The lights in the Campus Lounge, a Denver institution, got a little dimmer on Tuesday with the passing of the establishment’s owner and Pioneers great Jim Wiste. He was 70.

Wiste, who was a two-time All-American and captain of DU’s 1968 national championship team, was even more gifted at making people feel at ease with a quick quip or hilarious story. That included generations of DU players and coaches.

“Wiste was not only one of the greatest Pioneers to ever wear the jersey, but also one of the most caring, loving and funny people you’ll ever meet,” DU coach Jim Montgomery told the school’s official website. “His love for DU and Denver hockey make him one of the best alumni to ever come through the program.”

Wiste transitioned seemlessly from Moose Jaw, Saskatchewan, to Denver in 1965, and immediately showed a nose for the net. His 139 points came in 96 games, putting him 29th all-time in the Denver record books.

He was also part of a cohort of players that put DU’s program on the map with the NHL. He and teammates Cliff Koroll and Keith Magnuson joined the Chicago Blackhawks in 1969, helping Chicago go from last to first.

Wiste played 450 games in the pros, 280 of which came in the NHL and its early 1970s rival, the WHA.

Friends said the Campus Lounge was a natural extension of Wiste’s giving personality.

For more about Wiste, please check out the story Denver Athletics has on its site.

Colorado native Resseguie joins Pioneers

For the second time this season, DU has dipped into the junior ranks, specifically the North American Hockey League, to add a player to its roster.

Jared Resseguie

On Wednesday, it was announced forward Jared Resseguie of Arvada has joined the team. What stands out about the 6-foot, 175-pound Resseguie is not gaudy scoring numbers (though he’s shown progress in this area), but the fact he not only captained his youth hockey teams but also has worn a letter all three seasons he’s played junior hockey.

“It feels exhilarating to be on my way to playing college hockey,” Resseguie told the Bobcats’ official website. “I received a call that [Denver] was in need of a player and were looking for a guy that could fit a role on their team — and I was lucky enough to be that guy. Opportunities like this are rare and once it was presented to me, I couldn’t pass it up.”

A 1998 birth year, Resseguie captained the Rocky Mountain RoughRiders U16 team during the 2014-15 season. In his first year with Bismarck of the NAHL he was an assistant captain, and he’s worn the “C” the past season and a half.

He was on track to improve his scoring total for the second season in a row in junior, going from 15 points to 32 a season ago to more than 40 this season. Resseguie will wear No. 8.

The Pioneers added defenseman Ryan Orgel, a ’97, during the week of Thanksgiving. He has played four games for DU and seemed to really find his footing in Saturday’s 6-0 win vs. Air Force.

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