family’s frequent visits to the area before we moved here I had an opportunity to see that up close. He played in every situation, took many important face-offs and even without piling up points was a factor.

I asked a former DU teammate of his how things were going in the first season under coach Jim Montgomery, and specifically about the players from California – Gabe and Trevor Moore. He told me, in essence, everyone can see what Trevor brings but Gabe is one of Monty’s most trusted players. Watch closely how, when and where he uses him during the game, the teammate said.

With that in mind, watch I did, and Gabe did not disappoint.

In my mind, one of the best benefits of living in Colorado is the proximity to college hockey, something I’d dearly missed watching and covering during my 15 years in Southern California, outside of the odd trips to Denver or my native upper Midwest.

When I decided to start this blog, Gabe was one of the first people I spoke with, and he’s been hugely helpful, as have his teammates with both this and stories I write for various other outlets.

He’s also hugely hilarious, but don’t take my word for it, what any episode of the cult classic “Gabbin With Gabe” (after all, it is sweeps month at DU!).

Turns out he’s hugely intelligent, too. Back in December when I saw the line chart for the Friday game at North Dakota, I fell out of my chair. No Gabe! Surely it couldn’t be because of his play. There is no way it was a discipline problem – the guy was the only alternate captain at the start of the season.

Nope, study hall was the culprit. Gabe was taking the LSAT the next morning in Grand Forks, N.D. That weekend didn’t go the Pioneers’ way, neither did the next one against St. Cloud State (the team DU will renew acquaintances with Friday night in Minneapolis). Turns out Gabe had a much better weekend, crushing the LSAT and setting himself up to have more than a hat trick’s worth of law school suitors. (and wouldn’t you like to have him on your intramural team?!).

I recently spoke with one of his best friends, Jake Rivera, for a story about Jake and one of his younger brothers, Luke, playing against each other in Division III games in the SUNY conference. I mentioned to Jake how I was impressed with Gabe. He told me you don’t know the half of it. Turns out he’s a trusted teammate and friend.

Moore, another of his California brethren, has told me a couple of times now that one of the reasons DU’s freshmen have played so well (i.e. Dylan Gambrell, Troy Terry, Colin Staub, Jarid Lukosevicius, Logan O’Connor and Blake Hillman, to name six) is because there are players like Gabe who pay attention to the details … master them.

When coach Montgomery talks about the team’s second-half improvement being tied to everyone – coaches and players – focusing more on the details, it’s likely that Gabe was one of the trend setters for that, too.

If this playoff run is it for Gabe’s hockey career, and he has told me he has no idea if it is or not, he will leave behind an all-around legacy of excellence on and off the ice at DU that will be difficult to match.

And that’s not some idle Gab.

(Want more? We teed up some One-Timers for Gabe in the fall right here)